[Yasaka Shrine Travel Guide] A Famous Kyoto Power Spot for Beauty, Connections, and Good Fortune

There are various theories about the founding of “Yasaka Shrine,” but shrine tradition includes the following two theories:
1. Envoys who came from the Korean Peninsula enshrined a deity from the Korean Peninsula
2. A heavenly deity descended upon a hall built by a Nara-period monk
Even today, it is not clear which is correct.
However, it is known that its development was sparked when prayers were offered during an epidemic in 877 and the outbreak came to an end.
After that, through shinbutsu-shugo (the blending of Shinto and Buddhism into a single belief system) and the flow of history, it became a branch temple of Kofuku-ji and Enryaku-ji on Mt. Hiei.
It became independent due to Oda Nobunaga’s burning of Mt. Hiei in 1571, and fostered a faith unique to “Yasaka Shrine.”
With the 1868 policy of shinbutsu bunri (separating Shinto and Buddhism), the temple established in the Heian period was abolished, and only its role as a shrine remained.

The “Main Hall” features “Gion-zukuri,” a unique architectural style in which the main sanctuary and worship hall are covered by a single large roof.
This style has been passed down since the Heian period.
Another feature is its complex structure, with multiple rooms partitioned around the central space called the “Nai-naijin,” where the deities reside.
With a height of 15 m and a building area of 662 m², it is the largest-scale main hall among Shinto shrines. In 2020, it was designated as a National Treasure.
Susanoo-no-Mikoto, Kushinadahime-no-Mikoto, and their children, the Yahashira no Mikogami, are enshrined here, granting a wide range of blessings from warding off evil and success in studies to matchmaking and safe childbirth.
It is said that there is a pond where the Azure Dragon lives beneath the “Main Hall,” and it is believed to be effective for good fortune.

“Gion Shinsui,” also called “Chikarimizu,” springs forth in front of Daijingu Shrine to the east of the main hall.
It is said that if you drink Gion Shinsui and then visit the adjacent “Utsukushi-gozen Shrine,” you will become more beautiful, and it is deeply revered by geiko and maiko.
However, it is not drinking water, so you must boil it to drink it.
There is also a belief that applying it to your face will make you more beautiful.

“Utsukushi-gozen Shrine,” a subordinate shrine of “Yasaka Shrine,” is located to the east of the main hall.
The enshrined deities are Tagirihime-no-Mikoto, Tagitsuhime-no-Mikoto, and Ichikishimahime-no-Mikoto—three deities, all goddesses depicted as beautiful figures.
It offers blessings for beauty, and it is said that if you apply the “Beauty Water” beside the torii gate to your skin and then pray, you will become beautiful in both body and mind.

“Kitamuki Ebisu Shrine,” located west of the amulet office, enshrines Kotoshironushi-no-Kami.
Kotoshironushi-no-Kami is a deity identified with Ebisu, one of the Seven Lucky Gods, and its blessing is prosperity in business.
At “Gion no Ebessan,” held every year on January 9 and 10, lucky bamboo branches called “Fukuzasa,” said to bring prosperity in business and household safety, are bestowed—so if you have the chance, be sure to get one.

At “Okuninushi Shrine,” located southwest of the main hall, Okuninushi-no-Kami, Sukunahikona-no-Mikoto, and Kotoshironushi-no-Kami are enshrined.
Its blessing is matchmaking, and the same deity is enshrined as at “Izumo Taisha” in Shimane Prefecture.
It should help tie many kinds of connections, including romance, relationships, and work.

The “Nishiromon Gate,” a symbol of “Yasaka Shrine,” is a splendid gabled gate painted in vermilion.
On both sides stand wooden statues of officials who once served as aristocratic guards, and in front of the gate, bronze komainu guardian dogs protect “Yasaka Shrine.”
After being destroyed in the Onin War of 1467, it was rebuilt in 1497.
It is the oldest structure on the grounds and is designated as a National Important Cultural Property.
In conjunction with a road expansion project in 1912, it was moved 6 m east and 3 m north, and placed so it can be seen in the center of Shijo Street.
It is often thought to be the main gate, but it is actually not—which is another point of interest.

