Kasuga Taisha

September 15, 2016 by Brennan Duff in Shrine

Kasuga Taisha is one of the premier ancient shrines built during the Nara period when the capital was at Heijô-kyô. The shrine is home to several key gods brought in from other shrines in the area, but its main deity is Takemikazuchi-no-Mikoto, the guardian deity of Nara. It is said that Takemikazuchi-no-Mikoto came to Kasuga Taisha on the back of a white deer, a detail which makes all deer sacred animals by imperial decree. Today, the deer in Nara mostly lounge around Nara Park and sometimes in the middle of roads. Again, these animals are deemed sacred and cannot be harmed in any way, so good luck getting through town if they're blocking the roads. Kasuga Taisha was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1998.

For the casual: 9. For the educated: 9.

Kasuga Taisha is one of the coolest shrines that I visited simply because of the environment. Visiting this shrine is like a great hike. Most of the time visiting the shrine is walking up the path to get to the buildings. The pathway is lined by over 3,000 stone lanterns donated by patrons of the shrine and there are so many in fact that it has more stone lanterns in one location than anywhere else in Japan. Above the walkway are beautiful healthy cypress trees which give you a great reprieve from the summer sun. Once you arrive at the shrine itself, the color palate changes from the greens, browns, and grays of the pathway to the vibrant whites and oranges of the buildings. Visiting the shrine for the most part is free, but the buildings themselves require a ticket. If you were wondering, and I'm sure at least a few of you were, the lanters are lit only twice per year, in August and on the 3rd of February to celebrate the end of winter.

Fushimi Inari Taisha

September 15, 2016 by Brennan Duff in Shrine

Predating the capital of Heian-kyô in the 8th century, Fushimi Inari Taisha is one if not the most iconic shrine known to foreigners around the world. Home of Ukanomitama-no-Mikoto, the goddess of agriculture, the shrine is dedicated to the well being of crops. The shrine has had many famous donors over the years, including famed warrior Toyotomi Hideyoshi who donated the front gate of the shrine. Unlike most other shrines, Fushimi Inari ranges all over a single mountain from the main shrine at the bottom to the "center" of the shrine at the top where a flame is lit.

For the casual: 10. For the educated: 10

The shrine's inconicity is derived from two key features: it's tori gates and its fox statues. Foxes are the messengers of the goddess and are known for hunting many of the pests that would harm agricultural fields. Now if you've read my Intro to Shrines page, which I highly encourage you do if you haven't yet, you'll know that all shrines will have a tori gate. This gate signifies the boundary between the worlds of mortals and immortals, the sacred and impious. Fushimi Inari on the other hand doesn't have one, two, or ten, it has thousands upon thousands of tori gates which align the twisting pathways that lead from the base of the mountain, to smaller shrines across the mountain, and finally to the "center" of the main shrine at the summit of the mountain. These tori gates are all donations from various individuals and companies over the years and by stacking them closely together, the viewer gets the illusion of walking through vermilion hallways. In fact, at the entrance to the main shrine, there are even notices letting visitors know how much one tori will cost ranging from small tori only about a food tall, to one of the many thousands of large tori which mark the main pathways up the mountain.

Because Fushimi Inari Taisha is a celebrety amongst shrines across Japan, be prepared to face large crowds if visiting on a weekend or on a holiday. An easy way to avoid most crowds on any day is to visit around noon (all the tours arrive in the morning) or on a weekday. If you're not interested in climbing the mountain, that's totally fine, but the majority of visitors will be staying close to the base of the shrine and some of the first few hallways of vermillian tori before leaving for the next major tourist attraction. All the same, I don't believe that a visit to Kyoto is complete without visiting Fushimi Inari Taisha.

Yasaka Jinja

September 15, 2016 by Brennan Duff in Shrine

Yasaka Jinja is one of the most well known shrines in the Kyoto area standing at the east end of Shijo Street in the Gion District. Shrine legend states that the shrine was founded some 150 years prior to the founding of the Imperial Capital of Heian-kyô. Famously known as the site of the Gion Matsuri (Gion Festival) which occurs throughout the month of July, it pays tribute to the many gods enshrined at Yasaka, both greater and lesser. Some of the most noted gods enshrined are Susano'o-no-mikoto (God of Storms and Seas), Kushi’inadahime-no-mikoto (Susano’o’s wife, a Goddess of Rice, she was a princess he saved from Orochi, the eight-headed snake), and Yahashira-no-mikogami (the honorable eight god children of Susano’o and Kushi’inadahime).

