The grounds of Yasaka Jinja lie between Higashioji dori and Maruyama park, a popular spot for hanami, cherry blossom viewing. The vermillion romon gate from 1497 at the eastern end of Shijo dori marks the shrine's west entrance. The gate houses two statues of zuishin warriors to guard the shrine, together with two pairs of koma-inu lion dogs, a metal pair outside the gate, and a pair carved from stone inside of it. This imposing gate, overlooking Gion from the top of stone steps, is one of the most recognisable landmarks of Kyoto, and a popular meeting spot for locals and visitors alike.

However, the official main entrance to the shrine is in the south, marked by a large stone torii. Constructed in 1646, it is 9.5 m high, and one of the largest stone torii in Japan. Stepping through the south gate, at the right hand side there is the Noh stage, used throughout the year for various events. Straight ahead lies the dance stage, where the three portable mikoshi shrines are waiting for their turn at Gion Matsuri, and behind it lies the main worship hall of Yasaka shrine. Built in 1654 on orders of Shogun Ietsuna (like all other current shrine buildings), it combines the honden inner sanctuary and the haiden offering hall under a single roof. This makes the main hall of Yasaka shrine the largest of any shrine in Japan, and the combination is unique. Additionally, the building style of the main hall – with projecting roof not only in front, but also on the sides – is now called Gion style. The main hall of Yasaka shrine was designated a National Treasure in December 2020.

Inside the large precincts of Yasaka shrine are many smaller shrines devoted to deities besides Susano'o-no-mikoto. For example, at the Utsukushi-gozen shrine, people sprinkle a bit of water on their faces to enhance their beauty, whereas Hamono shrine is meant for cutlery, knives, and swords. Ebisu shrine has its own festival in January, and at Eki shrine, the nagoshi-no-harae purification after Gion Matsuri takes place. Finally, the god of enmusubi match makig residing at Okuninushi shrine receives – and hopefully answers – prayers for love relationships, new and old ones.

The most striking feature of Yasaka shrine, however, are the many lanterns. The paper lanterns hung at the dance stage and the southern entrance gate all bear the names of the local businesses that have donated them to the shrine in hope to prosper. And throughout the shrine grounds, there are beautiful wooden toro lanterns, painted in bright vermillion. As one of few large shrines in Kyoto, the grounds of Yasaka Jinja are open around the clock. In the night, all the lanterns are lit and give the shrine a special atmosphere.

February is usually the coldest month in Kyoto, and the ancient setsubun festival is meant to dispel various demons trying to invade the city during that time. The most popular of Kyoto's setsubun festivals takes place in Yoshida Shrine on February 2nd and 3rd.

Yoshida shrine is quietly tucked away on one of the Higashiyama mountains, and its proximity to Kyoto University makes it a popular spot for students for a stroll or a quick prayer before an exam.

Yoshida Shrine is located on Yoshidayama, which can be considered a part of the Higashiyama mountains in the east of Kyoto. Its precincts are extensive and embedded into the forest, which gives the shrine a quiet, serene, and also cool atmosphere. While many paths lead to Yoshida Jinja, the main part of the shrine is best accessed over the steps at the eastern end of Higashi Ichijo Dori, which passes by the Seimon gate of Kyoto University. Instead of an inner sanctuary, this main honden structure contains four smaller honden, each housing one of the four main kami enshrined at Yoshida Jinja. These individual honden are built in the traditional Shinto style with Japanese hinoki (cypress) thatched roofs and red coloured wood beams.

On leaving this part of the shrine towards the south, there is the statue of a deer to the left. Deer were seen as messengers of the gods, which explains their presence in large temple and shrine complexes like Nara or Miyajima. As for this particular one, it is said that the four Kami of Kasuga first descended from heaven in Nara, and then rode further to Kyoto on a deer.

Walking further uphill and to the south, there is the Saijoshi Daigengu (literally: Ceremonial Site and Shrine of the Great Origin). The Daigengu, now a national treasure, was built in 1484 by Yoshida Kanetomo, the founder of Yoshida Shinto. This octagonal building with traditionally thatched roof is a very unusual building architectonically, and besides that, it enshrines all 3,132 kami of Japan. Therefore, it is said that when praying there, one simultaneously prays to all the Shinto gods of Japan, a potent prayer indeed! Usually, the grounds of the Daigengu are closed to the public, but they are opened at New Year, Setsubun, and on every first day of each month.

As is common in Shinto, many smaller shrines can be found on the precincts of Yoshida shrine. For example, both Fujiwara Yamakage, the shrine's founder, and Yoshida Kanetomo, founder of Yoshida Shinto, are said to be buried here and have shrines erected in their honor.

If you are into food, follow the path up the mountain to the left behind the torii to Kaso Jinja, which enshrines the god of sweets. Or just walk straight ahead to find Yamakage shrine, which is home to the god of cooking and cutlery.

Yoshida Shrine has had close ties to Kyoto University, ever since the priests of the shrine performed the school's groundbreaking ceremony. Some people ascribe the great success of Kyoto University – a large number of Japan's Nobel Prize winners are its alumni – to the tutelage of the shrine.

In any case, there is a popular dormitory song with the title Kurenai Moyuru extolling the beauty of Mt. Yoshida. Its text is inscribed on the Kurenai Moyuru Monument that can be found on the grounds of Yoshida Shrine. It was erected in 1957 by the 3rd Higher School Alumni Association to commemorate the 90th anniversary of the founding of the school which is today known as Kyoto University.

Not only is Yoshida shrine popular among students, professors, and alumni of Kyodai, its good location and quiet surroundings attract many couples for their wedding ceremonies. And even after the shrine offices close, the grounds remain open and the surrounding forest makes strolling the mountain paths very pleasant at any time.

During March, winter slowly gives way to spring, and it is time to start preparing for the work on the fields. Even though it can be still very cold in the mountains surrounding Kyoto, Kifune Jinja celebrates the Amagoi Festival, a unique rain calling ritual, on March 9th.

Kifune shrine is a lovely little shrine in three parts – the Hongu, Nakamiya and Okumiya – in the north-eastern part of Kyoto. Not easy to reach, its quiet surroundings and refreshing climate make it a great destination for those who want to leave the beaten tracks behind.

The first thing you'll see of Kifune shrine is a red torii on the left side of the road through Kibune. Behind it are prominent, lantern-lined stone steps, leading up to the hongu, the outer shrine. Beyond the gate on top of the steps, a little square opens up, and a few more steps lead to the honden, the main building of the shrine. The very modern looking honden of Kifune shrine is built in the so-called nagare zukuri style with a characteristic, beautifully curved roof. Most of the events of Kifune shrine take place here, and this is also where you can buy omikuji fortune slips and omamori charms to take home.

In the wall to the left side of the honden is a little spring called goshinsui. The water of this spring has been filtered by the mountains and forests surrounding Kibune village. It is so pure that there are people taking it home for tea ceremony or simply for cooking. It is said that this spring has never run dry since the establishment of the shrine.

Stepping down from the honden and turning left, there are two large horse statues. In the old times, when the emperor still lived in Kyoto, he used to send horses to Kifune shrine as offering to the god of water. A black horse was sent as a prayer for rain to come, and a white horse was sent for the rain to stop. However, it became troublesome both for the giver and the receiver to take care of so many horses, so over time, wooden ema tablets with horse images began to be presented as prayer to the gods instead. Therefore, Kifune shrine is also thought to be the origin of ema tablets.

Pass by the horses, leave the hongu through its northern gate, and walk further ahead in the village, until you come to the middle shrine, called nakamiya or Yui-no-yashiro. This is where Iwanagahime resides, the goddess of matchmaking. It is said that she was rejected by a lover (her father sent both her and her sister to the man, but he sent Iwanagahime back), she angrily decided to help everyone else to find their match. Many legends confirm her powers: Most famously, Izumi Shikibu, famed love poetess of the Heian period, prayed for love in a sad poem at the shrine, and was promptly reconciled with her husband. This very poem is now carved on a stone monument near the Yui-no-yashiro.

Note that Iwanagahime isn't just dealing with romantic relationships. Making connections between businesses, getting a new job, and even having children fit her job description as well. In former days, people would write their wishes on thin green leaves and tie them onto the shrine itself, but nowadays – to protect the building – you should write on green strips of paper and tie them onto the designated spot.

At the very end of the valley, and at the end of a lantern-lined foot path, lies the okumiya, the inner shrine. This is the original spot where Kifune shrine once was founded, until a flooding in the 11th century forced people to move the main hall to its present location. There is a prominent mound of stones, called funagata-ishi, to the left of the entrance to the okumiya, and legend has it that Tamayorihime's yellow boat is buried beneath it.

The okumiya is rather special, since it is built above a well called ryu ketsu (dragon's cave). There are only two more shrines like that in Japan, located in Nara and Okayama. Since the okumiya is a the very end of the valley, it is a wonderfully peaceful place surrounded by enormous trees which give this spot a truly mystic feeling, regardless of the season.

Kifune Jinja is very popular among people whose businesses have to do with water: agriculture, fishing, brewing, dyeing, etc. But also people working in fire departments, as well as sailors and those related to the marine business come to pray to the god of rain and water for safety during their jobs. When visiting Kifune shrine, many people first go to pay their respects at the hongu main shrine, then at the okumiya inner shrine, and finally, on the way back, they pray at the nakamiya. This is considered the traditional way of visiting all three parts of the shrine.

Kifune shrine is worth a visit in any season. Since it lies in the mountains, it is always cooler there than in Kyoto city, which means snowy winters and breezy summers. Don't forget to buy lucky charms! There is a special mizu mamori charm to take home, or you could try a mizura omikuji to reveal your fortune – hopefully a good one – when placed in the water at the shrine. No worries if you don't speak Japanese – each fortune slip is equipped with a QR code which you can scan to hear your fortune in four languages!

There are many interesting and rather special events taking place in Kifune Jinja throughout the year. Have a look below, or check our main event calendar for current times and dates. Enjoy!

In April, we celebrate the awakening of all of Kyoto's cherry blossoms with leisurely strolls and outdoor picnics underneath the trees. One of the best places to view the sakura are the gardens of Heian Jingu, which celebrates its Reisei festival in memory of the shrine's founding on April 15th.

Heian Jingu is a large shrine situated in Okazaki, the eastern part of Kyoto. Its colorful buildings are replicas of ancient Heian Palace, giving the shrine a very stately and imposing atmosphere. The large courtyard is used for a number of Kyoto's grand scale events, the most important of which is the Jidai Matsuri in October.

The first building to greet visitors is the impressive, two-story otenmon gate in vermillion, green, and white, which was once the main gate of the Heian palace. However, the official entrance to the shrine is 500 m further to the south, at the huge torii, one of Kyoto's most recognisable landmarks. Interestingly, it was erected only in 1929, 34 years after the founding of the shrine. At that time, this was the largest torii in Japan with a height of 24,4 m and legs that boast a diameter of 3,6 m.

Passing through the otenmon gate, the shrine opens up into a large courtyard. At the center in the north lies the daigokuden, the Great Hall of State, where once the emperor conducted state affairs in the palace. The daigokuden is divided into three parts: People come to worship at the gaihaiden front shrine and can buy good luck charms here. Behind it lies the inner sanctuary, which was once used only for imperial ceremonies, but today, more common shinto ceremonies like weddings or the popular shichi-go-sai shrine visits for kids in November take place here as well. Beyond the inner sanctuary lies the main sanctuary, where the shrine's two kami reside and only the priests have access.

At both the eastern and western sides of the courtyard lie two towers called soryu-ro (blue dragon tower, right) and byakko-ro (white tiger tower, left), respectively. Those two animals are guardians of the east and west directions, and they also adorn two fountains nearby the entrance where you should wash your hands before worshipping. Of course, there are also guardians of the north (genbu, a black snake-turtle) and south (suzaku, a vermillion bird). Images of all four guardian animals can be found on the iron lanterns that can be found throughout the shrine.

One of the most beautiful features of Heian Jingu is its large public garden, measuring 33,000 m2 hidden behind the buildings. It is particularly famous for its benishidare weeping cherry trees. The construction of the Shinen garden, which is divided into four parts, started already in 1895, but it took 20 years to complete. Today, the entrance is at the ticket gate at the western end of the courtyard nearby the daigokuden. Directly at the entrance lies the South or Heian garden, with some 200 species of plants that are mentioned in Heian era literature. It is also the permanent resting place of Japan's oldest street car that once ran through Kyoto.

Further along the path lie the West-, Middle-, and Eastern gardens. They were designed by famous Kyoto gardener Ueji VII, more commonly known as Jihei Ogawa, whose style is readily recognized from other places like Murin-an or the Namikawa Cloisonne Museum. Unusual for a Shinto garden, the Shinen garden is centered around large ponds that draw water from the Lake Biwa Canal, and are home to rare turtles and fish.

In the West Garden, byakko-ike pond holds about 2000 Irises, representative of the 200 species that grow in Japan. The Middle Garden follows with soryu-ike pond that can be crossed via a group of stepping stones called garyuko. Those stones were once part of old Sanjo and Gojo bridges built in the 16th century.

The final East Garden is the largest of the four gardens with seiho-ike pond at its center, and many weeping cherries all over. The big attraction here is the covered bridge taiheikaku, which was installed here as a gift from the Imperial Palace in the 1970s. The ceremonial hall shobikan, that is reached after crossing the bridge, was also an imperial gift, and today it is used for the weddings that take place at the shrine or the popular Benishidare concerts during the sakura season.

The main entrance of Matsunoo Taisha is at the large, 14m high stone torii at the western end of Shijo street. The road then becomes narrower and leads to the main shrine, where there is a wooden, vermillion colored torii. From there, the path leads up some steps to the two-story romon gate in sombre dark wood with details painted in white. This gate is – like the one at Yasaka shrine on the eastern end of Shijo street – guarded by two zuishin warrior statues to the left and right.

Passing through the romon gate, you first have to cross the shrine's sacred stream via a small stone bridge, and a few more steps lead directly up to the dance stage. At the left of it is a large display of sake barrels. While these are common donations to shrines, Matsunoo Taisha, as home of the god of sake brewing, has received a large number of barrels originating from sake brewers from all over Japan.

Beyond the dance stage lies the stretched-out haiden outer hall where people worship and behind that, the interesting honden main hall. This is the oldest building of the shrine, dating back to 1397 (restored in 1542) and it is designated an Important Cultural Asset. Its unusual roof – in the so-called Matsuo-zukuri style – forms porticos on the back as well as in the front of the building. The honden is only accessible for the priests during worship.

After praying at the haiden, walk to the right and pass through the low entrance to the gardens at the back of the shrine. There you will find the famous Kame-no-i well, where a large black turtle spews holy water. It is said, that this water will bring health and longevity to those who drink it. Even more importantly, if sake is brewed with even a small fraction of this water, it will not go bad. Therefore, many sake brewers as well as miso producers from all over Japan visit the shrine regularly to pray for success in their business and to get some of the water. Further up the path lies the shrine's sacred waterfall Reiki-no-taki, which marks the spot where Hata-no-Imikitori watched the turtle swim all these years ago.

Nearby the Kame-no-i well lies the entrance to two of the three separate gardens that make up the shofu-en garden of Matsunoo Taisha. It was created by the famous garden designer, late Mirei Shigemori just before his death in 1975. It is said that they cost a fortune (reportedly some 100 million yen) but they are now considered among the best modern gardens in Japan. Each of the three parts of the garden is representative of a Japanese era, and the opposing ideas of stillness and movement, represented by large blue-green rocks and water, respectively, are the central design elements.

The first garden behind the entrance is the kyokusui garden, with a stream of water bending seven times around heavy rocks. The stream is framed by smaller stones, giving it the appearance of a dragon, a water creature in Japanese mythology. The kyokusui is a modern interpretation of the gardens popular at the Heian era, the time of the foundation of Kyoto.

Beyond the kyokusui lies the iwakura or joko garden, where a number of large rocks scattered on a steep slope represent the ancient times when the gods still roamed the lands, in particular the mountain tops of Japan. The two largest rocks on top of the slope represent the main gods of the shrine O-yamagui-no-kami and Ichiki-shima-hime-no-mikoto. Although this garden seems rather haphazardly arranged, it is interesting to know that the earliest “gardens” in Japan were considered sacred and mainly constructed to invite the gods into the presence of mortals. If you go beyond this part of the garden, there is a path further up the mountain where the original place of worship – the large iwakura stone – lies.

