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Jishu Shrine (Jishu-zakura,location,history)
Jishu Shrine, Jishu-zakura
The information about Jishu Shrine is presented here. Jishu Shrine was added to the list of World Heritage Sites in 1994 as a “Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto (Kyoto, Uji and Otsu Cities)”. Jishu Shrine has long been a famous place for cherry blossom viewing, and when the 52nd Emperor Saga visited Jishu Shrine in April 811, he returned his ox cart three times because of the beauty of the cherry blossoms, which is why the cherry tree was also called the “Mikurumagaeshi-no-sakura”. There is also a record that Toyotomi Hideyoshi held a cherry blossom viewing banquet at Jishu Shrine in 1581.
【Jishu Shrine Location Map & Directions】
Address: 1-317 Kiyomizu, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan
Access (How to get there): Gojozaka bus stop (about 12 minutes on foot), Kiyomizu-michi bus stop (about 12 minutes on foot), Keihan Kiyomizu Gojo Station (about 27 minutes on foot)
【Opening Hours & Closed (confirmation required)】
Opening Hours: 9:00-17:00 (March-November)
Closed: open year round
【Entrance Fees & Tickets (confirmation required)】
Individual: Free
Individual (Kiyomizu-dera Temple): Adults 400 yen, Junior High and Elementary School Students 200 yen
【Jishu Shrine History】
The site where Jishu Shrine was built has been called Mt. Horai-san since ancient times, and has been worshipped as a sacred mountain for immortality and longevity. It is said that Mt. Horai-san has been a place of worship on land since tens of thousands of years ago, when the Kyoto basin was a lake. According to shrine legend, Jishu Shrine was also enshrined in the Kamiyo period, or before the founding of Japan. As proof of this, the American nuclear physicist Dr. Borst confirmed that the “Koi Uranai-no-Ishi (love fortune stones)” are a relic from the Jomon period (14,000-4th century B.C.) . It is said that the land god was enshrined before Kiyomizu-dera Temple was founded in 778. Honden (main shrine) is said to have been built in 701. Honden is said to have had the same so-do (double hall) structure as Horyu-ji Temple. Kiyomizu-dera Temple was founded in 778, and Jishu Shrine is said to have been built as a guardian shrine. It is said that Sakanoue no Tamuramaro, who donated his own residence to Kiyomizu-dera Temple in 797, was appointed Seii Taighogun by the 50th Emperor Kanmu and dedicated the sword to Jishu Shrine. In 811, when the 52nd Emperor Saga visited Jishu Shrine, he returned three times by his ox cart to the beauty of Jishu-zakura (cherry tree), which became the origin of “”Mikurumagaeshi-no-sakura”. In 970, the 64th Emperor Enyu held an extraordinary festival that became the origin of Jishu-matsuri (annual festival). In 1082, the 72nd Emperor Shirakawa went to Jishu Shrine and visited the shrine for 17 days. In 1170, Shirakawa-me presented Jishu-zakura (cherry tree) to the imperial court. In 1202, the Buddhist sculptor Unkei dedicated a pair of guardian dogs to Jishu Shrine. In 1500, Sogi held a jishu-renga. In 1581, Hideyoshi Toyotomi held a cherry blossom viewing banquet. In 1603, Izumo no Okuni, the founder of Kabuki, dedicated Kabuki. In 1633, Tokugawa Iemitsu, the 3rd shogun of the Edo shogunate, rebuilt the shrine. In 1822, the roof of Honden was repaired by Zokai of Joju-in, the sub-temple of Kiyomizu-dera Temple. After the Meiji Restoration, due to the separation of Shintoism, Jishu Shrine became independent of Kiyomizu-dera Temple and changed its name from Jishu Gongen-sha to Jishu Shrine.
