Legend
Killing of Centipede

At the ceremony of "Uikoburi"( a ceremony equivalent to "Coming-of-age-Day" of modern days,but,usually a boy was to be celebrated in his teens,not at twenty years old.),the father of Lord Hidesato,Lord Murao,gave his son a fine sword of about 1m long and persuaded him to brush up further both literary and military arts.

Soon he was assigned Ohryoshi of Shimotsuke-no-Kuni,and on his way to Kyoto, at Seta ,Ohmi-no-Kuni,the lord encoutered people troubled very much by a 60m long monster serpent lying on the bridge of Seta-no-Karahashi.The lord,by himself, walked through quietly on this giant snake.At midnight on that day,a lady of unearthly beauty visited the lord at the lodging house and told him the following tale :

I am a dragoness living in Lake Biwa.Every year I give birth to a child, but none of them can not grow up because of giant centipede living in a hill of Mikamiyama by the side of the lake.This centipede is harassing the good people with requests of children including mine as a sacrificial offering.So,I changed myself into the snake in order to find a warlord who could subjugate the centipede.

Upon listening to her petition, the lord ,being a brave and a affectionate worlord, readily accepted her solicitation and headed for the hill with the sword given by his father and with a very powerful bow of Shigetou and three big arrows.

By the guide of the lady, they went up deep into the hill of Mikamiyama and all of a sudden ,the spot was brightened.They saw a giant centipede was emitting electric light,blowing out the wing and rain like a storm with his eyes glaring.

Immediatly the lord aimed at the monster and shot the first arrow and the second.Both arrows hit the giant centipede,but were rejected.The lord put his saliva on the tip of the third and the last arrow and prayed the God, then let it off. The arrow hit and thrusted into the monster and he trembled several times and breathed his last.The storm calmed down with thunders ,leaving peacefulness.

In expressing his gratitude,the dragon God gave the lord a golden armor "Hiraishi"and a golden sword ,together with a roll of silk and a straw rice-bag which were inexhausible,and a big hanging bell.The armor "Hiraishi-no-Yoroi"has been kept at Karasawayama Jinjya while the sword and the big hanging bell have been preserved at the Grand Shrine of Ise (Ise Jingu) and the Miidera Temple respectively.

( from the Tale of Miidera Temple)

Tale of washing of horse with rice

During the age of civil wars,in the middle of 16th century,Karasawa Castle was at a crisis because of the invasions by other warlords like Uesugi Kenshin,HojyoUjimasa. Though famed for an impregnable fortress,being on the top of the hill,the castle always had an only one weakpoint, that is, the possibility of a shortage of water.

During the years of Tensho(1573-91),the castle suffered water torture as the castle was surrounded by enemies and the main roads were blocked,the water and food famine was imminent.But enemy was just waiting for this crisis,you could not show the weakness.

In order to make a reverse use of reconnaissance of the enemy,a plan was thought out.First ,a big water pale was filled with rice,then the rice was poured over the back of a horse,thus a mock washing of body of the horse was played.

As expected,the enemy reconnaissance patrols reported of an abundance of water,and the enemy were so surprised ,dissapointed and their morale suffered. Finally,they retreated.