Kyoto in Photos: Heian Jingu Shrine

Part 2 of 10

Place: Heian Jingu Shinto Shrine

Address: Nishi Tennocho, Okazaki, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan

Essential Information: The Heian Shrine is relatively new (by Kyoto standards), having been built in 1895 to honor the 1100th anniversary of the establishment of Kyoto (formerly called Heian-kyo). The Shrine honors two emperors of great importance in Kyoto's history - Emperor Kammu, who was responsible for moving the capital to Kyoto in 794, and Emperor Komei, the last to rule from this city before the capital was moved to Tokyo in 1868. The Shrine is open year round, and admission to the grounds is free. A nominal fee is required for entrance to the garden.

My Take: The architecture and gardens were beautiful and tranquil. It was cloudy and rainy the afternoon I visited, which added to the stoic feel of the place.

The torii (gate) leading to the Shrine is the largest in all of Japan

The main entrance to Heian Jingu

Inside the courtyard is the main hall, which was built as a scaled down replica of Kyoto's original imperial palace

One of the corner end structures

There I am, walking across the water on some stone pillars (actually reused from the footings of a 16th century Kyoto bridge). It was amazing to see the attention to detail in the trimming and shaping of the trees.

A stone pagoda standing in front of a Japanese maple tree

The view across the lake shows a wooden covered bridge and another hall

The mastery of carpentry skills is on full display here, as the bridge is made of perfectly smooth natural wood, and is built without using any nails

A small hall used for traditional tea ceremonies