To find the third, the horai garden, you have to walk outside the romon gate, and turn left just before the little restaurant. This garden is constructed in the kaiyu style, where a large shallow pond shaped like a crane is the focal point. The underlying idea is the Chinese concept of paradise, where people do not get old or die. The rocks represent islands in the sea, and the only movements of this tranquil and unchanging garden originate from the fountain of youth in the back and the many colourful carp in the pond.

Besides the extensive public gardens, which are already a quite rare feature in shinto shrines, Matsunoo Taisha also boasts two museums. The shrine's treasure hall is located in the kyokusui gardens and displays 21 wooden statues. The three largest ones date back to the Heian period and are among the oldest and best preserved wood carvings of Japan. Although they are carved in the style of Buddhist statues, two of them are thought to show the main deities of the shrine. These statues with their beautiful serene expressions are among Japan's national treasures and are alone worth a visit to the shrine.

The other museum lies outside the romon gate, opposite the horai garden, on the way to the parking lot. The sake-no-shiryokan shows old tools that were once used to produce sake. They were donated by sake brewers who regularly come to worship the god of sake brewing here.

This quiet shrine lies a bit off the beaten tracks of Kyoto's Arashiyama area. However, especially during April and May, the more than 3000 yellow yamabuki kerria bushes are in full bloom and create a lovely scene in the shrine precincts that should not be missed. At Matsunoo Taisha you can buy a number of unique lucky charms, for example one with a bright yellow yamabuki flower. However, if you're feeling extra lucky, you should try to win your omamori at the game where you shoot arrows at empty sake barrels.

Fushimi Inari Taisha is a huge sprawling shrine complex with an area of about 870.000 square metres, including much of Mt. Inariyama behind the main shrine buildings. The main access point is right outside of the JR Inari station. Pass through the two torii at both ends of the long access path, and you stand in front of the impressive two-storey romon gate, which was donated to the shrine by Hideyoshi in 1589. The story goes that Hideyoshi pledged a large sum of money to Fushimi Inari Taisha if his mother recovered from an illness. She did indeed, and with the money the shrine received, this vermillion gate was built. Long considered not more than a legend, the story was officially confirmed when during renovations of the gate, a text was discovered dating back to 1589 that mentioned Hideyoshi's pledge.

Beyond the gate there is first the stage where dance and other performances are offered to the gods and then the beautiful honden prayer hall where people can worship. This building originates from 1499 and it enshrines the five main deities of Fushimi Inari Taisha. It has been designated as an Important Cultural Asset, and is built in the so-called uchikoshi nagashi-zukuri style with 10.6 m high walls on either side. Its colorful decorations are made in the style of the Azuchi-Momoyama period of the late 16th century: with gold roof plaques and decorations that cover the points of the wooden eaves, etc.

Further at the back of the main buildings of Fushimi Inari Taisha, there is the famous senbon torii (1000 torii) gateway, comprised of literally 1000 torii densely packed and painted in the same vermillion red as the shrine's buildings. These vermillion torii are a feature of most, if not all, shinto shrines, but they are especially numerous in Inari shrines. Here, they are donated by worshippers (their names and the date of donation is written on the back of the torii) and Fushimi Inari Taisha alone has more than 10.000 torii that have been erected by individuals and businesses since the Edo period and are located all over Mount Inariyama. They are often placed close together to form veritable tunnels over the mountain paths and it can take hours to explore them all. If you are thinking of donating your own as an offering to Inari Okami, the prices range from 175.000 yen to more than 1.3 million yen, depending both on the size and the location of the torii on the mountain.

At the other end of the senbon torii gateway, there is the okusha hohaisho prayer building where people pray to the holy mountain Inariyama itself. The interesting part here are the two stone lanterns at the back of the building that each have a large round stone on top. Make a wish in front of the lanterns and pick up one of the stones. Is it lighter than you expected? Congratulations, your wish will come true! Is it much heavier than you thought? Then your wish will probably not be granted this time, sorry.

Beyond the okusha hohaisho, the paths up Mt. Inariyama start. Walking among ever more vermillion torii, you first reach the komadagaike pond with a worship hall with many candles and lanters. Hike uphill anothert 30 – 45 minutes to the yotsutsuji intersection. From there, you have a lovely view over the southern parts of Kyoto, and you can decide whether you want to make the final ascent to the top of the mountain and which of the two paths to take. Many people make it only this far, since a whole return trip all the way up can take some 2 hours, but from here, it is a nice and quiet hike, and there are many more torii and smaller places to worship, and even some places to grab a quick snack or a drink.

Speaking of worshipping: One thing that is special in all Inari shrines are the many, many statues of foxes that can be found there. The kitsune foxes, especially the white ones, are considered the messengers of Inari Okami; they also guard the entrance to the important rice granaries, holding the key firmly in their mouths.

Fushimi Inari Taisha and the mountain behind it is a wonderful place to visit, in particular in the early morning or close to sunset, when the crowds have dispersed. The shrine grounds are open day and night, but note that the mountain paths are scarcely lit in the night, so don't forget to bring your own flashlights. There is even a mountain path leading all the way north to the shogunzuka, but this hike takes several hours.

Shimogamo Jinja is situated just north of where the Kamogawa and Takano Rivers meet. Approaching from the south, you first have to pass through Tadasu-no-Mori forest. It is the hallmark of Shimogamo Jinja; some of its impressive trees are more than 600 years old, and the forest itself is designated a National Historic site, a Natural Heritage site, and a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site. Today, Tadasu-no-mori covers merely 12.4 hectares, but once it was more than 20 times larger. It dates back to ancient history – so far indeed, that the precise meaning of its name is uncertain. It can mean either delta (referencing the location), or forest of truth, signifying an ancient custom of holding court here. Today, antique book fairs and other markets are held here regularly, and at large events, food stalls line this approach to the shrine.

Eventually, the beautiful forest opens up to the shrine precincts, which as a whole are designated as Historical Site by the Japanese government and as World Heritage site by the UNESCO. Wash your hands in the well at the right, pass through the first torii, and approach the two storied Romon gate, which, with its bright vermilion gives a colourful contrast to the green of the forest.

Beyond the Romon gate, there are a total of 27 sanctuaries, 22 of which are Important Cultural Properties of Japan. While technically, Shimogamo Jinja still practises the so-called Shikinen Sengu, where buildings are torn down and completely rebuilt every 21 years, nowadays, this is limited to regular small-scale renovations. The following is a list of the major structures of the shrine only.

The Maidono, which is situated directly behind the Romon gate and dates from 1628, was the place where the emperors' messengers bringing gifts and prayers to the shrine were received. Only after the Meiji restauration in 1868 did all emperors personally enter the Maidono, and its large verandah is used as dance stage today as well. The style of the cypress-bark shingled roof is called irimoya-zukuri.

To the left of the Maidono lies the Ooidono hall, where all religious offerings in the shrine are prepared. Its gardens have many aoi (hollyhock) plants, lending their name to the Aoi Festival in May as well as functioning as Shimogamo Jinja's crest. Behind the Maidono lies the Naka-mon, the middle gate which leads to the main buildings. The seven little shrines just before the main shrine are each dedicated to one or two of the twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac, which govern a whole year. Altogether, these little shrines are called the koto shrine, and many people pray here to their own zodiac animal and afterwards to the main deities of the shrine as well.

The haiden prayer hall lies behind the koto shrine, and yet further inside, not open to visitors, is the honden main shrine. Two buildings are part of the honden; the one on the west dedicated to Kamotaketsunomi-no-mikoto, the one on the east dedicated to Tamayorihime-no-mikoto. These buildings exemplify the nagare zukuri architectural style of the Heian period, where a gabled roof with wooden shingles covers a porch on one side of the building.

Turning back from the inner part of Shimogamo shrine, and to the left outside the Naka-mon gate, there is the Mitarashi pond, and at its eastern end, the Mitarashi shrine. Also known as Inoue-sha, this little shrine is dedicated to the god of purification and clean water. It plays an important role in the Mitarashi festival in July, when people wade through the ice cold Mitarashi stream and offer candles to the god in the hope of preventing illness during the hight of the summer heat.

When leaving Shimogamo Shrine, walk down the open space parallel to Tadasu-no Mori. Here, the horse race of Aoi Matsuri takes place as well as book and handicraft markets and other events. Halfway through the forest, there is a large stone monument which commemorates the very first rubgy match in the Kansai area in 1911. Next to it lies Sawata Shrine, restored in 2017. It enshrines Kantama-no-mikoto, a god of kemari and football, who is said to help people improve in all kinds of sports.

Turn right at the end of the forest and pay a visit to the little Kawai Shrine. It is dedicated to the guardian of women Tamayorihime-no-mikoto (not identical to the main kami of Shimogamo Jinja). Many women come here to pray for a safe childbirth; and the mirror-shaped ema that you can paint yourself are meant as prayer for beauty.

1, midnight Saitan-sai Shimogamo Shrine opens its doors to welcome worshippers for the first of three days of hatsumode celebrations. This is part of the hatsumode festivities.

4, 13:30 Kemari Hajime Kemari is a court game where players kick a ball of deer skin around, trying to keep it in the air as long as possible.

15, 11:00 Okayu sai Visitors are served a special rice porridge to keep them healthy.

The main entrance of Umenomiya Taisha lies only a few meters behind a large red torii at the two storey romon gate in the south of the precincts. The two zuishin warriors guarding the gate to the left and right are rather common in shrines that have large romon gates. However, the special feature of this one are the many sake barrels that were donated to the shrine and are displayed on the second floor balcony.

Directly inside the romon gate there is the haiden dance stage. Just like the gate, it was rebuilt in 1828 and has since been designed as a Kyoto Prefecture Registered Cultural Property. Two very interesting things lie to the right of the romon gate and the dance stage respectively. First, next to the entrance, there is a large pine tree with a stem that twists around itself like a rope - clearly a tribute to a very patient gardener.

Second, you can see a stone marker nearby at the end of a short straight path marked with stones. This is the southern end of the hyakudo mairi. This is a kind of pilgrimage asking the gods to grant your wish: First, you pray at the honden main hall, then you walk between the two markers exactly 100 times before praying at the honden again. It is said that this makes your wish come true for sure! Given the effort it takes, you should probably reserve this for your biggest and most important desires only.

The main prayer hall mentioned above, the honden, lies at the northern end of the shrine. This is the oldest building of Umenomiya Taisha, dating back to 1700. It has a beautiful hiwadabuki roof made from cypress bark according to old traditions.

Beyond the honden and surrounded by ancient trees lie the actual sanctuaries of the gods, which are only accessible to the priests. Also back there, and only accessible for special worship, lie the so-called matage-ishi stones. They have an interesting story, once again involving Empress Danrin: In the 8th century, she was the chief consort of Emperor Saga but had difficulties conceiving. She eventually visited Umenomiya Taisha, stepped over the matage-ishi stones and was practically over night blessed with a son. The story goes even further and says that she took ubu-suna sand from the shrine and spread it under her bed, aiding in an easy delivery. To this day, many couples seeking children visit the shrine to perform the sacred matage-ishi ceremony and take home some of the ubu-suna in one of the shrine's charms.

Turning back from the honden, at the left side, there is the higashi mon, the eastern gate which leads to the shrine gardens. Please buy a ticket at the shrine office to the left of the romon gate before entering.

The shin-en shrine gardens of Umenomiya Taisha form a half-circle in the north around the main shrine buildings. The focus lies on two ponds: Directly behind the higashi mon gate, in the east garden, lies sakuya ike, a large pond where different types of irises and water lilies greet the visitor from early summer on. Inside this pond, which is teeming with colourful koi carp, lies a small island and on it, a little reed-thatched tea house called ikenaka-tei (literally: center-pond pavillion), also known as ashi no maroya. Other islands in the pond are planted with azalea bushes, and a you can admire them from the little stone bridges crossing over the water.

Further along the path, in the north garden, lies magatama ike. This little pond in the shape of a comma resembles the ancient magatama jewels made from green jade. Magatama ike is again filled with water lilies and surrounded by irises, and along the paths nearby cherries and plum trees are planted.

There is no pond in the final garden in the west, but instead, you can explore the many little paths among colourful hydrangea bushes that are especially beautiful during summer. Or take a rest underneath the peaceful trees.

If you want to see the gardens at their best, you should visit Umenomiya Taisha in the first six months of the year. Especially in early spring, the shrine's 500 plum trees of 40 varieties make the gardens a feast for the eye, with their blossoms ranging in color from bright white to dark crimson. The early summer of May and June sees the many irises at the two ponds in full bloom, and not much later, the many hydrangea bushes of the west garden show their colors. In midsummer and autumn, little benches tucked away on hidden paths in the west garden invite you to take a rest in the cool shadows of the large trees.

Umenomiya Taisha is a hidden gem and worth visiting for all those who'd like to experience the more quiet parts of Kyoto. As special souvenirs we recommend the sake made exclusively for the shrine, or the pickled plums from the shrine's very own trees. And if you can't catch any of the cats for a selfie, the shrine has many postcards featuring them!

Below is a list of the most popular events at Umenomiya Taisha. At many of them, non-alcoholic amazake or real sake will be served to visitors. You can find all these events, with current dates of course, in our main event calendar.

Yasui Konpiragu has been a sacred spot since the 7th century, when around 670 Kamatari Fujiwara founded a temple here for his clan ancestors and called it Fujidera. This old Wisteria Temple was a favourite retreat of Emperor Sutoku, who repaired it in 1146. However, Sutoku became involved in a rebellion against his successor Emperor Go-Shirakawa, who exiled him to Shikoku, where he eventually died. The story goes that Sutoku's vengeful ghost appeared to a monk in Fujidera, which led Go-Shirakawa to build Komyoin Kanshoji in 1177 and enshrine Sutoku there. This is considered the true founding of Yasui Konpiragu shrine. Its main buildings burnt down during the Onin Wars of the 15th century, but were replaced in 1695 with a building transferred from Rengekoin temple in Kyoto's Uzumasa area. At this time, the shrine was officially called Yasui Konpiragu. At last, shortly after the Meiji Restoration of 1868, when a clearer distinction between Shinto and Buddhism was desired, only the shrine remained.

Today, Yasui Konpiragu enshrines three main deities: Emperor Sutoku saves people's various relationships from evil influences and bestows happiness to all. Then there is Omononushi-no-kami, a god protecting travellers in general, and in particular sailors and other people working the sea. The third deity is 12th century warrior monk and poet Yorimasa-no-Minamoto.

Yasui Konpiragu is an inconspicuous little shrine in a typical residential neighbourhood of Kyoto. The main entrance lies on Higashioji dori, where a large stone torii and two statues of komainu (mythological animals resembling lions) first lead you through a parking lot. The shrine is behind it, and the large temizuya stone well to the left marks the beginning of sacred ground. Wash your hands there and move on.

A few steps further, the shrine's main attraction lies directly before you: The large enkiri/enmusubi ishi stone. It plays an important role in an old ritual to break and make relationships. The procedure is as follows: First, pray at the honden, then write your wish on a slip of paper called katashiro (a substitution charm, available behind the stone). Hold the katashiro in your hand and go through the hole in the stone from the front to the back. This allows you to break your bad ties. Then go a second time, now from the back to the front, to make new and better relationships. Finally, paste the katashiro onto the stone. The term "relationship" here is to be seen very broadly. Although many people come here to find or end a romantic relationship, others seek to break off unhealthy addictions to gambling or drugs, long illnesses, and even bad jobs! Don't worry to come here if you are in a happy relationship: they will only be strengthened by the ritual of the enmusubi ishi!

Further along the path lies the honden main hall where the three deities are enshrined. It is possible to walk up to it and pray there, but most people pray at the building just before the honden. There, to the left and right, you can see numerous wooden ema prayer tablets on special racks, and again, many of them ask to end an unhealthy relationship. However, are also ema simply thanking the gods for their assistance. You can add your own ema with your personal wishes, of course.

