Shimogamo Jinja
Shimogamo Jinja
4.5
6:30 AM - 6:00 PM
Monday
6:30 AM - 6:00 PM
Tuesday
6:30 AM - 6:00 PM
Wednesday
6:30 AM - 6:00 PM
Thursday
6:30 AM - 6:00 PM
Friday
6:30 AM - 6:00 PM
Saturday
6:30 AM - 6:00 PM
Sunday
6:30 AM - 6:00 PM
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The area
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Neighbourhood: City Center
No district of Kyoto is quite as representative of its blended nature as the City Center. By day, the covered shopping arcades along Kawaramachi and Shijo Street bring deal hunters and fashionistas out in droves to peruse the clothing, accessories, gifts, and home goods offerings. When it grows dark, the City Center is a hip spot for nightlife, alive with bars and clubs. A trendy culinary scene and an abundance of local watering holes give the Center its youthful vibrancy. In contrast, the quieter areas of the City Center seem a world away, shielded from noise by the foliage of the public gardens and zen spaces surrounding the area's shrines, castles, and the Imperial Palace. These ancient and sacred spots are seamlessly folded into the scenery, providing a respite from the energy of the city, but close enough to put you directly back onto the pulse of the city when you're ready.
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4.5
1,049 reviews
Excellent
484
Very good
446
Average
99
Poor
12
Terrible
8
LVV
Takatsuki, Japan63 contributions
Apr 2024 • Solo
If you want to visit a beautiful historical shrine without the crowds, this is the place to go. It's a world heritage site and it's just as beautiful as the more famous shrines in Kyoto, but you will be able to enjoy a more relaxed time here. Read up on the history of the shrine beforehand to enjoy it even more.
Written 8 May 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Timothy F
Moraga, CA82 contributions
Nov 2017 • Solo
The temple is located in a forested area in northern area of Kyoto. It was mostly Japanese tourists when I visited and definitely a respite from the other sites packed with foreign tourists. Calm and relaxing.
Written 11 November 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
KyotoDreamTrips
Kyotanabe, Japan19 contributions
Oct 2012 • Friends
We visited Shimogamo Shrine on the same day as we did Kamigamo, since they both had festivals and are twin temples. The shrine is situated slightly more down towards the city in a beautiful forest with majestic trees that would make you think it would be an enjoyable place to visit in the summer.
There is a torii leading to the temple, flanked by the usual lion statues, and as you enter the sandoo there is a smaller shrine about 100meters down to your left which is dedicated to Kamochoumei no Tadasuno Yashiro. This smaller temple has its own torii and a massive wooden gate leading to the inner temple area.
Continuing down the path to the main temple, you will see another torii, then yet another one beyond which is the gate to the outer courtyards of the Honden. Directly in front of the torii is the Maidono. On your right is the temizuya where you purify your hands and mouth (No drinking!), and on you left is the small Aioi-sha shrine and Sasaki tree. This shrine is dedicated to the god of good marriage and the guardian of engagement, Kamumusubi no Kami; a perfectly romantic spot! Further on and left is the sonaemono – a display of gifts of rice and sake to the temple. Going further in to the right you will see a peaceful river with a typical, tradition Japanese bridge spanning its width, decorated on either side by sakura trees. This is undoubtedly an ideal spot to take pictures of in the spring.
On the actual main grounds – which you can get to by just going straight from the Maidono – there are many shrines – Shinbukuden, Ooidono Hall, Kawai Shrine, Mikage Shrine, Mitsui Shrine, Izumo Ioheno Shrine, Koto Shrine, Mitarashi Shrine, Hosodono, Reiji-sha Shrine, Aka-no-Miya, and the Adzukariya Shrine. There is also a wedding ground where Shinto weddings can be held – applications for weddings are held outside the temple. If you’re lucky, you just might be able to see a real wedding take place!