The “Minamiromon Gate” on the main approach is the main gate, and it connects directly to Shimogawara Street.
For that reason, the mikoshi portable shrines of the Gion Festival always depart through the Minamiromon Gate.
It is 14 m tall and 9 m wide. Like the main hall, it features forms unique to “Yasaka Shrine.”
The vermilion-painted pillars and the roof with copper plates in a reddish-brown hue are outstanding in both form and color.

The mikoshi portable shrines of the “Gion Festival” are placed here, and it is also used as a venue for weddings and Shinto rituals.
The shrine maiden dances and bunraku puppet theater performed at the “Maiden Hall” are a must-see.
The 280 lanterns hanging under the roof were dedicated by okiya (maiko houses), traditional restaurants, and more where maiko live and work.
At night, they are lit and quietly illuminate the grounds, shining brightly.

No one knows why, but spiderwebs have never appeared here even once.
Moreover, there are no drips from rainwater off the roof, so there are no drip marks on the stone steps, either.
It is said not that the drip marks dried and disappeared, but that it never drips in the first place.

Beneath the main hall is a well called Ryuketsu, and it is said that the Azure Dragon that protects Kyoto lives there.
However, it is sealed with plaster, so it cannot be seen from the outside.
The Kamakura-period text “Shaku Nihongi” states that it is connected to the Dragon Palace, but no one knows whether this is true.

At the right pillar facing the main hall, clap once while facing west beneath it, and you can hear a loud echo. Clapping elsewhere does not echo.
At the junction between the pillar and a small roof is a carving called “Ryuko,” and it is said that the echo is the dragon responding to the clap.

The “Tadamori Lantern,” located between “Daijingu Shrine” and “Akuoji Shrine” to the east of the main hall, has a mysterious legend.
In the Heian period (794–1185), Emperor Shirakawa and Taira no Tadamori were walking through the grounds in the rain when they encountered a creature that looked like a demon.
Emperor Shirakawa ordered Taira no Tadamori to defeat the demon.
Taira no Tadamori captured it alive to determine its true identity, and it turned out to be a monk trying to raise a torch to the lantern.
It is said that it was named “Tadamori Lantern” in praise of Taira no Tadamori’s thoughtful judgment in seeing through what it really was.

“Daijingu Shrine” to the east of the main hall is built so that its Inner Shrine and Outer Shrine face each other.
Between them is a rock called “Futami-iwa.” Only a small part is visible above ground, but it is said to extend underground long enough to reach the earth’s axis.
Not knowing why this legend exists is what makes it fun to imagine.

“Chikarimizu,” also called “Gion Shinsui,” is also considered one of the seven mysteries.
As introduced in the highlights, it is said that if you drink “Chikarimizu” and then visit Utsukushi-gozen Shrine, you will become “beautiful.”
Among Yasaka Shrine’s seven mysteries, it is the most famous episode and folk tale.

At “Hie Shrine” northeast of the main hall, there is an old tree, and at night, crying can be heard from there.
Even when you approach the old tree, no one is there, and it is said the crying comes from a large stone at its base.
If you have a chance to visit “Hie Shrine” after sunset, why not check for yourself?

A renowned Kyoto cuisine restaurant located inside Maruyama Park, one of Kyoto’s best scenic spots, known for its elegant weeping cherry trees.
Since its founding in Taisho 2 (1913), it has preserved the tradition and flavors of Kyoto cuisine for 110 years. Dishes that make the most of seasonal ingredients and carefully selected foods are also a feast for the eyes, beautifully reflecting the colors of the four seasons.
The “Shigure Bento,” packed with colorful seasonal flavors, is popular for letting you casually enjoy Kyoto cuisine from a long-established restaurant.

A popular spot where you can enjoy all-you-can-eat shabu-shabu and sukiyaki right near the popular sightseeing spot “Yasaka Shrine.”
It’s known for its wide variety of courses you can choose from depending on your budget and group, featuring carefully selected domestic beef and premium Japanese Black wagyu, among others.
Classic favorites include the “Premium Beef Shabu-shabu All-You-Can-Eat” and the “Domestic Beef Sukiyaki All-You-Can-Eat,” both with Approx. 20 kinds of vegetables, udon noodles, tofu, and mochi, all-you-can-eat for 120 minutes.
If you can’t decide between shabu-shabu and sukiyaki, try the “Sukishabu” course, where you can enjoy both at the same time.