Speaking of ema, the building behind you, opposite the prayer hall, was home to the shrine's ema museum. It displayed a large collection of beautiful prayer tablets that were either specially created for the shrine, or inscribed by famous people. Unfortunately, the building needs to be renovated, so the museum is closed for the time being. However, a few of the ema inscribed by famous writers or actors who visited the shrine over the years can be found at the entrance to Yasui Konpiragu, opposite the temizuya well.

At the northern end of the shrine precincts, near the torii, there is another large stone with a statue next to it. This interesting stone is a kushi-zuka, a kind of burial mound or memorial for, in this case, used combs and other hair ornaments. In the olden days, when all women wore elaborate coiffures, combs were considered an important part of a woman's possessions. An expensive comb made from ivory, tortoise shell, or lacquer, given by a man to a woman was nothing less than a promise of marriage! With Yasui Konpiragu in the middle of Gion, were today's Maiko and Geiko still get their hair done in the traditional hairstyle, this is the perfect place for such a memorial. It plays a main role in the yearly comb festival in late September.

Nonomiya Jinja is the smallest shrine on our 2018 highlights list. The approach is through the famous and evergreen bamboo forest of Arashiyama – the traditional meaning of bamboo is to ward off evil – and the shrine lies at the starting point of the popular Sagano Walk. The entrance to the shrine precincts is at the black kuroki torii which is made from oak with its bark left intact. This type of "natural" torii is the oldest style that has been used from the very beginning of shinto, but because these torii have become comparatively expensive to produce and maintain, they are nowadays seen very rarely.

Step through the black torii, and the haiden prayer hall, where Amaterasu can be worshipped, lies straight ahead, with the honden main hall behind it. This is the main square of the shrine and there are many ways to pray to the gods. For one, to the left of the haiden, there is the large black kame-ishi stone that looks like a turtle. It is said, that if you ask the gods for something and afterwards, with that wish still in mind, give the kame-ishi a good rub, the wish will come true within a year. Here is also the spot where you can put up ema tablets to present your wishes or thanks to the gods.

Or write your wishes on a traditional prayer stick and place it with the others into the special place nearby. Both these prayer sticks and the ema tablets are burnt ritually at regular intervals, and the smoke lifts your prayers to the gods during the ceremony.

Follow the path through the red torii to the right of the haiden, which leads further into the shrine precincts.

To the left, a mikoshi portable shrine is on display and at the end of the path lie the shrines for the subsidiary gods for childbirth and marriage. The last one of the shrines displays a note about the visit of the Imperial Prince Akishino and his wife in 1994. To the right of the path lies the moss garden of Nonomiya Shrine. Although quite small compared to many other shrine gardens, the lush green color of the moss carpet amidst the red cedar trees is admired by many visitors throughout the year.

Because Nonomiya Shrine lies within the bamboo forest, where there is not much light at the sunniest of days, it has a rather sombre atmosphere especially during the darker months. Over the centuries of its existence, this has inspired many artists like painters or writers. For example, Nonomiya Shrine plays an important part in a chapter of the Tale of Genji, where prince Genji visits his lover – the mother of a saigu – at the shrine. This story, in turn, is referenced in a famous noh play by Zeami, called after the shrine Nonomiya (Shrine in the Fields). Of course, many poems have been written about the shrine and its suroundings, and it even plays a role in the book The Old Capital by Japanese Nobelprize winner Kawabata Yasunari.

The main shrine buildings are completely surrounded by the extensive gardens of Jonangu. Passing through the torii at the eastern entrance, the shrine offices are the first buildings on the left, and the smaller Mahataki shrine lies to the right. Walking further – and ignoring the entrance to the gardens for now – there is the small Kawatari Tenmangu shrine to the right, followed by an emasha, where old ema votive tablets of all sizes and ages are on display.

From there, it is just a few more steps to the red Jonan torii to right, which marks the entrance to the main shrine precincts. Note the shrine's crest of sun, moon, and stars displayed in gold on the top beam. Passing through the torii, the haiden prayer hall lies straight ahead, and at the right hand side are storehouses for the shrine's portable mikoshi shrines. Beyond the haiden, a little to the right, lies the kaguraden where kagura – sacred dances for the deities – are performed regularly throughout the year.

The honden main hall where all the deities are enshrined, lies in a straight line with the torii and the haiden. The honden of Jonangu is one of the largest in Kyoto, but sadly, like all the other buildings of the shrine, it only dates back to the 1970s, when they all had to be rebuilt after a fire. Hence, none of these buildings are of historical significance, as is the case for many other shrines in Japan. However, since Jonangu enshrines the deity of construction, the carpenters surely paid special attention when reconstruction the new buildings.

After saying your prayers, turn left, pass the musubiden hall, where people may request prayers to be said by the priests, and the little shrine office where you can buy omamori charms, to find the entrance to the gardens of Jonangu shrine.

The Rakusuien gardens of Jonangu measure impressive 30.000 square metres. They were designed by famous garden architect Nakane Kinsaku in the 1960s, and comprise five different garden architectures that each mirror a popular garden design of a historic era. Altogether, there are about 150 plum trees, 300 camellia bushes, and 100 maples planted in the gardens, which give a changing atmosphere throughout the seasons and make it worthwhile visiting throughout the year. Furthermore, all the 80 plants that are explicitly mentioned in The Tale of Genji can be found in Rakusuien, and strolling through it gives the impression of taking a walk through time.

When entering through the gate at the west side of the shrine precincts, visitors first encounterspring mountain, where almost all of the shrine's plum trees bloom in white and pink in April. In June, the so-called hitogata nagashi ritual takes place here, where worshippers float little pieces of paper down the misogi-no-ogawa stream in order to purify themselves.

Pass behind the honden into the eastern part of Rakusuien, which is called the Heian garden. This part is dominated by water: There is a pond, a waterfall, and a little stream winding through the open space, and these types of gardens were very popular among aristocrats of the Heian period. Twice a year, the kyokusui-no-utage, an old poetry game, is reenacted here by local poets.

To see more of the garden, you must cross the main road of the shrine to enter the southern part of Rakusuien, which boasts three different garden styles. First, there is the Muromachi garden, where large, majestic stones surrounding a large pond dominate the scene. There is meaning throughout it though: The quiet medaki waterfall in the foreground is considered female, the big one in the back, odaki, is male. Horaijima, the island of the immortal hermit, features pine trees as symbols of longevity. And the three large rocks on the other shore are meant to represent the Buddha and two Bosatsu, residing in the ideal Buddhist World.

Further along the path the scenery changes when we enter the second garden, the Momoyama garden. The large open lawn that turns a golden, straw-like colour in winter, is meant to represent the Pacific Ocean. The black rocks within it are meant to be Japanese islands off the coast, and the large trees at the back are the Japan's mountains Notice the pine that looks like a ship a bit to the back at the right. It symbolises a European vessel coming to Japan and indeed, Japan's Momoyama period saw the first Western people arrive from Europe.

Take your time to take in both Muromachi and Momoyama gardens from the Rakusuiken Tea House that is situated right between them. Have a cup of matcha green tea together with a seasonal sweet and enjoy the view from the tea house. When you are ready to move on, have a look at the little Suisekitei gallery that lies at the end of this part of the garden. There you can see exhibits pertaining to the history of Jonangu, in particular a large painting of the fight of the Satsuma troops with Imperial forces during the Meiji Restoration.

Follow the path as it makes a sharp turn and passes at the back of the Momoyama garden along a small stream where irises bloom in early summer. Nearby the exit lies the Jonan Rikyu garden, the last of the three southern gardens. This is a so-called karesansui garden without water, a typical Japanese garden with stones, pebbles, and moss. This garden is meant to depict the time when Jonan Rikyu dominated the area, and again, there is a lot of hidden meaning in the design: The stones represent the river Kamo, the white pebbles the pond of the imperial villa, and the big rocks in the garden are supposed to be the old buildings.

The main entrance to the precincts of Kitano Tenmangu is through the large stone torii directly at Imadegawa dori street, south of the shrine. Walk along the road between the many stone lanterns and three more torii until you see the shrine's impressive romon gate, elevated by a few steps from the outer grounds. It is flanked by statues of komainu lion-dogs and zuishin warriors and is known for its beautiful carvings and the large lantern.

Passing through the romon gate, the shrine precincts open wide. To the right, the homotsuden, the shrine's treasure house, can be found. Ever so popular with aristocrats, samurai, and commoners alike, many valuable presents were given to Kitano Tenmangu over the centuries. Exhibited here are historic documents and paintings, folding screens, lacquerware, swords, objects for tea ceremonies and alleged possessions of Sugawara-no-Michizane. The most important exhibit – and a national treasure – is the Kitano Tenjin Engi Emaki scroll dating back to the Kamakura period, depicting the origin of Kitano Tenmangu. Note that, unless there is a special exhibition, the homotsuden is only open irregularly on the 25th day of each month and during the ume garden (February and March), ao-momiji, and momiji gardens (October - December) special openings.

To the left of the romon gate is the large emasha hall, where large wooden prayer tablets that were once presented to the shrine are on display. In January, the best New Year's calligraphies produced during the kakizome are exhibited here as well. Further along that path lie the famous Bai-en plum gardens of Kitano Tenmangu. Red and white plum trees are said to have been Sugawara-no-Michizane's favourite trees, and more than 1500 of them, comprising over 50 species, can be found at the shrine. The trees are carefully tended to and the plums are dried and sold in December as a special New Year's treat.

Walking straight ahead from the romon gate, the path is flanked by more lanterns and two large statues of cows or oxen. Since Sugawara-no-Michizane was born in the year of the ox (and on a day of the ox to boot), cattle are seen as the messengers of Tenjin, called otsukai. Probably for that reason, Kitano Tenmangu as a whole was also founded on a day of the ox. Anyway, many people come here to transfer their illnesses to these nade ushi, stroking cows. The idea is that you rub your ailing body part and then rub its counterpart on the cow to transfer your disease to the statue and be rid of it for good.

Once you are done petting the cows, walk further straight ahead to the sankomon gate, the “Gate of Three Lights”, which is a wonderful example of Momoyama period architecture. It depicts colourful real and mythical animals as well as figures from Chinese mythology and is decked with traditional tree bark. Both the romon and sankomon gates, as well as the main hall of Kitano Tenmangu were donated to the shrine in 1607 by Toyotomi Hideyori, the son of famous warlord Hideyoshi. In fact, Kitano Tenmangu as a whole is designated a national treasure of Japan.

Beyond the sankomon gate, a large courtyard opens up, with the haiden prayer hall opposite the gate in the north and the honden main hall right behind it. These two buildings are connected by the so-called ishi-no-ma hall, and all three lie under a single roof, a unusual style called yatsumune zukuri. Again, the building shows the style that is representative of the Momoyama era with vivid colours, golden decorations and finely detailed sculpting throughout. At the haiden, you can pray to Sugawara-no-Michizane together with many school kids who ask to pass their exams. The shrine is most popular with highschoolers who are planning on entering university, and during the time of the entrance exams, Kitano Tenmangu is especially busy.

Once you have said your prayers and maybe bought a few charms at the shrine office, exit the courtyard at the left and visit the gardens. In the gardens, there are a number of auxiliary shrines dedicated to various deities. Look for the stone steps in the western part of the garden with the large stone lantern on the foot of the steps. They will lead you up the so-called Odoi, a designated national historical site that was once part of the city's fortification wall. From there, you have a nice overview of the shrine to one side, and the lovely momiji valley on the other through which the little Kamiya river flows. This part is especially beautiful and popular during the green leaves of aomomiji in spring and the koyo in autumn. During these times, you will be asked to pay a small entrance fee.

Kitano Tenmangu is an extremely popular shrine amongst both locals and visitors. The local youth flock to the shrine during exam season to pray for a good outcome of their efforts, in particular to entrance exams. Many tourists enjoy the large Tenjin-san flea market that takes place in the eastern part of the temple grounds on the 25th day of each month. Together with the Kobo-ichi market of Toji Temple on the 21st, it is one of the biggest flea markets in Kyoto. The omamori charms available at the shrine revolve around scholarship: Little statues of Tenjin and his bovine messengers are available for example. Or why not go for something truly useful and get a pack of pencils with the shrine's emblem?

Nothing embodies Japanese culture more than the austerity and beauty of a tea ceremony according to the teachings of Sen-no-Rikyu. The chawan, the tea bowl, is one of the more important utensils of the art form. In particular, raku ware, born in Kyoto in a style guided by Sen-no-Rikyu's own sense of aesthetics, is deeply connected to tea ceremony.

The habit of drinking green tea was introduced to Japan from China and quickly became a favourite pastime for nobility and clerics. In the 16th century, tea master Sen-no-Rikyu drastically reformed tea ceremony to create the form in which it is still practised today. To emphasise his new style, he approached Chōjirō, and had him produce a new type of tea bowl according to his specifications. The very first raku tea bowl was made in the late 16th century by Chōjirō.

At that time, these tea bowls were considered avant-garde and at first were called ima yaki “now wares”. Later, they were renamed – after the location of the family residence – juraku yaki “juraku wares”, which was eventually shortened to raku yaki. Finally, the family itself adopted the name “Raku” as their last name (probably towards the end of the 16th century), and has been called so ever since. Today, the Raku family is in its 15th generation, and the way of making raku ware is passed down orally from the head of the family to the next generation.

More information on the Raku family and its history, as well as a family tree and photos of selected works of each family head, can be found on the museum's website. Also, in the museum itself, tablets are available for more information on how raku ware is made. Both resources are extensive and in English and Japanese.

The Raku Museum celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2018; it was opened in 1978 by Kakunyu, the 14th head of the Raku family. The modern building is located next to the family residence, which was established at this very spot in the 16th century. Most of the pieces in the collection are family heirlooms comprising 450 years of history, and consisting mostly of tea bowls, but there are also other ceramics and tea utensils collected by the Raku family.

There are four exhibitions each year. They usually show a small number of carefully selected pieces, with expert descriptions both in English and Japanese.

Additionally, there are special events where visitors may handle some of the collection's pieces or use them during a tea ceremony. For these exclusive events (held in Japanese only), reservations are required in writing at least one month in advance. See the Raku Museum website for further details.

There must be something in the air in Kyoto, because it is the home of many craftsmen and artists. Many of Kyoto's artists work in traditional Japanese style, be it ceramics, lacquerware, paintings, etc. using methods handed down through the generations. Probably no other painter of Kyoto has been more instrumental in transforming Japanese paintings with his continuous artistic innovations than Insho Domoto.

Insho Domoto was born in 1891 as the third son of a sake brewer. He had eight siblings, and his three brothers were artists or craftsmen as well. He set out to be a craftsman himself, but eventually, at age 27, started studying Nihonga, Japanese style paintings. He was almost an instant success, and already his early paintings received prizes and recognition throughout Japan. From 1925 on, Insho was invited to paint works on fusuma sliding doors and ceilings in Buddhist temples throughout Kansai, and in the early 1930s, when he was in his mid-40s, he had established his own painting school.

After WWII, Insho began experimenting with modern, more abstract European style, and in 1952 he toured through Europe and met a number of French artists. This proved the turning point for him, and he turned towards fully abstract paintings. In 1961, Insho received the Order of Culture from the Japanese Emperor. Insho was not only a versatile painter, but also designed furoshiki cloths, tapestries, furniture and his own museum, which opened in 1966. He died in 1975, aged 84.

More information on Insho Domoto, including a timeline of his life and photos of selected works, can be found on the museum's website in both English and Japanese.

When Insho Domoto travelled through Europe, he was inspired by its culture and the museums to current, still living artists to build his own museum, and in 1965, the Corporation of Domoto Museum of Fine Arts was established. Insho personally designed the whole museum, from the building's exterior facade and the surroundings to the interior, where especially in the lobby many of his works can be seen in the form of stained glass windows, door knobs, tapestries, furniture etc. Already in 1966, the privately funded museum opened; it was built directly next to the family home, which still exists and can be seen from the museum's third floor.

In 1991, the museum was donated to Kyoto Prefecture, and in 1992, it reopened under the new full name Kyoto Prefectural Insho-Domoto Museum of Fine Arts. The building was recently renovated.

