久栗坂石＜青森県＞ 【日本銘石】

KUGURIZAKA Stone

久栗坂石

青森県の久栗坂付近で産出する石。
この地名には由来があり、天明八年(1788年)7月7日の菅江真澄遊覧記に残されており、ここを通るときに横たわる大きな岩の間を潜り抜けなければならなかったことから「くぐりざか」と名付けられました。
陸奥湾に面したこの久栗坂のある奥州は鎌倉時代の吾妻鏡にも登場する歴史のある場所で奥州合戦の地としても知られています。
この久栗坂の産土神(うぶすながみ)は地元にある稲荷神社で、ニシン漁が盛んだったため海運海上安全や大漁を願う弁天など水に関わる神様が多く祀られています。

This stone is mined near Kugorizaka in Aomori Prefecture.
The name of this place has a story behind it, and is recorded in the Sugae Masumi Travelogue in July 7, 1788. It was named "Kugurizaka" (means wicket in Japanese) because people had to slip between large rocks when passing through here. Oshu where Kugurizaka is located and faces Mutsu Bay, is a historic place that appears in the Azuma Kagami from the Kurama period, and is also know as the site of the Battle of Oshu. The guardian deity of Kugurizaka is the local Inari Shine and as the fishing of herring was thriving here, many water related deities are enshrined here, such as Benten, who prays for safety at sea and good catch.