This whole structure is surrounded by beautiful, tranquil forests where you can just feel yourself soaking in the calm atmosphere. It is definitely worth your visit. There are also many festivals held here in Shimogamo Shrine, and among the most famous is Aoi Matsuri. The Aoi Matsuri, or “Hollyhock Festival,” is one of the three main annual festivals held in Kyoto, Japan. It is a festival of the two Kamo shrines in the north of the city, Shimogamo Shrine and Kamigamo Shrine. The festival may also be referred to as the Kamo Festival.
According to the ancient historical record known as the Nihon Shoki, the festival originated during the reign of Emperor Kinmei (r. A.D. 539, 12th month, 5th day – 571, 4th month, 15th day). The ancient records known as the Honchō getsurei and Nenchūgyōji hissho reveal that a succession of disastrous rain and wind had ruined the grain crops, and epidemics had spread through the country. Because diviners placed the cause as owing to the divine punishment of the Kamo deities, the emperor sent his messenger with a retinue to the shrine to conduct various acts to appease the deities, in prayer for a bountiful harvest. These included riding a galloping horse.
There is a torii leading to the temple, flanked by the usual lion statues, and as you enter the sandoo there is a smaller shrine about 100meters down to your left which is dedicated to Kamochoumei no Tadasuno Yashiro. This smaller temple has its own torii and a massive wooden gate leading to the inner temple area.
Continuing down the path to the main temple, you will see another torii, then yet another one beyond which is the gate to the outer courtyards of the Honden. Directly in front of the torii is the Maidono. On your right is the temizuya where you purify your hands and mouth (No drinking!), and on you left is the small Aioi-sha shrine and Sasaki tree. This shrine is dedicated to the god of good marriage and the guardian of engagement, Kamumusubi no Kami; a perfectly romantic spot! Further on and left is the sonaemono – a display of gifts of rice and sake to the temple. Going further in to the right you will see a peaceful river with a typical, tradition Japanese bridge spanning its width, decorated on either side by sakura trees. This is undoubtedly an ideal spot to take pictures of in the spring.
On the actual main grounds – which you can get to by just going straight from the Maidono – there are many shrines – Shinbukuden, Ooidono Hall, Kawai Shrine, Mikage Shrine, Mitsui Shrine, Izumo Ioheno Shrine, Koto Shrine, Mitarashi Shrine, Hosodono, Reiji-sha Shrine, Aka-no-Miya, and the Adzukariya Shrine. There is also a wedding ground where Shinto weddings can be held – applications for weddings are held outside the temple. If you’re lucky, you just might be able to see a real wedding take place!
This whole structure is surrounded by beautiful, tranquil forests where you can just feel yourself soaking in the calm atmosphere. It is definitely worth your visit. There are also many festivals held here in Shimogamo Shrine, and among the most famous is Aoi Matsuri. The Aoi Matsuri, or “Hollyhock Festival,” is one of the three main annual festivals held in Kyoto, Japan. It is a festival of the two Kamo shrines in the north of the city, Shimogamo Shrine and Kamigamo Shrine. The festival may also be referred to as the Kamo Festival.
According to the ancient historical record known as the Nihon Shoki, the festival originated during the reign of Emperor Kinmei (r. A.D. 539, 12th month, 5th day – 571, 4th month, 15th day). The ancient records known as the Honchō getsurei and Nenchūgyōji hissho reveal that a succession of disastrous rain and wind had ruined the grain crops, and epidemics had spread through the country. Because diviners placed the cause as owing to the divine punishment of the Kamo deities, the emperor sent his messenger with a retinue to the shrine to conduct various acts to appease the deities, in prayer for a bountiful harvest. These included riding a galloping horse.
Written 9 September 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
RS R
Victoria, Canada89 contributions
July 2011 • Solo
I would suggest visiting this shrine after you've seen Kamigamo, and before the next point of interest on your daily itinerary. The shrine is nice enough, but the park and grounds surrounding it are nothing special. There is no admission to enter and it can be accessed by either taking the Eizan line to Demachi-Yanagi Station and walking 15 minutes, the Karasuma Line and getting off at the Imadegawa Station and walking 20 minutes, or the #4 or #205 bus stops right by the shrine as well.