There are four exhibitions each year, focusing mainly on works by Insho Domoto himself.

On March 3rd, the hina matsuri is celebrated all over Japan with ceremonies in shrines and temples. This is mainly a festival for girls, where sets of beautiful dolls representing the imperial court are put up in private homes with daughters. During this month, many places show their collections of hina dolls, and the best one to visit is the Japanese Folk Doll Museum in Saga, Kyoto.

In Japan, dolls have an important cultural significance that goes beyond simply being a toy for children. For example, at certain Shinto purification rites, thin paper dolls in human shape are used to first take up a person's ailments and they are afterwards floated down a stream, taking all the bad things with them. And during the doll festival (hina matsuri), displaying the set of dolls is meant as a wish for the well-being of the girls of a family. A large, seven-tier hina dan can be very expensive, and therefore, these dolls are not meant to be played with. Definitely meant to be played with though are karakuri, mechanical dolls that range from the very simple jack-in-the-box type to elaborate masterpieces that were once operated in front of large crowds.

In general, however, Japanese dolls are entirely different from Western ones. The meaning of the Japanese word ningyo is simply human form, although it is most often translated into English as doll. Thus, some Japanese ningyo are better described as figurines made for display, rather than soft and cuddly toys for little children. The style of these traditional Japanese dolls that are made from clay or wood often differs greatly according to the location where they are made. This makes them a popular souvenir or gift among Japanese and foreigners alike.

Kyoto is the origin of at least three distinct types of dolls.

Saga dolls are the oldest dolls from Kyoto. It is assumed that they were first made in the late 16th century by Buddhist sculptors in the Saga area of Kyoto. A wooden core is covered by multiple layers of pigments and gold leaf, leading to a depiction of colorful clothing with rich hues. Common motifs are children with animals, characters from folk lore or religion, and even ordinary townsfolk. The so-called "naked Saga dolls" may be a precursor to the Gosho dolls.

Gosho dolls are named after the imperial palace in Kyoto, since in the Edo period, these dolls were often given to daimyo upon visiting the emperor. Gosho dolls are chubby babies and toddlers, often depicted playing or with auspicious accessories. A wooden core is painted with many layers of powdered white oyster shells, and each layer is carefully polished after application. The face and a small tuft of black hair is also painted on. Gosho dolls are always dressed in real clothing.

Other than the above, Fushimi dolls are made of clay that is formed in molds. The fronts and backs are put together and painted in bright colors. From their origins in the 16th century around Kyoto's Fushimi Inari shrine, they were meant as souvenirs and toys for children. There are around 2000 traditional molds used to produce a variety of subjects: foxes in all shapes and sizes, zodiac animals, kabuki dolls, characters from legends and folk lore etc. Fushimi dolls are widely available in Kyoto and still make good souvenirs.

On the website of the Japanese Folk Doll Museum in Saga, there are many photos of different kinds of Japanese dolls that are produced in different parts of the country.

This museum is located in Saga, in the western part of Kyoto, where the famous Saga dolls originate, which were probably first made in the 16th century. The museum was opened in 1988 and has a total collection of over 200.000 pieces from the Edo to the Showa era; at this time, 3845 of them were designated as National Registration or Tangible Folk Cultural Properties. Many different types of antique dolls or figurines from all over Japan including Okinawa can be seen in the permanent exhibition, and furthermore, there is a selection of mechanical karakuri dolls that are individually operated for visitors upon entering the museum.

However, there is a focus on dolls made in or around Kyoto, like the Saga, Gosho, and Fushimi dolls mentioned above. On permanent display are also models of yamaboko floats of Gion Matsuri and a parade of dolls depicting Aoi Matsuri, both of which are among Kyoto's main festivals.

There are only two exhibition periods in this small museum, one in spring, the other one in autumn.

From the times when the imperial court moved to Kyoto in 794, artists and craftsmen strove to supply the court and its aristocrats with exquisite goods for daily life and special occasions. The large amount of imperial ceremonies called for a variety of different robes and attires, and thus, the textile industry in and around Kyoto was thriving for centuries. Have a look at what can be done with simple coloured threads of silk at the Orinasukan Textile Museum.

Kyoto has been home to the textile industry since the 5th century, some 300 years before the city became Japan's capital. At first, there were government-operated textile factories, but upon their decline in the first half of the Heian period, the main work of weaving and dyeing of fabrics was taken over by independent manufacturers. After the Onin War (1467 – 1477) that had devastated the city, many craftsmen returned to Kyoto and settled in the Nishijin area, which literally means western territory.

To this day, Nishijin-ori is the general name of the textiles produced in this area of Kyoto. The products range from delicate silk gauze for summer kimono or shawls to brocades made into costumes for Noh actors. Traditional patterns show birds, flowers, and other nature scenes; some weaving techniques look like embroidery; and the most elaborate obi contain real gold leaf. The whole process of weaving a bale of cloth for an obi – from the design of the pattern to the end product – is still largely done by hand. Although modern European looms (i.e., Jacquard looms) were introduced to Japan in the late 19th century, the weaver's work remains physically demanding. A single obi with a length of 5 to 7 meters showing an intricate pattern can take quite a long time to make since there are many different steps and craftsmen involved.

More detailed information about Nishijin-ori can be found on the website of the Orinasukan (in Japanese).

The Orinasukan was founded in 1989 to introduce the unique traditions of Nishijin dyeing and weaving to a broader audience. The museum is located in the Nishijin district, in an old machiya house built in 1936 as both home and shop for the first Bunshichi Watanabe, a manufacturer of obi with the company name Watabun. Most of the original features of the building survived the adaptation to museum, and they are still visible everywhere.

The permanent exhibition of the Orinasukan consists of handwoven textiles from other parts of Japan and vintage kimono and obi that are more than 100 years old. Also, exquisite Noh costumes are on display. These are reproductions of historical, 250-300 year old garments owned by the Katayama family of Noh actors. Recreating a single one of these costumes involves a number of additional steps to the ones for making a new costume. Also, there are special exhibitions several times a year. See the website of the Orinasukan for more details.

Note: You will have to take off your shoes in the Orinasukan, and there are no slippers provided. In Japan, it is considered quite rude to enter a building barefoot. Please make sure you bring clean socks!

Next to the Orinasukan lies a small textile factory that is part of the Watabun textile company. In the building adjacent to the museum, 10 weavers produce fabric for obi and other uses on 12 traditional looms. The work floor can be visited during the opening times of the museum (not on weekends and public holidays) for no extra fee. Note that this is a live factory and those visits are subject to the workload at any given time. Special hands-on weaving experiences are available with prior reservation (duration about 3 hours, additional fee).

Please find out more about the weaving experiences on the Orinasukan website.

After the Meiji Restoration, there was a lively exchange of arts between the West and Japan. One of Kyoto's most renowned artists of that period, Yasuyuki Namikawa, was not working in Japanese arts, but in cloisonné, using a special technique that had been recently developed.

Yasuyuki Namikawa was born in 1845 in Kyoto as the third son of a samurai family. At age 10, he was adopted into the Namikawa family, lower rank samurai who were in the service of an imperial court noble family. In 1873, after the Meiji Restoration, Yasuyuki Namikawa began working on cloisonné, and thanks to his exquisite craftsmanship, he quickly became known as the foremost cloisonné artist of Japan. He worked exclusively in the so-called wired cloisonné technique, and his pieces of art are characterised by a hitherto unknown brilliance of color and an exquisite level of detail.

Namikawa's colorful works struck a chord in the West, and a vast majority of his works were sold to foreigners and many pieces can be found in museums today. Already in 1875, he received a Bronze Award at the Kyoto Expo; afterwards he was awarded Gold Medals at the Paris Exposition of 1889 and at the 1904 St. Louis Exposition. In 1896 he became an Imperial Household Artist. Unfortunately, international demand declined during the Taisho period, and since the domestic demand was not enough to sustain the workshop, the shop was closed for good in 1923. Yasuyuki Namikawa died four years later, in 1927, aged 82.

Find out more about the interesting life of Yasuyuki Namikawa on the website of the Namikawa Cloisonné Museum (in Japanese).

The Namikawa Cloisonné Museum was opened in 2003 and exclusively exhibits the works of Yasuyuki Namikawa, including vases, plates, incense burners etc. Besides the finished works, there are also design drawings as well as family photos. The museum's collection as a whole has been designated as Registered Tangible Cultural Property by the Japanese government.

The museum is located in the former Namikawa family home and workshop, in a building from 1894. After Namikawa's success at the 1889 Paris Exhibition, the building was greatly enlarged. Around that time, the beautiful garden was designed by Jihei Ogawa VII, one of the leading garden architects of the time, who is also responsible for the gardens of Heian Shrine, for example. Although purely Japanese in style, Namikawa referred to it as the “Paris Garden“, in gratitude for his success there. Part of the living quarters and the workshop with the kiln have been preserved and are accessible to the public.

The museum is open for two exhibition periods in spring and autumn.

Fashionable accessories are not a modern invention. Often, they evolved from utilitarian objects and underwent a transformation to express the wearer's style. The Kyoto Seishu Netsuke Art Museum (Netsukekan) is devoted to little accessories for men from the Edo period: netsuke.

Netsuke are small, palm-sized objects that were used to fasten small pouches (like boxes for pills (inro) or writing utensils or tobacco pouches) to a man's obi. They were attached to one end of a string holding the pouch that was slipped through the obi. Netsuke originated at the beginning of the Edo period, when the samurai liked to carry useful things with them, but still wanted to keep their hands free. Over time, as netsuke became more popular, they turned into art objects and were intricately carved from materials such as ivory or wood.

The art reached its peak in the mid to late Edo period when many men, samurai and merchants alike, would wear netsuke which were then also made from metal, ceramics and even lacquer. Other than with colours and fabrics for kimono, which were restricted to show that the wearer belonged to a certain class, everybody could wear netsuke that were made to his own taste.

Find out more about netsuke on the website of the Seishu Netsuke Art Museum (in English).

The Seishu Netsuke Art Museum – Netsukekan for short – was opened in 2007 and is home to more than 5200 netsuke, both antique and modern ones. Besides exhibiting the netsuke, the museum is also dedicated to support contemporary artists in producing modern netsuke. To this purpose, they have created the Golden Netsuke Award, which is awarded once a year.

The Netsukekan is housed in the former residence of the Kanzaki family, who were part of the local “Mibu Goshi” samurai family. The house was built in 1820 and, since it is the last samurai residence that still exists in the Rakuchu area of Kyoto, it was designated as a Tangible Cultural Property by the City of Kyoto. The rooms have been carefully renovated and together with the beautiful garden and the netsuke on display they exude the spirit of old Japan.

The museum shows about 400 of its netsuke as permanent display that is changed every three months. Additionally, the works of one (contemporary) netsuke artist are showcased every month. There is also a short movie that illustrates the making of netsuke.

Since the olden times the neighborhood around Gojozaka has been the area where Kyoto's pottery industry is located. One of the most renowned and prolific Japanese potters of the 20th century had his house and workshop there as well, and if you are yearning for a quiet afternoon to get away from all the hustle and bustle of the city, you should visit Kawai Kanjiro's House.

Kawai Kanjiro was born in 1890 in Yasuki city in Shimane prefecture. When he was only 16, he decided to become a potter, and eight years later, he graduated from the Department of Ceramic Industry of what is today the Tokyo Institute of Technology. At the college as well as at the Kyoto City Ceramic Research Institute, where he studied upon graduating, he accumulated his basic scientific and chemical knowledge and skills. However, Kawai Kanjiro was not satisfied with the purely theoretical approach at university and began to teach himself the use of natural glazes and traditional methods. In 1920, he acquired the noborigama climbing kiln in Kyoto's Gojozaka area and there produced works in line with techniques from China and Korea. This is the time that became later known as his first period.

However, he soon became dissatisfied with this work and together with Yanagi Soetsu and Hamada Shoji, Kawai Kanjiro started the Mingei movement (the Japanese folk art movement), and in 1936 they established the Japan Folk Crafts Museum in Tokyo. In this second period, he produced pieces reminiscent of Japanese folk art in both design and technique, and he also began to write essays and poetry. In his third period after WWII, his focus shifted again towards more abstract forms. In this time, he became proficient in wood carving and produced a number of large-scale pieces.

When Kawai Kanjiro died in 1966, he was recognised as one of the leading pottery artists of the Mingei movement in Japan. However, throughout his life he declined many honors the Japanese government wanted to bestow on him, like being named a Living National Treasure, since he did not place much value on such awards. He did receive 2 Grand Prix Prizes for his works at international exhibitions though, but both of these were submitted by his friends, not by Kawai Kanjiro himself.

If you'd like to know more about the thoughts of Kawai Kanjiro, we recommend the little book We do not work alone containing selected poetry and an essay about the master. It is in English and available at the museum.

For a long time, the beauty of Arashiyama has drawn court nobles and artists to the area who had their summer homes or writing retreats here. These days, Arashiyama draws many tourists from Japan and abroad, so it can get very busy at times; however, there are many quiet spots as well. One of them is the Saga Arashiyama Museum of Arts and Culture, a museum dedicated to art related to Arashiyama.

The Saga Arashiyama Museum of Arts and Culture (SAMAC) is a relatively new addition to Kyoto's museum scene. It was originally founded in 2006 as the Shigureden, dedicated to the Hyakunin Isshu, a famous collection of early Japanese poetry. However, it was recently renovated and reopened its doors in November 2018 as the Saga Arashiyama Museum of Arts and Culture, with an expanded scope. There is now also a cafe that is freely accessible.

The permanent exhibition of the SAMAC shows the history of the Hyakunin Isshu from original documents of the Heian era to contemporary playing cards. The special exhibitions – there are four each year - show fine art that is related to Kyoto in general or Arashiyama in particular. Both permanent and special exhibitions have extensive descriptions in English and Japanese.

Find out more about the Saga Arashiyama Museum of Arts and Culture on their website (in English).

The Ogura Hyakunin Isshu is one of the most famous collections of ancient Japanese poetry. Named after this part of Kyoto, it was compiled in the 13th century by Fujiwara-no-Teika and consists of 100 waka poems, each written by a famous poet of the time. The collection soon became a classic and even today, Japanese school children learn the poems in the traditional Japanese. During the Edo period, the Hyakunin Isshu has been turned into a card game called karuta, and a recent manga has led to a boost in popularity of both the poems and the game. The website of the SAMAC hosts a database where the Hyakunin Isshu can be searched by poet, poem or certain themes, both in English and Japanese.

Every year in January, the Saga Arashiyama Museum of Arts and Culture holds the National Karuta Competition. You can watch a video on how the game is played in the museum. Also, the museum gives introductory lessons to the game - please make a reservation beforehand if you are interested.

For centuries, Kyoto has been the leading Japanese city when it comes to traditional textile arts like weaving and dyeing. One of these is shibori, an intricate tie-dyeing technique that was lifted to new heights by the craftspeople of Kyoto. The Kyoto Shibori Museum is a unique museum dedicated do preserving the craft for the future.

Shibori is the Japanese name for tie-dyeing, which came to Japan in the 7th century. This old craft technique was further refined in Japan, and during the Edo period shibori textiles were produced in many cities. Nowadays, the two main production areas for shibori are Nagoya and Kyoto. In Kyoto, where shibori is produced almost exclusively on silk, it is called Kyo Kanoko Shibori.

Japanese shibori is characterised by its great level of detail and attention to design and colouring. There are around 50 traditional shibori techniques that can be differentiated by the way the fabric is bound before the dyeing step. Each of these binding techniques is done entirely by hand and it requires many different steps and a number of expert craftspeople to complete a piece of shibori.

In the Kyoto Shibori Museum, you can watch a short video (8 min) or buy a DVD (40 min) explaining some of the many intricate shibori techniques.

The Kyoto Shibori Museum was opened in the year 2000 and aims to preserve old shibori techniques while at the same time developing new ones. The permanent exhibition features examples of shibori fabric in various stages of the binding and dyeing process, as well as some of the tools needed to produce shibori. A video (in English) explains the steps and techniques of shibori. Every year, four special exhibitions showcase beautiful examples of shibori art.

