is an important

Shinto , also called Shintoism, is a religion originating in Japan. Classified as an East Asian religions, East Asian religion by Religious studies, scholars of religion, it is often regarded by its practitioners as Japan's indigenous religion and as ...

sanctuary on the banks of the Kamo River in north Kyoto, first founded in 678. Its formal name is the . It is one of the oldest Shinto shrines in Japan and one of the seventeen

Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto The UNESCO World Heritage Site Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto (Kyoto, Uji and Otsu Cities) encompasses 17 locations in Japan within the city of Kyoto and its immediate vicinity. In 794, the Japanese imperial family moved the capital to Heian- ...

which have been designated by

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and International secur ...

as a

World Heritage Site World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an treaty, international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural ...

. The term Kamo-''jinja'' in Japanese is a general reference to Shimogamo Shrine and Kamigamo Shrine, the traditionally linked Kamo shrines of Kyoto. The Kamo''-jinja'' serve the function of protecting Kyoto from malign influences. The ''jinja'' name identifies the Kamo family of ''

kami are the Deity, deities, Divinity, divinities, Spirit (supernatural entity), spirits, mythological, spiritual, or natural phenomena that are venerated in the traditional Shinto religion of Japan. ''Kami'' can be elements of the landscape, forc ...

'' or deities who are venerated. The name also refers to the ambit of shrine's nearby woods, which are vestiges of the primeval forest of Tadasu no Mori. In addition, the shrine name references the area's early inhabitants, the Kamo clan, many of whom continue to live near the shrine their ancestors traditionally served. Kamogamo Shrine is dedicated to the veneration of Kamo Wake-ikazuchi, the ''kami'' of thunder.

History

The shrine became the object of Imperial patronage during the early

Heian period The is the last division of classical Japanese history, running from 794 to 1185. It followed the Nara period, beginning when the 50th emperor, Emperor Kammu, moved the capital of Japan to Heian-kyō (modern Kyoto). means in Japanese. It is a ...

. Records from the reign of

Emperor Heizei , also known as ''Heijō-tennō'', was the 51st emperor of Japan, Emperor Heizei, Yamamomo Imperial Mausoleum, Imperial Household Agency according to the traditional order of succession. Heizei's reign lasted from 806 to 809. Traditional nar ...

(806–809) mention that ''Kamo-mioya jinja'' was amongst a select number of establishments which had been granted a divine seal for use on documents. The seal would have been enshrined in its own unique ''

mikoshi A is a sacred religious palanquin (also translated as portable Shinto shrine). Shinto followers believe that it serves as the vehicle to transport a deity in Japan while moving between main shrine and temporary shrine during a festival or when ...

'' (''Oshite jinja''). This granting of a special seal and the practices associated with its use and preservation conformed to a pattern established by

Emperor Kōnin was the 49th emperor of Japan, Emperor Kōnin, Tahara no Higashi Imperial Mausoleum, Imperial Household Agency according to the traditional order of succession. Kōnin's reign lasted from 770 to 781. Traditional narrative The personal name of ...

(770–781) in 778 ('' Hōki 9''). In 965,

Emperor Murakami The word ''emperor'' (from , via ) can mean the male ruler of an empire. ''Empress'', the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife ( empress consort), mother/grandmother ( empress dowager/ grand empress dowager), or a woman who rul ...

ordered that Imperial messengers were sent to report important events to Japan's guardian ''kami'', including Kamo Wake-ikazuchi. Kamigamo, along with the Shimogamo Shrine, was designated as one of two chief Shinto shrines (''

ichinomiya is a Japanese language, Japanese historical term referring to the Shinto shrines with the highest rank in a Provinces of Japan, province. Shrines of lower rank were designated , , , and so forth.''Encyclopedia of Shinto'' ''Ichi no miya'' retr ...

'') for the former

Yamashiro Province was a province of Japan, located in Kinai. It overlaps the southern part of modern Kyoto Prefecture on Honshū. Aliases include , the rare , and . It is classified as an upper province in the '' Engishiki''. Yamashiro Province included Kyoto it ...

. From 1871 through 1946, Kamigamo was officially designated one of the , meaning that it stood in the first rank of government supported shrines.Ponsonby-Fane, Richard. (1959). ''The Imperial House of Japan'', p. 124.

Imperial visits

* 794 (''

Enryaku was a after '' Ten'ō'' and before '' Daidō''. This period spanned the years from August 782 through May 806. The reigning emperor was . Change of era * 12 November 782 : The new era name was created to mark an event or series of events. The p ...