If your time in Kyoto is limited to only a couple of days I would not recommend a visit and would suggest that you spend your valuable time in Western Kyoto (Gion, Kiyomizudera, Kodaiji etc) and the Arashiyama/Sagano Area. If you've got more than a couple of days you may want to check it out if you have the time
If your time in Kyoto is limited to only a couple of days I would not recommend a visit and would suggest that you spend your valuable time in Western Kyoto (Gion, Kiyomizudera, Kodaiji etc) and the Arashiyama/Sagano Area. If you've got more than a couple of days you may want to check it out if you have the time
Written 1 August 2011
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
coco h
122 contributions
Aug 2019 • Family
Beautiful & quite place
The creek was nice & cooled us down
People was surprised when they saw my little child was bare feet on gravel
The creek was nice & cooled us down
People was surprised when they saw my little child was bare feet on gravel
Written 1 July 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
KupitDom
34 contributions
Jan 2020
Today I spent almost three hours at one of the nicest shinto shrines in Japan
I prayed boughtbtraditional EMMA (?wooden blessed by shrine) and you can write your own wishnifvyou believe it
Emma from this shrine
I prayed boughtbtraditional EMMA (?wooden blessed by shrine) and you can write your own wishnifvyou believe it
Emma from this shrine
Written 5 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
graceangel
Hong Kong172 contributions
Aug 2018 • Friends
This is a must-go if you are a fan of historical and cultural architecture. Apart from this, if you are superstitious, hoping that there would be good luck for your work, love life or health. This is a place for your inner peace and family happiness. The shrine itself is not big, but surrounding it is a whole lot of park-like walk for you to enjoy. As you would note from my picture, Japanese chose this place as their wedding venue, therefore you would not miss this place if you travel to Kyoto.
Transportation is easy, too, I would prefer to take the city bus. Shimogamo Shrine is a 15 minute walk from Demachi-Yanagi Station on the Keihan Line. Alternatively, Kyoto City Bus number 4 bound for Kamigamojinja-mae can be taken from the station to Shimogamojinja-mae bus stop (5 minutes, 230 yen) directly beside the shrine.
Transportation is easy, too, I would prefer to take the city bus. Shimogamo Shrine is a 15 minute walk from Demachi-Yanagi Station on the Keihan Line. Alternatively, Kyoto City Bus number 4 bound for Kamigamojinja-mae can be taken from the station to Shimogamojinja-mae bus stop (5 minutes, 230 yen) directly beside the shrine.
Written 12 September 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
bucketlisttravellers
Sydney, Australia3,645 contributions
Feb 2018 • Couples
Shimogamo Shrine is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It also had free entry and free bike parking. It was a pretty area with traditional red Japanese bridges crossing over a stream. The grounds of the shrine area covered a large area and there was a forest walk that you could do that contained historical sights and had a few small streams running through it.
Written 14 April 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
hiart
new york city71 contributions
Dec 2016 • Family
This is just a lovely shrine. Not really out of the way, but tourists don't think about it because it isn't one of the "fancy" shrines. But walk from Central Kyoto along the Kamogawa and follow the river at it's fork into the park that leads to Shimogamo. This is Kyoto history at it's lovliest.
Written 22 January 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ShaneABurke
Melbourne, Australia1,029 contributions
Sept 2016 • Family
It is said the forest of this shrine date back to Kyoto's primeval origins. They are hauntingly beautiful and peaceful as you walk to the shrine. In some ways the gardens are better. Orange gates, a pleasant walk through the shrine. Enjoyable but not spectacular. North of the palace after a brisk 15 minute walk. Visit if you have the time, but Kyoto has other more compelling sights.
Written 21 September 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello,
Can you please tell me the opening hours and days for this shrine?
thanks!
Written 9 February 2017
Naoto T
Kyoto Prefecture, Japan
7 contributions
1hours
Written 3 January 2018
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