The Kyoto Shibori Museum also offers shibori classes (in English and Japanese), where you can create your own shibori textiles like scarves using simple techniques and dyeing methods. Details like length and prices for these classes vary, please see the museum's website for details and how to book a class.

The museum also has a large shop where handmade shibori items of all sizes can be purchased. An online shop and international shipping is available.

In the Meiji period (1868 - 1912), when Japan opened itself to the West after 250 years of isolation, some of the most exquisite pieces of traditional and contemporary Japanese arts and crafts were produced, many of which were made exclusively for export. The Kiyomizu Sannenzaka Museum barely stands out among the many shops and cafes that line the ascent to Kiyomizudera temple. However, this little museum is home to the most spectacular private collection of Meiji art in Japan, so you should definitely pay it a visit on your way to Kiyomizudera.

Makie Lacquerware Although lacquerware is produced throughout Asia, the technique of makie is unique to Japan. Gold powder sprinkled onto lacquer while it is still wet creates magnificent images with a special flair.

Cloisonné Japanese cloisonné dates back to the Momoyama period about 500 years ago, but the art reached the peak of its popularity and artistic refinement in the Meiji period.

Metalwork Already more than 2500 years ago, metalwork was produced in Japan. Growing out of technology accumulated during the Edo period, the late 18th century saw the birth of a new art form.

Kyoto Satsuma Ware Satsuma ware can be traced back to Korean potters working in Kagoshima Prefecture. It received highest praise abroad and was one of the major Japanese export articles of the Meiji Period.

In the permanent exhibition room on the first floor you can watch a short film on how these artworks are created (in Japanese, with English subtitles).

The Kiyomizu Sannenzaka Museum was established in 2000. It focuses on Japanese artwork that peaked during the late Edo/early Meiji period, in particular makie, cloisonné, metalwork, and Satsuma ceramics. A part of the pieces in the collection were created by masters of the art who were appointed Imperial Household Artists during the Meiji period. Not only did these people receive special recognition from the Imperial Family, but their exquisite artworks were also sought after by collectors worldwide, then as much as today.

The museum's permanent exhibition, located on the first floor, shows selected pieces from the collection together with an overview of how these artworks are produced. The museum's second floor is dedicated to the special exhibitions, four every year.

The museum also has a small shop where you can buy postcards, books, and other items related to the exhibitions. Recently, the museum has opened an online shop with selected items.

More information about the Kiyomizu Sannenzaka Museum, in both English and Japanese, can be found on their website.

The enormous diversity of Japanese art has attracted fans and collectors, from Japan and abroad alike. The passion of art collecting lies in the Hosomi family, and the items collected over three generations are on display at the Hosomi Museum in Kyoto.

Rinpa or Rimpa is a traditional school of Japanese painting that was born in 17th century Kyoto. Most of the paintings of the Rinpa school feature birds, plants, flowers or similar motives from nature, and the background is often filled with gold leaf. Rinpa flourished in Kyoto, Nara, and Osaka, and many important works can be found on sliding doors or folding screens in the old temples of Kyoto.

Hon'ami Koetsu (1558 – 1637) and Tawaraya Sotatsu (ca. 1570 – ca. 1640), famous for the folding screen Wind God and Thunder God, a national treasure, are considered the founders of the Rinpa school. The style was consolidated some 50 years later by Ogata Kenzan and his brother Ogata Korin, whose two folding screens depicting Irises are national treasures. Other notable painters of the Rinpa school are Nakamura Hochu, Sakai Hoitsu, Suzuki Kiitsu and Kamisaka Sekka. The Hosomi Museum collection contains artworks by all of them.

The Hosomi museum opened in 1998 and showcases the collection of Osaka industrialist Hosomi Ryo (Kokoan). Besides the world-renowned paintings from the Rinpa school, the collection also contains Buddhist art from the 4th - 16th centuries and decorative arts like makie, lacquerware, and tea bowls. There is also a large collection of 16th - 19th century paintings, notably by Katsushika Hokusai and Jakuchu Ito. Out of the currently ca. 1000 pieces of the collection, 30 have been designated as Important Cultural Properties.

The museum is located in a modern building designed by Tadasu Oe. It unfolds it unique open structure with 3 floors above and 2 floors below ground upon entering. Besides the museum's exhibition rooms, there is the ART CUBE SHOP selling souvenirs and unique museum goods and the CAFE CUBE, an Italian restaurant famous for its pasta. Both the ART CUBE SHOP and the CAFE CUBE are on the bottommost floor and freely accessible without museum tickets. The KOKO-AN tearoom on the third floor offers tea ceremonies while overlooking the Okazaki neighborhood (reservations required).

The Hosomi Museum has 5 special exhibitions each year. For more information, please visit their website (in English and Japanese).

Like no other Japanese tradition, the tea ceremony, handed down through generations, embodies Japanese life and thought. There have been many influential tea masters over the centuries, first and foremost, Sen-no-Rikyo. Like a little box of exquisite jewellery, The Museum of Furuta Oribe is dedicated to one of his students, who himself is ranked among the greatest tea masters of Japan: Furuta Oribe.

Born into a samurai family in 1543, Furuta Oribe was a retainer of Oda Nobunaga and later of Toyotomi Hideyoshi. He studied the way of tea (chadō or cha-no-yu) under master Sen-no-Rikyu, and after Rikyu's death, Oribe was appointed tea master to Hideyoshi. From 1600, he also taught tea ceremony to Hidetada, the second Tokugawa shogun and son of Ieyasu.

He developed his own style of tea ceremony, called Oribe-ryu, which soon became very popular among the samurai class, and by 1610, he was considered the greatest tea master of Japan. However, after being accused of orchestrating a coup d'etat in 1615, he was ordered to commit suicide. Just like his teacher Sen-no-Rikyu, he died by his own hand.

Furuta Oribe's influence on the Japanese tea ceremony cannot be overstated. He introduced what is now known as Oribe-gonomi, a style that includes new designs for both tea houses and tea gardens. For the latter he even created a new type of stone lantern, called Oribe-doro.

However, Furuta Oribe is best known for his distinctive style of tea bowls and other ceramics. The deliberately warped shapes of Oribe ware with the beautiful green or black glaze and bold designs appear very modern and have kept their appeal for over 400 years.

Find out more about Furuta Oribe at the website of The Museum of Furuta Oribe.

The Museum of Furuta Oribe opened in 2014, 400 years after Oribe's death. Next to the entrance to the exhibition room a small garden showcasing an Oribe-doro lantern has been created. On top of the collection of Oribe ware and other utensils made or used by Furuta Oribe himself, the museum also holds a number of other important items like calligraphies created by his contemporaries. Among them are Sen-no-Rikyu, Toyotomi Hideyoshi and his son, as well as Honami Koetsu, a tea student of Oribe's. In total, the collection comprises around 2000 pieces, 200 of these are Oribe-ware ceramics.

The Museum of Furuta Oribe holds three exhibitions each year. For more information check the museum's website.

Kiyamachi street between Nijo street and Shijo street is one of the most popular spots for Kyoto's night crawlers. Filled with restaurants, bars, and event venues, there is something for everybody, and the UrBANGUILD is right in the middle of it!

Rengeo-in, the Hall of the Lotus King, is the formal name for Sanjusangendo, the 33-ken Hall, but neither of these names really conveys how special this temple really is. Founded more than 850 years ago, this National Treasure of Japan is home to 1001 golden statues of Kannon, and none of these look alike. Step inside this fantastic building and under the watchful eyes of the 1000-armed Goddess of Mercy.

Sanjusangendo was originally built in 1164 by Heian-era political leader Taira no Kiyomori. It wasn't meant for himself, however, but was a part of Hoju-ji, the retirement palace for Emperor Go-Shirakawa. This was an extensive palace with a large pond and temples and residences arranged in several subdivisions, but unfortunately, the entire palace burned to the ground in 1249, roughly 60 years after Go-Shirakawa's death. Only the Sanjusangendo was rebuilt by Emperor Go-Saga, and the new hall, reconstructed according to the original plans, was completed in 1266. Since then, Sanjusangendo itself and the many statues inside have only undergone minor renovations.

One of these was ordered by Hideyoshi at the end of the 16th century. Not only that, he also constructed another large Buddha hall just north of Sanjusangendo and enclosed the whole compound with an earthen wall.

In 1604, a famous event is said to have taken place at Sanjusangendo: The nightly duel between Minamoto Musashi and Yoshioka Denshichiro, head of a school of sword fighting in Kyoto. While the incident did happen (and Musashi's victory subsequently destroyed the Yoshioka school), whether it really happened here is not certain. It does make for a great story either way.

In contrast, the Toshiya archery contests are documented to the last detail. Their origin lies in the Momoyama period around 1580, but they reached the peak of their popularity in the Edo period. The rules were simple: Stand on the southern end of the western verandah (i.e., outside the temple but underneath the eaves) and shoot an arrow to the northern end of Sanjusangendo. Most arrows reaching the goal win. There were different competitions: Most of 100 or 1000 shots to hit the target; or as many arrows as possible within 24 hours (12 hours for young boys). Easily one million arrows were shot over the years, and popular competitions – like those between samurai from the Owari and Kishu domains – attracted hundreds of archers and spectators. Sadly, the tradition came to an end in the late 19th century, but the Omato Taikai every January is its worthy successor.

Upon entering Sanjusangendo, the standing statues of 1000-armed Kannon are the most striking sight. Each wooden statue is human-sized, and they are arranged in 50 columns and 10 successively raised rows to form almost a golden army. Of these 1000 statues, 124 are originals that survived the great fire, the remaining 876 were made by sculptors of three different wood carving traditions over a period of 15 years. Over 500 artists have been identified so far, and each of them gave his statue(s) a distinct face and different things to hold in her 42 arms. That means that every statue is unique, and each one of them even has an honorary name and is an important cultural property of Japan.

Flanked on both sides by 500 of these statues is the main image of worship: A seated Kannon that was carved in 1254 by famous Kamakura artist Tankei, who was 82 years at the time. This impressive statue has 11 faces (10 on top of the head) and 21 pairs of arms. One pair is folded in prayer before the statue's chest, the others hold various things to save the world, or rather: 50 worlds each. This is why these statues are usually referred to as 1000-armed Kannon. The Goddess of Mercy sits on top of an octogonal lotus flower and is one of Japan's National Treasures.

In front of the 1000 Kannon there are 30 more statues dating back to the Kamakura period. There are 28 Buddhist guardian deities acting as protectors of the Kannon; their origin in Hinduism is still apparent. Many of these statues on the northern half of Sanjusangendo are holding music instruments. At both ends of this row of guardians, there are the two Gods of Wind and Thunder. Those who know the famous 17th-century painting by Sotatsu will recognize them instantly.

Behind all the statues, there is a corridor that leads back to the entrance. It functions as a museum dedicated to the history of the temple. On display are, for example, the detailed records of the Toshiya competitions, complete with dates, names, and number and even type of arrows used. The rafters above the corridor bear votive tables of competitors, donated to the temple.

There is also information about the original Hoju-ji palace including maps and images. Research on the wood of Sanjusangendo suggests that it was once painted in bright colors that were thought representative of the Pure Land.

Finally, there is an interactive panel with which to take a close-up look of all the 1000 Kannon statues. A closer look is indeed warranted: Old beliefs state that there is a statue that resembles the person you want to meet...

The temple's precincts are relatively small and extend over the direct surroundings of the great hall only. Yet, circling the building is the only way to gauge its impressive size. Sanjusangendo means 33-ken Hall, and one ken is the distance between two supporting columns, roughly 3.64 meters. In modern terms, this means that the temple is 120 meters long, and thus the longest wooden building in the world. The number 33 is not chosen randomly, it represents the 33 earthly manifestations of Kannon.

The beauty that lies in the symmetry of the seemingly endless building can best be admired from the western side, because it lacks the special verandah in front of the great Kannon statue. On the east side lie two strolling gardens with ponds that were completed in 2021. There is also a stone monument in memory of Emperor Go-Shirakawa made by Honen, the founder of the Jodo-Shu school of Buddhism and a contemporary of the emperor. The nearby well bears the interesting name Spring Crying in the Night, after the sound the gushing water made.

All this is accompanied by a vermilion corridor that offers benches from which to admire the gardens and the temple beyond. While this looks very pretty, it is a fairly recent building. Not so the earthen wall on the south side of the temple. This, as well as the adjacent South Gate just outside the precincts, is the very one created by Hideyoshi, reverently called Taikobei.

There are many interesting special events taking place at Sanjusangendo throughout the year. Have a look below, or check our main event calendar for current times and dates. Enjoy!

Daigo-ji is a temple of superlatives: On the precincts, which covers 300 hectares of (mostly) forest of Mt. Daigo, 80 different species of birds can be found, 1000 cherry trees, and more than 100000 artifacts are kept in the temple's museum. Many of its over 80 buildings are designated as National Treasures, and the 5-story pagoda is the oldest building in Kyoto.

This sprawling temple dates back to 874 when the monk Shobo (posthumously named Rigen Daishi) built a small hermitage close to a well on Mt. Daigo. This part of the temple near the mountain top is nowadays known as Kami Daigo, and three successive Emperors - Daigo, Suzaku, and Murakami - donated buildings there. Emperor Daigo moved here after his retirement, and after his death, the pagoda was completed at the foot of the mountain (Shimo Daigo) in 951 in his honor.

Unfortunately, the 15th-century Onin War destroyed most the buildings of Daigo-ji. However, since the temple's head priests managed to maintain good relationships to emperors and shoguns alike, the temple was rebuilt several times and continued to grow through the centuries. When Hideyoshi came to power and converted to Buddhism, Daigo-ji received his special patronage. He restored the Sanboin (originally from 1115) and had 700 cherry trees planted. Both were preparations for a cherry blossom viewing party in 1598 that is still re-enacted every spring.

In the Edo period, Shugendo yamabushi began practicing at Daigo-ji, and to this day, part of their training and worshipping consists of long, meditative walks around the temples's precincts. The temple's prosperity declined during the anti-Buddhism movement of the Meiji period. However, dedicated head priests could preserve the precincts and the numerous temple treasures until today.

The vast precincts of Daigo-ji can roughly be divided into three parts.

The Sanboin-Reihokan area lies directly behind the Somon main gate of the temple. The Sanboin on the left side is the former residence of Daigo-ji's head priests. Just inside the gate is an enormous cherry tree called "Taiko Shidarezakura" that is 160 years old. The Sanboin itself was founded in 1115, but the current building dates back to 1598, when it was reconstructed and enlarged for Hideyoshi's lavish hanami party. The beautiful Karamon gate with golden imperial chrysanthemums and Hideyoshi's own paulownia crest on black lacquer is a National Treasure.

So is the Omote Shoin, the main drawing room of Sanboin. It is constructed in three parts, each one a bit higher than the previous; the lowest part can be used as a Noh stage when the mats are removed. From the Omote Shoin, the whole garden can be seen, a masterpiece of Momoyama garden designs, created by Hideyoshi himself. The main hall of Sanboin with a Buddha statue and statues of Kobo Daishi and Rigen Daishi that lies a bit to the back is not usually open to the public.

Opposite the Sanboin lies the Reihokan, the temple's museum. Opened in 1935, it is home to over 100,000 Buddhist statues, paintings, and other artifacts. Around 75500 National Treasures are collected here and trace the history and culture of Daigo-ji back to its beginnings. There are special exhibitions in spring and autumn.

On passing through the Niomon Gate (1605; the Nio statues are from 1134), visitors enter the Garan or main temple area. Here lies Daigo-ji's kondo or main hall, with a statue of Yakushi Nyorai, the Buddha who heals illnesses.

Opposite lies the famous Goju-no-to, a five-story pagoda that stands 38 meters tall. Built between 936 and 951, it has survived wars, earthquakes, and fires, and is now Kyoto's oldest building. On the first floor are culturally significant wall paintings, but the building is not usually open to the public. Both kondo and the pagoda are National Treasures.

Further uphill lies the Kannondo, which is the 11th temple of the Saikoku 33 Kannon pilgrimage. It enshrines a Juntei Kannon that is said to grant wishes to have children. Next to it is the Bentendo hall for Benten, the goddess of music. While this may not be the most culturally significant building of Daigo-ji, its beautiful colors mirrored in the pond easily make it the most photogenic one.

