Winter Walk in Kifune-jinja Shrine – Kyoto, Japan
Kifune Shrine (貴船神社, Kifune Jinja) is a Shinto shrine located in Sakyo Ward, Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture Japan.
The shrine became the object of Imperial patronage during the early Heian period. In 965, Emperor Murakami ordered that Imperial messengers were sent to report important events to the guardian kami of Japan. These heihaku were initially presented to 16 shrines including the Kifune Shrine.
From 1871 through 1946, the Kifune Shrine was officially designated one of the Modern system of ranked Shinto Shrines (官幣中社, Kanpei-chūsha), meaning that it stood in the second rank of government supported shrines.
It is the head shrine of approximately 450 Kifune Shrines throughout Japan.
The shrine is located in a densely forested mountain gorge near Mount Kurama (鞍馬山). In front of the shrine flows the Kibune River (貴船川), which is upstream from the Kamo River, and was thought to be the source of the Kamo River (鴨川) that moistens the whole city of Kyoto.
The shrine enshrines the water god Takagami, and was worshiped as a god of praying for rain since ancient times, as it is considered one of the 85 seats of praying for rain in ancient times.
From ancient times, successive emperors dedicated a black horse in times of drought and a white horse in times of long rains to pray to the god.
Later, instead of a live horse, they dedicated “itadatema,” a horse-shaped board that was colored. Since this was the original form of today’s ema, Kifune Shrine is considered to the birthplace of ema. In the Edo period (1603-1867), the custom of individuals dedicating small ema (votive tablet) to shrines became widely popular.
As the god of water, the deity is worshipped by people in the cooking and food preparation industries as well as by people in businesses that deal with water.
This video is about a winter trip and a walk in Kifune-jinja Shrine in the snow.
Video Source:『ひとり旅』京都旅行 貴船神社 雪景色 / 叡山電車 / 冬の京都 / KYOTO / 旅行vlog / KYOTO SIGHTSEEING IN WINTER / Kifune Shrine from FUJISAN CHANNEL on Youtube ⁄ CC BY