*reference・・・Jishu Shrine website
【Jishu Shrine Highlights (May be undisclosed)】
★Honden (Main Shrine, 本殿, Important Cultural Property) was rebuilt in 1633 by Tokugawa Iemitsu, the 3rd shogun of the Edo shogunate. Honden enshrines Okuninushi-no-mikoto, his parent deities Susano-no-mikoto and Kushinadahime-no-mikoto, and the parent deities of Kushinadahime-no-mikoto, Asinazuchi-no-mikoto and Tenazuchi-no-mikoto. Honden also enshrines Ota-no-okami, god of entertainment and longevity, Otoha Ryujin, god of travel safety and traffic safety, and Omoikane-no-okami, god of wisdom, learning, and entrance examinations.
★Haiden (拝殿, Important Cultural Property) was rebuilt in 1633 by Tokugawa Iemitsu. Haiden has a mirrored ceiling with Unryu-zu (Haponirami-no-Ryu, Cloud Dragon). It is said that the dragon sneaks out every night to drink water from Otowa-no-taki (Otowa Falls) and that a nail was hammered into its eye, which is one of the seven wonders of Kiyomizu-dera Temple.
★Omote-mon (総門, Important Cultural Property) was rebuilt in 1633 by Tokugawa Iemitsu. Omote-mon is torii-shaped when viewed from the front with its pillars. The roof tiles of Omote-mon have a chrysanthemum pattern, indicating the gate’s close relationship with the emperor.
★Koi Uranai-no-Ishi (love fortune stones) were identified by the American nuclear physicist Dr. Borst as relics from the Jomon period (14,000 – 4th century B.C.)
The two Koi Uranai-no-Ishi are about 10 meters apart, and it is said that if you walk between them with your eyes closed and reach from stone to stone, your love will be fulfilled.
地主神社見どころ (Jishu Shrine Highlights)
【Events (confirmation required)】
★Enmusubi Kigan Sakura-matsuri (えんむすび祈願さくら祭り) is held every year on the second Sunday in April. At Enmusubi Kigan Sakura-matsuri, cherry blossoms are offered by Shirakawa Me and Yokyoku (Tamura and Kumano) are dedicated.
★Jishu-matsuri (地主祭り) is held every year on May 5th. On Shinko-sai, Shinto priests, priestesses, and Shirakawa-me depart from Jishu Shrine with nobori (banner) at the head, and along the way, they are joined by Chigo (children), musha (warriors), mikoshi, etc., and tour the Ujiko town such as Kiyomizu-zaka, Sannen-zaka, and Chawan-zaka.
★Shimai Daikoku-sai (しまい大国祭) is held every year on the first Sunday of December. Shimai Daikoku-sai is a festival that concludes the year of Enmusubi Jishu-matsuri, which is held every month. At Shimai Daikoku-sai, believers give thanks for the blessings of the year and pray for good fortune and happiness in the coming year. Worshippers receive the “Koduchi-mamori” of peace and happiness.
【Flower Calendar (cherry blossoms, etc )】
★The best time to see cherry blossoms (桜) is around early April. About 10 cherry trees are planted, including Jishu-zakura, which is a single tree with single and double blossoms blooming at the same time in front of the main shrine, Somei Yoshino, Ki-zakura, Fugenzo-zakura, and Mose-zakura.
(The best time to see the plants depends on the climate of the year.)
【Telephone (Please refrain from making phone calls.)】
Tel: +81-75-541-2097
【Recommended Walking Route】
The recommended walking route from Jishu Shrine is via Sannen-zaka and Ninen-zaka to Yasaka-no-to (Hokan-ji Temple). Yasaka-no-to is a goju-no-to (five-story pagoda) that represents not only Higashiyama but also Kyoto, and visitors can enjoy the scenery without worrying about viewing times. From Yasaka-no-to (Hokan-ji Temple), it is also recommended to go north to Kodai-ji Temple and Yasaka Shrine.
【Remarks(access, parking, disclaimer, etc)】
If you plan to visit Jishu Shrine, be sure to check the latest information.