Beyond the Bentendo and its pond and garden lies the third part of Daigo-ji, called Kami Daigo. It takes about one hour to reach it, but the views from the top of the mountain are certainly worth the hike. Furthermore, Kami Daigo is the oldest part of the temple, and most of the buildings there are National Treasures or Important Cultural Properties. Among them is Daigo-sui, which marks the spot of Rigen Daishi's original hermitage. The Kaisando from the Momoyama period (1606) is the largest building on Mt. Daigo. When it was first built in 911, it was dedicated to Rigen Daishi, and his statue here is from the Kamakura period.

The vast precincts of Daigo-ji make this temple a great place for hikers and people who like to explore on their own. Kami Daigo does not see many visitors throughout the year, but the other areas at Shimo Daigo can get quite busy during hanami and the autumn colors.

While the temple is open every day, there are many events taking place at Daigo-ji that make a visit even more special. Have a look below, or check our main event calendar for current times and dates. Enjoy!

This temple that lies on the hills south of Togetsukyo Bridge and is visible from there has been deeply connected with Arashiyama for more than 1300 years. While its name is simply Horin-ji, it is often called Kokuzo-Horin-ji (after the principle image) to distinguish it from three other temples with the same name.

The temple was fouded in 713 by the priest Gyoki on orders of Emperor Genmei. Originally, it was named Kadonoi-dera, but in 874 the name was changed to Horin-ji. In the Heian period, Horin-ji was a popular place for pilgrimage and it is mentioned in Sei Shonagon's famous Pillow Book, the Tale of the Heike, and other literature. Thee temple was severely damaged during the Onin Wars and again at the so-called Kimon Incident of 1864. Therefore, the current buildings date back to the early Meiji period.

The principle image is that of Kokuzo Bodhisattva, lovingly called Sagano-no-Kokuzo-san by thee locals. The name refers to a Bodhisattva who possesses a storehouse as vast as the sky and who is able to retrieve anything worshipers may wish for. He is seen as the provider of wisdom, happiness, and prosperity, as well as the guardian of various arts and crafts and of people born in the year of the ox and the tiger.

Horin-ji is a fairly small temple, but to reach it, one must climb roughly 100 stone steps between the main gate and the main hall. Just inside the gate and before the steps lies the Denden-to pagoda with memorial plaques for H. Hertz and A. Edison. They are part of the Dendengu Shrine, which lies about two thirds up the steps on the left side. Dendengu is dedicated to the god of thunder and lightning - or electricity. Although this shrine can be traced back to the Nara period, it was revived i 1956 and attracts worshippers from all fields of electricity, radio, and modern communication.

The temple's buildings lie at the top of the stone steps, with the main hall straight ahead. The approach is guarded not by the usual komainu, but by thee statue of an ox and a tiger, respectively. A small statue of Kokuzo is seated just outside of the main hall, but to see the main statue, one must step inside.

On the left side of the main hall lies the two story Tahoto Pagoda in bright vermilion, which can be seen from Togetsukyo Bridge. Next to it there is the needle mound that plays a role in the Hari Kuyo ceremonies in February and December each year.

To the left of the main hall is the large Butai stage which offers beautiful views over ARashiyama and, in fact, all of Kyoto as far as Kyoto Tower in the south and the Higashiyama Mountains in the east. The most beautiful view, however, is over the river and Togetsukyo Bridge straight ahead. The significance of this temple can be seen from the fact that until the Edo period, the bridge was called Horin-ji Bridge, in honor of the monk Dosho who built it. When leaving the temple, take the path opposite the Dendengu that leads underneath the stage and through lush gardens with cherry trees, maples, and mossy stones.

Horin-ji has few yearly events, but they have great significance and a long history. For current dates, please refer to our main event calendar. Enjoy!

Situated in Kyoto's north-western Takagamine area, Josho-ji lies decidedly off the beaten tourist tracks. Founded by a famous artist and used as monastic school for more than 250 years, today, the temple is mainly known for its connection with one of Kyoto's most famous courtesans, Yoshino Tayu.

In the early 17th century, much of today's Takagamine area was given by Ieyasu to Honami Koetsu, founder of the Rinpa School of painting, wo established an artist's colony there. In 1616, the Honami family dedicated part of the land to the foundation of Josho-ji temple, and Jakushoin Nichiken Shonin of the Nichiren sect was invited to become its first abbot. Instead of just a temple, he created a religious seminary, which became one of the six so-called darin of Yamashiro. In its heyday, the Takagamine danrin was a large compound with over 30 buildings, and more than 200 monks could live and study here. The danrin system was abolished in 1872, shortly after the Meiji Restoration, and the temple declined as a result. However, Josho-ji still holds many important treasures like books and calligraphies that date back to this time.

Yoshino Tayu II (1606 - 1643) was born in Kyoto into a samurai family; but when her father died, she entered one of the Kyoto's entertainment districts, where she made her debut as a tayu at the tender age of 14. At that time, tayu were the highest ranking geisha, and their profession required exquisite beauty and rigorous training. Tayu were the most powerful and refined of all entertainers, with clients ranging from tea masters to daimyo and other noblemen. At times, tayu were even invited to perform at the Imperial Court. Yoshino Tayu was one of the "three famous geisha" of the Kanrei era, and at the same time a pious Buddhist. She donated the main gate to Josho-ji, and was buried in the temple grounds.

The bright red main gate of Josho-ji is called the Yoshino Gate after the famous courtesan who donated it when she was 23 years old. It is said that the cherry trees leading up to the gate were planted in her memory.

To the right just inside the gate lies the obizuka, a memorial for used women's obi that are worn with traditional kimono. The stone monument weighs six tons, and every spring, a memorial service is held.

This is the most formal garden of Josho-ji. Most other plants and trees are allowed to grow more freely, which gives the precincts a very cosy, almost private atmosphere. The temple is most beautiful during the lush greens of summer and the autumn colors.

Next to the obizuka is the treasure house of the temple.

The main hall of Josho-ji lies straight ahead from the gate.

To the left of the main hall are two buildings: The Kishibo Sonshin-do, which enshrines the god of child rearing and protector of children. The larger hall enshrines Tsune Tomitai Bosatsu, who, according to legend, was a white fox that came to a temple in disguise in order to study Buddhism.

Through a small gate and down many steps lies a little pond with an image of Hakuba Kannon, a Kannon on a white horse. The path is especially beautiful during the autumn colors.

At the back of the main hall lies the graveyard of the temple. At the center is the Kaisan Byo Mausoleum with the crest of Josho-ji temple on its doors. It holds the remains of Nichiken Shonin and those of some of his followers.

Behind the mausoleum is Yoshino Tayu's tomb. She died from illness at only 38 years of age and was buried in the temple according to her wishes. Every year in April, there is a memorial service for Yoshino Tayu by a modern-day tayu of Kyoto's Shimabara district.

The Ihoan tea house was built in memory of Yoshino Tayu. It features a large round window; however, it is not perfectly round (which would symbolize enlightenment) but has a small sill at the bottom to signify the imperfections of life.

The tea house is not generally open to the public. However, once a month, tea ceremonies are held at the Ihoan by various schools of tea ceremony. Single day tickets are available, but reservations are required. Please see the website of the temple for more information.

Josho-ji has a number of interesting yearly events. For current dates, please refer to our main event calendar. Enjoy!

Mibudera is one of the oldest temples in Kyoto, and over the 1000 years of its existence, it was known under a number of different names. Today, it is most famous for the Mibu Kyogen and its connection to the Shinsengumi of the late Edo period.

Mibudera dates back to 991, when the monk Kaiken erected a temple dedicated to Jizo Bosatsu, the guardian of children. The temple was completed in 1005 and then named Komii-dera in reference to the founder's origin in Miidera in Otsu. In 1077, Emperor Shirakawa honored the temple by raising it to the status of chokugan-ji, temples where prayers for the wellbeing of both the Imperial Family and the country were performed. Around this time, the temple was called Jizo-in by worshippers of the main image.

However, in 1257 the temple burned to the ground, and during its reconstruction by Taira no Munehira was moved to its current location, from which the temple took its final name, Mibudera. It is said that in order to raise funds for the restoration, Engaku Shonin established so-called Yuzu Dainenbutsu-e, ritualistic performances that are the origin of the Mibu Kyogen of today. By the Muromachi period, Mibudera had become famous for them, and also earned the moniker Temple of Plays.

Sadly, most of the buildings are relatively recent. Mibudera again burned down in 1788, and was restored in 1825. In 1962 the main hall was destroyed by arson. When it was rebuilt in 1967, it received its current main statue from Nara's Toshodai-ji Temple.

The Mibu Kyogen date back around 700 years when they were created by the saint Engaku Shonin. It is said that his teachings attracted thousands of people, and he tried to teach the basic tenets of Buddhism in an easy to understand way. Thus the Mibu Dainenbustu Kyogen were born, pantomime plays accompanied by drums, gong, and flute with the actors wearing costumes and distinctive masks.

Over time, new plays were added that expanded the original religious themes to popular plays from Noh or even contemporary events. Currently, the repertoire consists of 30 plays that are performed three times a year by volunteer actors from the temple's neighborhood. The Mibu Kyogen are also designated as Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property.

Mibudera's Main Gate lies on the eastern side of the precincts, opposite the Netsuke Museum. It dates back to 1799 and is the oldest building the temple, having survived several fires.

Directly inside the gate, at the right, is the Ichiya Tenjindo where several deities are enshrined, including Rokusho Myojin, the guardian deity of Mibudera. The building is from 1852 and named after Tenjin (Sugawara no Michizane) who is said to have stopped at the temple on the way to his exile.

Further on lies the Amidado, an unassuming modern building. It contains statues of Kannon and Amida for worshippers, as well as a gift shop.

The Amidado provides access to the Mibuzuka, a small island with the tombs of 11 members of the Shinsengumi. The Shinsengumi, established at the end of the Edo period, were a pro-shogunate squad of samurai and civilians. They had their headquarters just outside the Mibudera's north gate and used the temple grounds for their military drills and martial arts practice. A bust of their second leader, Kondo Isami, is the main attraction of the Mibuzuka.

From here, you can also access the Historical Reference Room below the Amidado. It contains some of the temple treasures, a selection of its 190 Mibu Kyogen masks and original paraphanalia of the Shinsengumi.

Opposite the Amidado lies the Mido Hall, the only surviving subtemple of Mibudera. The building is from 1829, and it is home to an 11-faced Kannon Bodhisattva from the Kamakura period, as well as to a statue of Hayakushi Nyorai.

Straight ahead from the main gate lies the Main Hall of Mibudera. It was built in 1962 and enshrines a Jizo Bodhisattva from the Heian period, one of the oldest such statues in Japan. The interior of the building is bright and decorated with modern fusuma paintings, providing an interesting contrast to the ancient statue in the center.

The main hall also contains the Cultural Property Exhibition Room where more temple treasures are on display.

The Sentai-butto to the left of the main hall is the most striking structure of Mibudera. It was built in 1988 to mark the 1000th anniversary of the temple's founding, and it is made of 1000 Buddha and Jizo statues that were unearthed - literally - from all over Kyoto. The shape is reminiscent of pagodas in Myanmar.

To see the famous Dainenbutsu Stage, you have to look behind the modern building that is home ot a day care facility. It is also called Kyogen Hall and was built in 1856, and thanks to its unique features, it is now an Important Cultural Property.

The Mibu Kyogen performances three times a year can be watched from the second floor of the daycare center.

Another feature of Mibudera are the additional Jizo statues that can be found in several places on the precincts. People come here to worship for the safety and health of their children. Among citizens, the temple is also known for its "Rent a Jizo" service, where Kyoto's modern neighborhoods may rent a Jizo statue for the Jizobon festival in summer.

While Mibudera is most famous for the Mibu Kyogen, it also has a number of other interesting events. For current dates, please refer to our main event calendar. Enjoy!

Situated at one of the busiest roads in Kyoto, thousands of people pass by Chishakuin Temple every day. Those who enter can leave the bustle behind within quiet gardens and admire fusuma paintings by some of Japan's greatest painters.

The origin of Chishakuin can be traced back to the 12th century, albeit not on this particular site in Kyoto. In 1132, Kogyo Daishi, known as the restorer of Shingon Buddhism, founded the temple at Mt. Koya; only a few years later, in 1140, it was relocated to Mt. Negoro. There, it grew into a large temple complex focused on study and learning, and around 6,000 monks could live on the precincts. Chishakuin Temple became very powerful and Hideyoshi himself felt threatened by its growing influence. So much so, that he sent his troops and had it destroyed in 1585.

However, in 1601, soon after Hideyoshi's death, the temple's head priest received a large plot of land in Kyoto's Higashiyama mountains from Ieyasu, and Chishakuin was revived at the spot where it stands today. It was further enlarged by incorporating land and buildings of the neighboring Shounzenji Temple and once again became a sprawling complex full of students. To this day, Chishakuin is known as a place to teach and study Buddhism.

The full name of the temple is Iobusan Negoroji Chishakuin, showing its history, and it is the head temple of the Chisan School of Shingon Buddhism, with more than 3,000 associated temples.

Directly at the end of Nanajo dori, on top of weathered stone steps lies the impressive Main Gate of Chishakuin. The entrance, however, is a bit further to the south and is marked by two large stone lions.

From the entrance, the main path leads to the Kondo Main Hall. This modern building from 1975 is home to the temple's main image, a statue of Dainichi Nyorai, also known as the "Cosmic Buddha", source of light and wisdom. The previous building, completed in 1705 with donations from the mother of Tsunayoshi, the 5th Tokugawa Shogun, burned down in 1882.

Behind the main hall lies the hydrangea garden and the entrance to the temple's cemetery.

Next to the main hall lies the Myooden Hall which enshrines a statue of Fudo Myoo, the Immovable Wisdom Kings. This building was formerly the main hall of Daiun-in temple at Shijo Teramachi but was moved to Chishakuin in 1947.

To the left of the main hall, accessible via some stone steps, lie the temple's oldest buildings. The center here is certainly the Daishido Hall from 1789, enshrining Kobo Daishi (Kukai), the founder of Shingon Buddhism.

The nearby Mitsugondo Hall from 1667 holds a statue of Kogyo Daishi (also known as Kakuban), and there are several other, smaller buildings for worship and storage in this area as well.

Halfway between the entrance and the main hall, a path at the left leads to the most scenic part of Chishakuin. The Kodo Lecture Hall is from 1995, built in commemoration of the 850th anniversary of the death of Kogyo Daishi after the previous one burnt down in 1947. While the building itself may not sound very interesting, its beautiful fusuma paintings by Toshio Tabuchi definitely are. His delicate black and white ink paintings, dedicated in 2008, show images of the four seasons. Together with the light wood used in the rooms, they create a serious but airy feeling.

Beyond the lecture hall lies the Scenic Garden, which was originally created for Shounzenji and is known to have been a favourite of tea master Sen-no-Rikyu. It has a pond that reaches underneath the building, and an artificial hill filled with azaleas that bloom in early summer. A tiny waterfall enlivens the quiet scenery.

The garden is best viewed from the Ojoin Reception Hall, which itself is adorned with fusuma paintings by Hasegawa Tohaku and his son Kyuzo. These paintings are now classified as National Treasures.

The Shinden Reception Hall next door also overlooks the garden, and it also has fusuma paintings by a famous artist, this time by Insho Domoto. Except during moon viewing in autumn, this building is not open to the public. However, you can take a virtual tour on the website of Chishakuin.

Originals of the above mentioned fusuma paintings as well as a selection of the roughly 80,000 temple treasures of Chishakuin are on display in the newly built Artifact Museum that was opened only in April 2023, in commemoration of the 1250th birthday of Kobo Daishi. It lies to the right of the entrance, nearby the temple bell.

To this day, Chishakuin is a training center for Shingon monks. Even on normal days, it is possible to catch a special ceremony or a monk praying at any of the buildings. Below are a number of events to which Chishakuin invites visitors throughout the year. For current dates, please refer to our main event calendar. Enjoy!