13''):

Emperor Kanmu , or Kammu, was the 50th emperor of Japan,Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 桓武天皇 (50) retrieved 2013-8-22. according to the traditional order of succession. Kammu reigned from 781 to 806, and it was during his reign that the scop ...

came as part of a grand progress.Ponsonby-Fane, Richard. (1964). ''Visiting Famous Shrines of Japan'', pp. 47, 131. * 942 (''

Tengyō was a after ''Jōhei'' and before '' Tenryaku.'' This period spanned the years from May 938 through April 947. The reigning emperors were and . Change of era * February 2, 938 : The new era name was created to mark an event or series of even ...

5, 29th day of the 4th month''):

Emperor Suzaku was the 61st emperor of Japan,Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 朱雀天皇 (61)/ref> according to the traditional List of emperors of Japan, order of succession. Suzaku's reign spanned the years from Heian period, 930 through 946. B ...

visited to offer thanks for restoration of peace. * 979 ('' Tengen 2, 10th day of the 10th month''): Emperor En'yū decided that an Imperial visit Hachiman at Iwashimizu Shrine should be paired with a visit to Kamo.Ponsonby-Fane, ''Visiting'', pp. 48, 131. * 1711 (''

Hōei was a after Genroku and before Shōtoku''.'' This period spanned the years from March 1704 through April 1711. The reigning emperors were and . Etymology ''Hōei'' comes from the Old Book of Tang (). Change of era * 1704 : In reaction to t ...

8''):

Emperor Nakamikado , posthumously honored as , was the 114th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 中御門天皇 (114)/ref>Ponsonby-Fane, Richard. (1959). ''The Imperial House of Japan'', p. 1 ...

took refuge in the Hosodono when the palace had become uninhabitable.Ponsonby-Fane, ''Visiting'', p. 132.

Structures

The jinja is famous for its '' haiden'' (worship hall), rebuilt in 1628–1629 (''

Kan'ei was a after '' Genna'' and before ''Shōhō.'' This period spanned the years from February 1624 through December 1644. The reigning emperors and single empress were , and .Titsingh, Isaac. (1834) ''Annales des empereurs du japon'', p. 411./re ...

6''). A number of priests' residences are situated on its grounds, and one, the Nishimura House, is open to the public.

Gallery

File:Kamo-wakeikazuchi-jinja03n3200.jpg, Geheiden File:Kamo-wakeikazuchi-jinja09n4272.jpg, Nara-no-ogawa File:Kamo-wakeikazuchi-jinja05n3200.jpg, Kita-shinsenjo File:Kamo-wakeikazuchi-jinja12n4272.jpg, Tatesuna & Saiden File:Kamo-wakeikazuchi-jinja17n3200.jpg, Hashiden File:Kamo-wakeikazuchi-jinja18n4272.jpg,

Rōmon The is one of two types of two-storied gates used in Japan (the other one being the '' nijūmon'', see photo in the gallery below). Even though it was originally developed by Buddhist architecture, it is now used at both Buddhist temples and S ...

File:Kamigamo-1569.jpg, Vestige of primeval forest

Notes

References

* Breen, John and

Mark Teeuwen Mark J. Teeuwen (Marcus Jacobus Teeuwen, born 9 February 1966, Eindhoven) is a Dutch academic and Japanologist. He is an expert in Japanese religious practices, and he is a professor at the University of Oslo.University of Oslo faculty CV/ref> In a ...

. (2000)
''Shinto in History: Ways of the Kami.''
Honolulu:

University of Hawaii Press A university () is an institution of tertiary education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. ''University'' is derived from the Latin phrase , which roughly means "community of teachers and scholars". Uni ...

. * Iwao, Seiichi, Teizō Iyanaga, Susumu Ishii, Shōichirō Yoshida, ''et al.'' (2002)
''Dictionnaire historique du Japon.''
Paris: Maisonneuve & Larose.
OCLC 51096469
* Nelson, John K. (2000)
''Enduring Identities: The Guise of Shinto in Contemporary Japan.''
Honolulu:

. * Ponsonby-Fane, Richard. (1959)
''The Imperial House of Japan.''
Kyoto: Ponsonby Memorial Society
OCLC 194887
* ____________. (1962).
''Studies in Shinto and Shrines.''
Kyoto: Ponsonby Memorial Society
OCLC 399449
* ____________. (1963)
''Vicissitudes of Shinto.''
Kyoto: Ponsonby Memorial Society
OCLC 36655
* ____________. (1964)
''Visiting Famous Shrines in Japan.''
Kyoto: Ponsonby-Fane Memorial Society.

External links

National Treasures of Japan Important Cultural Properties of Japan Shinto shrines in Kyoto World Heritage Sites in Japan Historic Sites of Japan 7th-century establishments in Japan 678 establishments Religious buildings and structures completed in the 670s 7th-century Shinto shrines Beppyo shrines Kanpei Taisha Myōjin Taisha Twenty-Two Shrines Chokusaisha Kamo clan Nagare-zukuri {{Kamo Faith