Shimogamo Jinja is a shrine along the banks of the Kamo river and just northeast of the Imperial Palace in Kyoto. This shrine is home to Kamotaketsunomi-no-mikoto, the guardian deity of the city of Kyoto, and also to his daughter Tamayorihime-no-mikoto, a goddess of strong and prosperous marriage. Said to take on the form of a three-legged raven, Kamotaketsunomi-no-mikoto is believed to have led the first emperor of Japan, Jimmu, to not only the site where the great capital of Kyoto would be established, but also to where his shrine would later be constructed. Though it is not known when the shrine was first constructed, artifacts have been found which date the shrine back as far as the Yayoi Period (c. 350 BCE-c. 250 CE). The forest which surrounds Shimogamo Jinja is an ancient forest designated as a National and World Heritage site in its own right as it is so old that its history is rather unknown. Shimogamo Jinja is also one of the shrines which participates in the Shikinen Sengu, a tradition of rebuilding shrines anew every 21 years for spiritual purity. The last rebuilding of Shimogamo Jinja was 2013.

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

Shimogamo Jinja is a special place to be in the Kyoto area. Like many of the sites here, Shimogamo Jinja is a UNESCO World Heritage site and a National Heritage site. I also recommend going to the shrines and temples which house the guardian deities of the city, but this one was rather special in my opinion for a number of reasons.

For one, the shrine is buried in the Tadasu-no-mori, a forest so old they dont actually know what the name means although its been narrowed down to delta or justice. Take your pick. Anyways, a walk through this protected forest means that you can escape most of the busy city that you have clogged your pores with. Listen to the birds and the bees, or if youre visiting in summer, the cicadas. the white gravel pathways and green canopy complement each other until you reach the shrine itself. Vermillion gates stand in stark constrast, but do not seem to loose sight of the beauty it surrounds itself with.

For those who have an understanding of Japanese history, Shimogamo Jinja is a great and easy place to visit if you want to tap into the ancient lay lines of the Kyoto past. But its also important to take in the sensory brilliance of such a little haven. Enjoy the sights, sounds, and smells, and relax as you get transported from central Kyoto to a lush wonderland.