This temple lies so deeply within the forests of the Higashiyama mountains that it's only accessible via 250 stone steps. Therefore, it is the perfect place to practice shugendo, "the way to spiritual power through discipline".

This secluded place in Tanukidani valley centers around a natural cave that is 6 meters wide and deep. It is said that a Fudo-Myo'o statue, originally placed by Emperor Kanmu at the north eastern "demon gate" for the protection of Kyoto was moved to this cave in 1249. Subsequently, it became a place of worship for people of the area. In 1604, swordsman Miyamoto Musashi visited the place to practice underneath a waterfall in preparation for a fight.

However, the history of the area as a Buddhist place of worship (if not yet temple) began in 1718, when the monk Mokujiki Shozen Tomoatsu settled in the cave and soon carved a new, 1.5 meter tall statue of Fudo Myo'o that he modeled after the original one. From that time on, he practiced his form of ascetic Buddhism there, and the statue and the cave once again attracted worshippers and pilgrims.

Because of the anti-Buddhism sentiments of the early Meiji era, the temple became neglected, but it was again revived by people living in the area. At that time, the cave was made more accessible by building steps up to it. But it took until 1944 for the first temple buildings to be erected. This was done by the abbot Ryoei, who had received training in Hokkaido and was invited to become the founder of the re-established temple at that time.

Tanukidanisan Fudoin is considered a shinrin garan, a forest temple, comprising not only the buildings, but the trees and surrounding greenery as well.

When hiking up the steep road leading to the temple, the colorful Automobile Traffic Safety Hall is the first outlier of Tanukidanisan Fudoin Temple - and the last place accessible by car. Erected in 1966, when private cars became more numerous, this building is dedicated to the blessing of motor vehicles of all kinds. More than 10,000 people come here every year to pray for their safe journeys.

The rest of the precincts can only be reached via 250 stone steps that begin where the road ends. The foot of the steps has a large stone marker surrounded by tanuki statues of all sizes, who lent their name to the valley and the temple. The real life tanuki - translated as racoon dog - has given rise to numerous legends centered around his, ahem... him being well-endowed, let's put it like this. He is gerneally seen as a funny, slightly mischievous fellow and tanuki statues can be found in front of many homes, and, of course, all over the temple grounds here.

Already visible from the bottom of the steps is the Hakuryu Benzaiten shrine, which dates back to Mokujiki Shozen Tomoatsu. He established the sthrine in the hope that all living beings will be blessed with good welfare and fortune. Benzaiten as the goddess of arts and learning is one of the Japanese shichifukujin, the seven lucky gods, and she can be found at the center of their statues a bit further up the steps.

On step no. 99 the large Omukae Daishi statue of Kobo Daishi, founder of Shingon Buddhism, welcomes visitors to the temple. He undertook many pilgrimages all over Japan, and therefore, people pray to him for healthy legs and tie little straw sandals to the statue on the way down.

A little further, on a little plateau lies the Komyo-den where Kobo Daishi is enshrined. The stones around the circumference of the building represnet the 88 pilgrimage sites of Shikoku. It is said that walking around them in prayer bestows the same blessings as a trip to Shikoku itself. Inside this hall lies an ossuary calles Yasugaribyo, Mausoleum of Tranquility.

Just a few more steps until the path widens to the plateau with the main temple buildings. Take the last steps up to the entrance of the Hondo Main Hall. The current building dates back to 1986; it is attached to the ancient cave i the mountain slope at the back, where the statue of Fudo Myo'o still has its home. In front, thanks to the construction known as kengai zukuri (overhanging cliff) style, it has an impressive butaistage rivalling that of Kiyomizudera. The view from there over northern Kyoto is nice, but because of the mountains rising up at the sides of the valley rather limited.

The Immovable Wisdom King Fudo Myo'o with his sword and piercing eyes is the main image of the temple. It is known for his miracle cures of even serious illnesses, and this is the reason for the many gankake fuda outside the main hall. These little tablets show a human shape; circle the body part that needs healing and hang it onto a pillar as a prayer to the Fudo Myo'o.

When you exit the main hall and walk to the left, you can find the path to the inner sanctuary, the Oku-no-in. It lies on top of the mountain and the ascent through the forest along the 36 messengers of Fudo Myo'o takes about 40 minutes.

Take the path to the right past the many Jizo statues instead to reach Miyamoto Musashi's Waterfall. Musashi, one of Japan's greatest swordsmen, came here to train before the final fight against the Yoshioka school of swordsfighting at Sagarimatsu pine near the foot of the mountain. It is said that while striking the water with his sword, Musashi came to realize that first and foremost, he had to defeat his own fears and worldly desires, above all of his other enemies.

Before heading down the mountain again, take a look at the beautifully carved Sansha Myojin-do, which enshrines the deities of clothing, food, and shelter that were called to the mountain by Mokujiki Shozen Tomoatsu. These three things lie at the root of peace and prosperity, and the monk had first-hand experience: mokujiki means eating only the natural products of the trees or th land without further processing, quite a difficult task on a mountain like this.

Opposite of it lies a little shrine for the Wisdom King Ususama-Myo'o. He has the power to purify all kinds and sizes of unclean things in his ferocious flames and is thus worshipped as the god of the toilet.

Tanukidani-san Fudoin is home to many yamabushi mountain monks who undergo rigorous training and spend long times outdoors regardless of the weather. Below are some events where you can see these monks and their interesting rituals. For current dates and times, please refer to our main event calendar. Enjoy!

Before Daikaku-ji was consecrated as a temple 1200 years ago, it had been the retirement villa of Emperor Saga for many years. This imbues the temple with an almost refined air that is quite unique in Kyoto.

In 814, Emperor Saga (786 - 842) built Saga Rikyu-in, an Imperial Villa, in Arashiyama. He moved there upon his abdication in 82, and established the villa as both retirement home and power base for his cloistered rule. Many for emperors would follow his example over the years.

In 876, Emperor Saga's daughter had the palace established as a temple of the Shingon sect. It became one of Kyoto's monzeki where only IMperial Princes would be appointed as abbots. The first one was Prince Gojaku, Emperor Saga's grandsom, and many other princes and even retired emperors would assume the position afterwards.

Sadly, none of the original buildings remained after a fire in 1336. The current buildings have been relocated to Daikaku-ji from the imperial palace and other locations in Kyoto.

What is still original, however, is Osawa-no-ke, the large pond next to the main temple grounds. It dates back to the establishment of Saga Rikyu-in, and is the oldest artificial pond in Japan.

Emperor Saga is also credited with establishing the Saga Goryu school of flower arrangment. To this day, Daikaku-ji functions as the headquarters of this school and holds several events related to ikebana every year.

The precincts of Daikaku-ji are divided into the temple buildings and the Osawa-no-ike pond area.

From the main entrance, the Shinden Hall is the first to be entered. This building dates back to the early Edo period when it was used a living quarters for the daughter of Tokugawa Hidetada, the 2nd shogun. This building has several large rooms decorated with fusuma paintings.

The Miedo Hall next door was built as a banquet hall for the coronation of the Taisho Emperor and was moved here in 1925. Among others, it enshrines the Saga Emperor and Kobo Daishi, founder of the Shingon sect of Buddhism.

Behind the Miedo lies another building from 1925, the Chokufu Shingyo-den. It is said that when a plague devastated the country, Kobo Daishi suggested to Emperor Saga to transcribe the Heart Sutra to appease the deities. He did so and the plague promptly ended. This octogonal building contains this copy of the Heart Sutra, which is only shown to the public every 60 years (the last time in 2018). In between, pilgrims may instead touch the colorful rope that connects the Chokufu-Shingyo-den with the Miedo hall.

Straight ahead from the Miedo lies the Chokushimon Gate, built in the 1850s. This was once the gate for the imperial messenger, and to this day, it is only opened when the Emperor himself visits Daikaku-ji.

The Yasui-do Hall once belonged to the Yasui Monzeki Renge Koin Temple that stood on what is today the grounds of Yasui Konpira-gu Shrine. This building from the Edo Period was moved to Daikaku-ji in 1871. It is home to a statue of Emperor Go-Mizunoo, but the main attraction of this building is the colorful ceiling. It has paintings of birds, flowers, and everyday items in front, and of a dragon in the clouds in the back of the hall.

In front of the Yasui-do lies the Godaido, the main hall of Daikaku-ji. It enshrines all five of the Wisdom Kings, with Fudo Myo-o, the immovable Wisdom King at the center. The hall was rebuilt in the late Edo period, and it has a stage from which to overlook Osawa-no-ike. People visit her not only to pray, but also to transcribe sutras.

Near the entrance lies the Shoshinden Hall, which dates back to the Momoyama period and is the oldest building of the temple. It is divided into 12 rooms and has fusuma paintings by Kano Sanroku and Shiko Watanabe, among others. Building and paintings are important cultural properties, but they are usually closed to the public.

The buildings are connected by a roofed corridor, the Murasame-no-roka. It has a nightingale floor and gold trimmings. The most important feature, however, are the low ceilings that make fighting with swords or spears impossible.

To the east of the temple buildings lies Osawa-no-ike, the oldest man-made pond Japans with 3000 lotus flowers. Dating back to the times of the Saga Emperor, it was probably created expessly with moon-viewing in mind. Circling it takes roughly 20 minutes, but it is said the garden surrounding the pond is best viewed from a boat. Such boat rides are available during hanami and yugoya. There are two islands in the pond and a rock, together they resemble a typical Saga Goryu flower arrangment.

Near the pond lies the red Shingyohoto tower built in 1967 to commemorate the 1150th anniversary of Emperor Saga's Heart Sutra transcription. It is home to a seated statue of Kukai holding a sword, but is not generally accessible. Further in the back lie the remnants of the Nakoso-no-takaito waterfall. Its former use is unclear, some people believe that this was the original source for the pond's water, others think this is simply an example of a dry rock garden. In any case, this place is an important cultural property.

Daikaku-ji, especially the Osawa-no-ike pond area, is a fairly quiet temple with lots of natural beauty. There are a number of events featuring Othe pond throughout the year. For current dates and times, please refer to our main event calendar. Enjoy!

Situated in the north of Kyoto, far off the busy city, Kuramadera is an ancient spot of mystical spiritual power, surrounded by the natural beauty of Mount Kurama.

While September is a bit early for the momiji even in these mountains, the Yoshitsune Festival on the 15th draws modern day martial artists to commemorate and celebrate the feats of famous warrior Minamoto Yoshitsune, who lived at the temple as a youth.

The beginnings of Kuramadera are shrouded in legends, but can be traced back to 770. It is said that at that time, Gancho, a disciple of the monk Ganjin living in Nara, was instructed in a dream to go north and seek out a spot with large spiritual power. Aided by the apparation of a white horse, as well as Bishamonten, who rescued Gancho from being devoured by a female demon, Gancho founded a hermitage on Mount Kurama. In 796, two years after the capital had been moved to Kyoto, Fujiwara Issendo had a vision of the Thousand-Armed Kannon and sponsored a temple at the mountain. By the 10th century, Kuramadera was already famous, as mentions in both Sei Shonagon's Pillow Book and Murasaki Shikibu's The Tale of Genji show.

In the 12th century, Minamoto-no-Yoshitsune was sent to the temple at the tender age of seven by the rival Taira clan who killed most of his family. Studying as a monk by day, legend has it that the boy snuck out at night to receive weapon's training by Sojobo, the king of the tengu, who are said to roam the mountain to this day.

Be that as it may, fact is that the monks of Mount Kurama were famous for their fighting prowess, rivaling that of the warrior monks of Mount Hiei, who were much more numerous. During times of civil unrest, the temple was petitioned many times to dispatch troops, and during the Sengoku period, Shingen Takeda, Hideyoshi and Ieyasu came to the temple to pray for victory.

Over its history, Kuramadera changed affiliation to Buddhist sect several times, until in 1949, the then-abbot Shigaraki Konu established the independent Kurama school of Buddhism. The temple now enshrines the Sonten Trinity, formed by Bishamonten, Kannon, and Gohomaoson, an esoteric deity only worshipped here.

The precincts of Kuramadera begin at the Niomon Gate, which was last rebuilt in 1909. Its left door, however, dates back to around 1182 - 1184. The two guardian statues were created by Tankei, the eldest son of Unkei, a 12th century carver of Buddhist statues, renowned for his naturalistic style.

Directly inside the gate is a Kannon statue at a little fountain.

A few steps further up - literally - lies the Sanmon Station of the Kurama cable car. It takes only two minutes to arrive at the top station, where you are greeted by the Taho-to Pagoda, but it shortens the approach to the main part of the temple to about 10 minutes.

However, it is worth to spend the roughly 30 minutes it takes to walk the traditional path. Not only is the forest beautiful in all seasons, but there are a few interesting places and monuments on the way.

One of these is Yuki Shrine. This small shrine was founded in 940 and it is said that the Kurama fire festival originated at that time, when the villagers brought bonfires to welcome the spirits of the shrine. It is guarded by a tremendous Japanese cedar that is 800 years old and 53 meters high, and its Wari-Haiden hall is an Important Cultural property.

Just beyond Yuki Shrine is a stone monument to Yoshitsune, built on the former site of the Tokubo temple where the boy lived for nearly 10 years.

Nearby is Life, a modern statue of Love, Light and Strength, which symbolizes the teachings of Mount Kurama.

The softly winding mountain path through the forest changes to stone steps once it reaches the Chumon Gate. Starting at the gate, many lanterns and stone monuments donated by believers line the steps, and there are also some benches to rest. The approach from the cable car joins this path after a few more curves.

The last important building before the ascent to the main hall is complete is the Temporin-do with a large wooden statue of Amida Buddha from the Edo period. The ground floor houses a resting place where souvenirs and books of the temple are for sale.

Finally, at the top of the steps lies a plateau with fascinating views over the surrounding mountains and the Main Hall of Kuramadera. Built in 1971, it enshrines statues of the Sonten Trinity - Bishamonten, Kannon, and Mao-san. The principal image is only shown to the public once every 60 years, in the year of the tiger.

Tigers are an important feature of Kuramadera, since they are the messengers of Bishamonten. Two statues called A-Un Tigers flank the main hall instead of the usual komainu guardian lions.

The ground in front of the main hall shows a large mandala with the so-called Kongosho at its center. The triangle represents the Sonten Trinity, and the six points of the star surrounding it stand for the six ways humans interact with the world: eyes, ears, nose, mouth, body, and heart. Mount Kurama is an ancient power spot, and if you stand on the triangle facing the main hall, you may be able to feel the mountain's energy surge through your body.

A few minutes further up the mountain lies the Reihoden Temple Museum. The first floor is dedicated to the nature surrounding the temple - Mount Kurama as a whole has been designated as a natural science preserve. The other two floors hold temple relics and Buddhist icons that are worth seeing. Despite the temple burning down several times in its history, many of the statues and other treasures were saved every time, and some of the exhibits in the museum are National Trasures of Japan.

The path beyond the museum leads through the old forest past some smaller temple buildings all the way over the mountain to Kibune. This hike takes about one hour and you will be able to enjoy the forest and its wildlife. Note that the path is not secured or even lit during the night, and there are places where tree roots cross the path. Wild animals like deer, boar or bears live in the mountains (not to mention the tengu), using the path in the late afternoon just before nightfall (as early as 16:30 in the forest) is not advisable.

Visiting Kuramadera is always a special event, thanks to the serene forest in which it is located. On top of that, the temple celebrates a number of special events every year. For current dates and times, please refer to our main event calendar. Enjoy!

At the southern end of Kyoto's Higashiyama mountains lies Mitera Sennyu-ji, also known as the temple of the Imperial Family. It is especially beautiful during the aomomiji and koyo season, but its main attraction in October is the 25 Bosatsu Festival in one of its subtemples.

The origins of Sennyu-ji date back to a small hermitage called Horin-ji that was built in the area by Kobo Daishi around the year 830. In 1219, Gachirindaishi Shunjo founded a large temple at the same spot that he modeled after the ones he had seen in China of the Sung Dynasty, where he spent many years. The new temple was named Sennyu-ji after a fountain that still lies on its grounds; it means roughly "gushing spring temple." Originally, it was meant to be a non-sectarian temple where adherents of various schools of Buddhism (like Tendai, Zen, Jodo, Shingon) could meet and study, but now it is one of Kyoto's 18 Shingon temples.

