Otose no Hama (Otose’s Beach)

During the war between the Minamoto Clan and the Taira Clan, there was a woman called Otose. She was from Katata and served in the residence of the Minamoto Clan in Kyoto. During the war, Otose fled from Kyoto to Otsu, protecting a white banner of the Minamoto Clan. She was then about to be caught by her pursuers, so she tried to jump in the lake; however, a Taira Clan’s warrior cut off her arm and she died. Her arm drifted away to the south beach of Dogasaki, the port of Katata. The hand of her severed arm was still holding the Minamoto Clan’s banner until her son who rushed to her opened her fingers. The story of loyal Otose was later played in a Joruri puppet show, Genpei Nunobiki no Taki in 1749 and became widely known. The son of Otose reportedly followed Otose’s footsteps and protected Minamoto Clan’s banner and became a military commander of Minamoto no Yoshinaka, Tezuka no Taro Mitsumori.