Operating as an ochaya teahouse since the late Edo period, it relocated to its current location in the early Taisho era.
While keeping the refined setting unique to a luxurious teahouse, it now operates as a restaurant bar where you can enjoy seasonal kaiseki cuisine and drinks.
With a spacious dance area designed for enjoying geiko and maiko performances, and transoms depicting the Higashiyama Sanjurokubo mountains, the space reflects Gion’s spirit of hospitality and feels luxurious just to spend time in.

Kyoto’s oldest park, created by developing land once owned by temples and shrines.
It is located straight ahead after crossing Shijo Ohashi Bridge from Kawaramachi and continuing straight through the Gion shopping street on Shijo Street. As you pass Keihan Gion-Shijo Station from Shijo Ohashi Bridge and continue through the shopping street, Yasaka Shrine comes into view straight ahead.
The area to the east from here is Maruyama Park, lined with restaurants and teahouses around a strolling-style garden.
The Gion weeping cherry tree, often said to be Kyoto’s most famous cherry blossom, is the second generation standing here since Showa 24 (1949), grown from seeds taken from the first tree. It is especially known for its beauty at night, and when illuminated, the area becomes lively with crowds of people hoping to catch a glimpse.

Chion-in, the head temple of the Jodo sect, was built on a site associated with Honen Shonin, the founder of the sect.
Yuzen-en Garden, located within its grounds, is a garden renovated and landscaped in 1954 to commemorate the 300th anniversary of the birth of Miyazaki Yuzensai, a mid-Edo-period painter known as the originator of yuzen dyeing.
It consists of a pond-strolling garden that draws in spring water from Higashiyama and a dry landscape garden called “Rokuya-en.”
Within the garden stand the tea house “Karoku-an,” relocated from the former villa of Tokutaro Osawa, a famous Kyoto entrepreneur, and the tea house “Hakuju-an,” relocated to commemorate the 99th birthday of the 86th head priest, Yasutaka Nakamura.
Both are tea houses associated with Urasenke, where you can enjoy the atmosphere of a renowned garden.

Founded in 778 and registered as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site in 1994.
Within its 130,000 m² grounds spreading across the hillside of Mt. Otowa, there are over 30 halls and monuments, including National Treasures and Important Cultural Properties. Kiyomizu-dera is also worth seeing for how it looks against the changing seasons—cherry blossoms in spring, lush green in summer, fall foliage in autumn, and snow in winter.
After climbing the slope, the vermilion Niomon Gate welcomes you. Climb the stairs further, and you’ll see the approx. 31 m-tall “Three-Story Pagoda.” One of the largest in Japan, it’s a spectacular viewpoint where you can see far out over the city of Kyoto.

A designer hotel located a 2-minute walk from Keihan “Gion-Shijo” Station.
Situated right in the heart of Gion, an area filled with the ambiance of Kyoto culture, it’s a place where you can stay while feeling Kyoto’s unique atmosphere.
Another reason for its popularity is that, unlike many hotels in central Kyoto, it has a large communal bath.

A Japanese-style hotel with 38 rooms, located along the approach to Kiyomizu-dera Temple in Kyoto’s Higashiyama area.
Surrounded by five slopes, it offers a relaxing time while you soak up the charm of Higashiyama.
It’s a 5-minute walk to Kiyomizu-dera Temple, and another nice point is being able to visit the temple early in the morning, wrapped in a quiet calm.

A hotel in a convenient location for sightseeing in Kyoto, a 3-minute walk from the subway “Sanjo Keihan” Station.
With Gion and Pontocho nearby—areas that capture Kyoto’s charm—as well as Kawaramachi, known for shopping spots and many restaurants, it’s an ideal base for efficiently getting around Kyoto City.
All 88 rooms have separate bath and toilet areas, and you can choose from a wide range of room types, from spacious Premium King rooms to compact Standard Twin rooms.