The birthplace of Surusumi, the famous horse

The Birthplace of Surusumi, Meiho's Famous Horse

Surusumi Birthplace Park is located in the Ogura area, deep within Meiho Kera. A stone monument marks the birthplace of Surusumi, Meiho's famous horse, and enshrines his spirit. According to legend, Surusumi was born here during the Heian period. Each morning, he would let himself out of the stable and run to Sugo, the deepest part of Kera, where he ate sacred grasses (known as horohoro-so or sasa-kusa) and drank from a milky-white sacred spring deep within Otaki falls. This regimen reputedly made him a swift horse unmatched in form and quality. Later, presented by Lord Minamoto no Yoritomo to the warrior Kajiwara Genta Kagesue, Surusumi gained renown in the famous vanguard skirmish at the Uji River and served Kagesue well in numerous battles. Consider reflecting on the life of this legendary horse who lived through turbulent times.