For the casual: 9. For the educated: 9.

Yasaka Jinja is a sight all should go see. Unfortunately that does mean that you should expect lots and lots of tourists. Gion is already a very famous area of Kyoto because it is the geisha district, and by far the most famous geisha district in Japan. For those who do not know, geisha, meaning "art person," are female performers who specialize in party entertainment of varying sizes while also performing grand theater pieces. Most of Gion has changed into a modern city, but some of the streets are still traditional city houses, some of which are the okiya or homes of geisha. Because of their strong international appeal, many people flock to Gion in hopes of catching a glimpse of a geisha on their way to a party. As a result, it's almost impossible to imagine Gion when it isn't bustling full of people. The draw also means that tourists can rent kimono or yukata for a day of photos around Kyoto, and with Yasaka Jinja near by, the shrine is a very popular location for visitors. It is because of these crowds that I'm hesitant to mark this shrine as a 10, but I recognize that the shrine is beautiful even compared to other shrines, and the masses of people does make a visit enjoyable if people watching is your kind of thing.

Heian Jingû

August 24, 2016 by Brennan Duff in Shrine

Originally constructed in 1895, Heian Jingû was built as a scaled-down version of the original Imperial Palace in Kyoto built in 794. Because of the Meiji Emperor and his quest to return Japan to a nation of Imperial power, many monuments like Heian Jingû were constructed to glorify the return of Imperial political power. Heian Jingû was built to commemorate the 1,100th year anniversary of the construction of the capital of Heian-kyô where the Emperor resided until Emperor Meiji moved the capital to the samurai capital of Edo, renaming the city Tokyo in the process. Enshrined are two emperors, Emperor Kanmu who founded the capital of Heian-kyô and Emperor Komei, the father of the Meiji Emperor and the last emperor to permanently reside in the Heian-kyô capital.

For the casual: 8. For the educated: 8.

Heian Jingû is one of the least shrine-like shrines that I visited simply because of how ostentatious it is. Usually, shrines have a very strong natural element and this applies to even to shrines that were in the center of metropolitan areas. Now that being said, this is not a criticism of Heian Jingû. The shrine may not have the same kind of natural balance that the other shrines do, but it does have a garden around the side and the back. The garden is the only part of the shrine that requires a ticket. I really felt that Heian Jingû was really beautiful for the shrine that it is and what it represents.

Heian Jingû is also known for its massive tori gates which are 24.2 meters (79.4 ft.) tall.

Kamakura-gû

November 24, 2015 by Brennan Duff in Shrine

Kamakura-gû is actually a fairly new shrine being founded in 1869 following the Meiji Restoration, when the Emperor of Japan regained political power for the first major period since the Heian period which ended in the late 12th century. Kamakura-gû is dedicated to the Imperial Prince Morinaga who fought in 1333 in the siege of Kamakura by the forces of Emperor Go Daigo. Morinaga however was killed by his own men in the confusion of battle and became a tragic tale of the Imperial family. Kamakura-gû is known for two figurines that ward off evil: a red wooden head of a lion and a simple white statue of a samurai.

For the casual: 6. For the educated: 7.

As a fan of the Kamakura bakufu ("tent" government) and a dislike of Emperor Go Daigo who ended it, I laughed at the stories of Morinaga. I know it's very dark to think such things, but I can't help but think that there could have been a different scenario that led to his death besides "being killed in the confusion". Either way, the shrine is a cool place to visit. Off the beaten path from much of Kamakura, Kamakura-gû is a quaint little shrine with lots of beautiful bamboo, trees, and flowering plants. Kamakura-gû is the only place where I saw a good luck practice of smashing small ceramic cups against stone; it was so much fun because it's not everyday you get to break things for luck.

Ushima Jinja

November 12, 2015 by Brennan Duff in Shrine

Ushima Jinja, also referred to as Ushijima Jinja, is a small shrine on the north end of Sumida Park in Asakusa. It was founded in 860 and is noted for surviving the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923 and the fire bombs of WWII.

For the casual: 7. For the educated: 6.

Ushima Jinja is a really cool shrine with some really cool things. The shrine has a a stone statue of a cow which is a source of good luck by rubbing the cow where you would like to be healed. Sumida Park is a great little break from the city with wonderful winding paths, and the shrine is definitely a great addition to the park. To the south are the headquarters of Asahi Brewing (what I will say is that they chose the wrong architect for that building). To the east is Tokyo Skytree Tower, the tallest tower in the world (not to be confused with tallest building). The only issue is the highway overpass which follows the west side of the park.