From the beginning, Sennyu-ji had strong ties to the Imperial Family, and in 1242, Emperor Shijo was buried here. There followed 16 more emperors (Emperor Komei, last emperor of the Edo period being the last one) as well as other members of the Imperial Family. Most of them are buried in the Tsukinowa-no-misasagi graveyard, named after the mountain behind it. The Imperial Household Agency sends envoys on the death dates of these emperors for a memorial ceremony, and even the Imperial Family themselves visits on occasion. For this reason, the full name of the temple starts with Mitera which means "The Imperial Family's Temple".

The main precincts of Sennyu-ji are situated on top of Sennyu-ji michi, a fairly steep road off the southern end of Higashiyama dori. Some of its nine subtemples are accessible along the way, but the main entrance to Sennyu-ji is at the large gate at the end of the road. From the gate, the main hall is already visible, but let's turn to the left first.

Direcly inside the main gate lies the Yohiki Kannondo, which is home to a serene statue of Kannon, Goddess of Mercy. This statue is said to have been modeled after Yang Guifei, a Chinese empress known as a great beauty. The statue was brought here from China in 1230.

There is also a small garden and the temple's museum where Buddhist artifacts, historical documents, and mementos of former emperors are on display.

Down the slope lies the Butsu-den main hall of Sennyu-ji. Built in 1668 by Shogun Ietsuna, the two-storied building is representative of Chinese-style architecture. Upon entering, however, the building reveals that on the inside, it is only a single story, with a dragon painting by Kano Tanyu on the ceiling.

The triad of Amitabha, Shakyamuni, and Maitreya Buddhas represents the past, present, and future. It is thought to be by Unkei, a famous sculptor from the Kamakura period (12th century).

Immediately behind the main hall lies the Shari-den reliquary. The building originally stood in the Imperial Palace but was moved here in the early Edo Period. On the ceiling there is a 17th-century painting called "Roaring Dragon" by Kano Sansetsu. However, the main treasure of this building is a tooth relic from the Buddha himself. The Shari-den is only accessible one day each year.

At the back of these two buildings, a path to the right leads to the Reimei-den, which lies behind a gate decorated with chrysanthemums. It was rebuilt in 1885 upon request by Emperor Meiji, after a fire destroyed the original one. It enshrines memorial tablets of many Japanese Emperors, and a number of its interior decorations were donated by members of the Imperial Family.

The Tsukinowa-no-misasagi, the actual Imperial graveyard at Sennyu-ji is off limits to the general public. It is located behind the Reimei-den, beyond an empty space filled with carefully raked gravel. The dark wooden gate with the golden decorations that contrasts with the natural surroundings is an impressive sight.

At the left side behind the Shari-den a gate leads ot the Gozosho, another building that was moved here from the Imperial Palace during the Meiji period. One of its six rooms has a slightly elevated floor and features characteristic shelves in the tokonoma. This room was once the emperor's room, and the Imperial Family still rests here on their visits to the temple. The garden of the Gozosha is fairly small, but becomes very beautiful during the momiji season.

The above buildings are those of the main temple; however, Sennyu-ji has nine subtemples that are located on the main grounds or lie just off the access road. Not all of these subtemples are open to the public, though.

There are a number of interesting events taking place at Sennyu-ji each year. For current dates and times, please refer to our main event calendar. Enjoy!

Situated at the foot of Mount Atago, little Otagi Nenbutsuji is quite popular with foreign visitors who come there to see the countless stone statues that fill the temple grounds. On the second Sunday in November, the temple celebrates its autumn festival, where even the mythical tengu who live on the nearby mountains make an appearance.

The history of Otagi Nenbutsuji dates back to 766, when it was first established on the other side of Kyoto, in Yumiyacho near Gion. It was destroyed in a flood soon afterwards, and reestablished in the 10th century, when it became affiliated to the Tendai sect of Buddhism. However, the temple kept being ravaged by fires and natural disasters, and in 1922 the main hall and gate were moved to the current location at the foot of Mt. Atago. At this time, the area was developed as a local tourist attraction, complete with railroad/furnicular to facilitate the ascent of Mt. Atago. However, these were dismantled during WWII, and the area - including Otagi Nenbutsuji - was eventually abandoned and left to decline again.

Today's temple and its precincts are essentially the work of one man, Kocho Nishimura. Born in 1915, he was one of Japan's top restorers of Buddhist statues (among them the Kannon of Sanjusangendo) before becoming a monk. In 1955, he became the head of Otagi Nenbutsuji with orders to revive the temple. He restored the main hall and gate as well as the statues that were left and also created new buildings and Buddhist statues. In about 10 years starting in 1981, people from all over Japan came to carve the little stone statues that are now the main attraction of Otagi Nenbutsuji.

The temple precincts begin at the Niomon Gate, dating back to the Kamakura period, when the temple was still located near Gion on the other side of Kyoto. Two large Nio guardians protect the temple from evil.

Once inside the gate, turn to the right instead of climbing the steps straight ahead. The path leads underneath a building diretly to the first group of stone statues Otagi Nenbutsuji is so famous for. These statues are rakan, followers of Buddha, and they were created by everyday people under the guidance of Kocho ichimura himself. They are all unique and show distinctive features,and some of them are holding things like instruments hinting at the carver's passions.

At first, only 500 of these rakan were planned for the temple grounds, but many more people wanted to contribute their own, so 700 more were added, bringing the total number to 1200. The first batch of rakan are slightly larger than the later ones, but because of limited space at the temple, no further statues will be added.

Half way up the hill is the unusual temple bell comprised of three smaller bells instead of a single large one. It was also created by Kocho Nishimura.

On top of the steps lies the Main Hall of Otagi Nenbutsuji. It dates back to the middle of the Kamakura period and is home to the principal image, a 1000-armed Kannon from the same time period. The statue's face is not symmetrical; seen from the right it seems rather stern, while from the left it looks quite tender, an expression of the duality of Buddha's mercy.

Near the main hall are more rakan; the very first statue, carved by Kocho Nishimura himself, stands sheltered under a roof and is the only statue that has retained the original white color of the stone.

A bit further up, a golden Kokuzo Bosatsu overlooks the precincts. There, people offer prayers for study, prosperity, and business.

At the far end of the precincts lies the Jizo Hall with a Jizo Bosatsu. It is said to protect against accidential fires, similar to the Shinto deity that resides on top of Mt. Atago.

Next door there is another, seated Kannon statue. It is one of roughly 50 such statues, created by Kocho Nishimura with the purpose of blind people touching it and being able to "see" the Kannon. Many people also touch parts of the statue to cure physical ailments, similar to the nade ushi at Kitano Tenmangu.

January

Third Sunday, 13:00 Gomataki Bonfire This festival starts with a prayer ceremony in the main hall, where locals offer up their wishes for the new year. Afterwards, a bonfire is lit and wooden ema tablets inscribed with wishes and prayers are ritually burned.

November

2nd Sunday, 13:00 Autumn Tengu Festival This is the main event at Otagi Nenbutsuji, combining Buddhist beliefs with local traditions and superstitions that date back to the early days of the temple. The festival starts with a prayer ceremony in the main hall. After the priests leave, five tengu - mythical demons that dwell on Mt. Atago - arrive, make noise with wooden clappers and shoot lucky arrows into all four directions. Finally, they perform a blessing of the visitors of their own.

December

31, 23:30 Joya-no-kane In this ceremony, the temple's bells are rung to rid all of those who hear it from the 108 wordly desires. The bell of Otagi Nenbutsuji consists of three smaller bells that are inscribed with the kanji for bu-go-sou. When rung in this order, the bell sounds out "Buddha's teachings for the world". Visitors to the Joya-no-kane may ring the bell as well.

At the foot of Mount Kacho, one of the 36 Higashiyama Mountains, lies Chion-in with its enormous Sanmon Gate. It is a lively place to visit throughout the year, and the big attraction in December is the joya-no-kane bell ringing ceremony on New Year's Eve.

The history of Chion-in begins with Honen, the founder of the Jodo sect of Buddhism. He was born in today's Okayama prefecture in 1133, and studied Buddhism at Kyoto's Mount Hiei, where he received the name of Honenbo Genku in 1150, aged 18. At that time, Japan was torn by civil wars, and the people suffered on top of that from famines and natural disasters. Yet, Buddhism die not provide solace - it had become more of an aristocratic pastime with strict rules rather than a religion for ordinary people.

That's when Honen, who had chosen an ascetic life, came across the original vow of Amida Buddha, which states that everyone can be saved by wholeheartedly chanting namu amida butsu (I sincerely believe in Amida Buddha). Thus, i 1175, the Jodo sect of Buddhism was born. Honen lived and taught at various places at Higashiyama before settling at the precincts of Chion-in, where he eventually died in 1212, aged 80.

The first large-scale buildings were built some 20 years afterwards by a disciple of Honen, and Chion-in was designated the head temple of the quickly expanding Jodo sect in the late Muromachi period. Ieyasu, the first shogun, was himself a convert to Jodo-shu Buddhism, and consequently, the following Tokugawa shoguns saw Chion-in as their family temple, greatly expanded the grounds and donated buildings like the Sanmon Gate and the Mieido hall. For this reason, the Tokugawa family crest with the three aoi can be found at many spots on the temple grounds.

Although there are other ways into the temple, walking through the impressive Sanmon Gate is the best. The gate was built in 1621 by Ieyasu's son and second Tokugawa shogun Hidetada, and with a width of about 50 and a height of 24 meters, it is one of the world's largest wooden gates. The second floor boasts not only great views over Kyoto, but houses a colorful worship hall with an image of Shakamuni Buddha. It is open to the public in autumn.

The ascent to the main part of Chion-in starts behind the Sanmon Gate. Choose between the high, steep steps of he Otokozaka leading straight ahead from the gate or the more leisurly slope of the Onnazaka to the right.

At the foot of the Onnazaka lies the entrance to the Yuzen-en Garden, a modern garden redesigned in 1954 in commemoration of Miyazaki Yuzen, the founder of yuzen dyeing that Kyoto is still famous for. The garden has two distinct parts: a traditional Japanese rock garden and a part with ponds and streams flowing from a local well. Two tea houses complete the picturesque setting.

The enormous Mieido Hall - 35 by 40 meters that can hold up to 3000 people - dominates the middle part of Chion-in's precincts. The current hall dates back to 1639, when shogun Iemitsu rebuilt the original Mieido from 1234. It shows a Japanese style with some Chinese elements and was designated as National Treasure in 2002, together with the Sanmon Gate. It enshrines the sacred image - miei - of Honen, and most of the temple's important ceremonies take place there.

An extension of the broad verandah encircling the Mieido leads to the Amidado Hall to the left. The Amidado, so called because of the 2,7 meter high statue of Amida Buddha, was originaly built around 1232 near the Seishido a bit further up the mountain. However, it was moved here in 1710 and fell into disrepair - the current buildig is from 1910.

Behind the Mieido, and also reachable via the verandah, lies the Shuedo Assembly Hall, which has a size of "1000 tatami". It was used as training space for monks and, more famously, as the site for the Great Kyoto Exhibition in 1872. Today, it displays another Amida Buddha as well as as statues of Tokugawa shoguns Iemitsu (third) and Ietsuna (fourth). The building dates back to 1635 and is an Important Cultural Property.

Next to the Shuedo are the Ohojo and Kohojo, the large and small guest house of the temple. Built in 1641, they are the most famous examples of shoin-zukuri, priest's-study architecture. The Ohojo has ten rooms, the kohojo has six; both feature beautiful fusuma paintings with animals, nature images, and landscapes by the Kano school. The Ohojo is open for a short period in spring only.

Open throughout the year, however, is the Hojo Garden adjacent to the buildings. It is said to have been designed by the monk Gyokuen in the early Edo period. The garden is laid out around a shinji-ike (heart-shaped pond) and features a tea house, a special section with 25 stone bodhisattvas, and the Gongendo with the memorial tablets of the Tokugawa clan. The garden is a wonderful place to experience the four seasons in Kyoto.

At the right hand side of the Mieido, stone steps lead past a statue of Honen further uphill. On top of the steps is the Seishido Hall, the site of Honen's hermitage where he lived, taught, and meditated. Erected in 1530, it is the oldest building of Chion-in and also its former main hall. Before the Mieido was built, the statue of Honen was enshrined here, now there is an image of the bodhisattva Seishi, an Important Cultural Property.

Behind the Seishido lies the Nuregami Daimyojin, a shrine that is said to protect Chion-in from fires. People also come here pray for luck in marriage.

From the Seishido, the Gobyo is visible further uphill, it is a mausoleum for Honen's remains. The current building is from 1613, replacing the original from 1212. It shows the elaborate, colorful wood carvings typial of Momoyama architecture. In front of the Gobyo is the Haiden, an open hall where people may pray.

Returning to the level of the Mieido, there are two mmore buildings. The Kyozo sutra repository is from 1621, and it contains a sutra wheel with a Sung Chinese edition of the complete Buddhist scriptures, donated to the temple by shogun Hidetada. This building, while austere from the outside, has colorful paintings inside; however, it's not open to the public.

Next to the modern Hobutsuden from 1992, steps lead to the Daishoro with Chion-in's famous temple bell. It is the largest temple bell in Japan, with a height of 3,3 meters and a diameter of 2,7 meters. It weighs 70 tons and requires a team of 17 monks to ring. Probably because of that, it is only rung twice a year: during the memorial service for Honen in April and at the joya-no-kane at New Year's Eve.

As the head temple of the Jodo-shu sect, Chion-in holds many Buddhist events throughout the year where believers from all over Japan come together to pray or celebrate. Here are just some of these events; for current dates and times, please refer to our main event calendar. Enjoy!

January

25, 10:30 Honen's Death Memorial This memorial service is held on the day that Honen died. It is meant to remember Honen's virtue, and both monks and lay followers chant the name of Amida at the Mausoleum and the Seishido.

mid January to March Special Opening of the Hojo The Ohojo and Kohojo guest houses with their beautiful fusuma paintings of the Kano School are open for visitors.

February

13-15 Nehan-e This service is held in observance of Shakamuni Buddha’s death on February 15. As part of the service, Chion-in's large nehanzu is displayed in the Mieido. The Nehanzu depicts the Buddha's many disciples and all living things lamenting as the Buddha is about to pass into nirvana. Special ceremonies are held daily at 11:00 and 13:30.

March

mid March Spring Illumination The Yuzen-en garden, Sanmon, Mieido, and Onna-zaka are beautifully lit up during the evenings.

April

18 - 25 Gyoki Dai-e This is the largest and most important service held at Chion-in in memory of Honen. During the services, various events are held, such as a flower-offering ceremony, music services, a hojō-e (a ceremony in which fish, insects and birds are set free, symbolizing Buddhism's prohibition against killing) and chanting the nembutsu at midnight.

end of April - mid May Special Opening of the Hojo The Ohojo and Kohojo guest houses with their beautiful fusuma paintings of the Kano School are open for visitors.

November

early November Special Opening of the Sanmon The second floor of the Sanmon Gate is opened to visitors.

25, 14:00 Services at Nuregami Daimyojin On this day, the prayer boards left by visitors at the Nuregami Daimyojin Shrine (near the mausoleum) are burnt in a bonfire after a prayer ceremony.

mid November - early December Autumn Illumination The Yuzen-en garden, Sanmon and Onna-zaka, Mieido and Amidado, as well as Daishoro are lit up at the height of the momiji season during the evenings.

December

25, 13:00 O-minugui-shiki This is an interesting wiping ceremony where the sacred image of Honen, normally housed inside the altar, is wiped down with a silk cloth. On this day, the hall is filled with monks and worshippers, and a solemn yet magnificent ceremony is held while the nembutsu is chanted.

30, 22:40 Joya no kane As part of welcoming the new year, this ceremony sweeps away all of the desires that have accumulated over the course of a year by striking the bell 108 times, representing the number of desires. The bell at Chion-in is one of the most famous in Japan. Due to its size, it takes a team of seventeen monks to strike the bell, and each time the bell rings the monks can be heard shouting “Ee hitotsu” (One more!) and “sōre”(Now!).