Kyoto » Gion, Higashiyama

Jishu Shrine

A god of marriage believed in since ancient times

Located within the precincts of Kiyomizu Temple, the shrine is situated higher on Mount Kiyomizu (Mt. Otowa) than the Kiyomizu-no-butai (stage of Kiyomizu).

It is a popular spot for young women and couples as a god of marriage.
The two “love fortune-telling stones” on the temple grounds are famous.

According to the shrine’s legend, the shrine was founded in the Jindai period (before the founding of Japan), and the details are too old and uncertain.
Scientific dating has shown that the “stone of love fortune-telling” dates to the Jomon period.

In the Heian period, Emperors Saga, Enryu, and Shirakawa made pilgrimages to the site.
Many military commanders and literary figures, including Taira no Kiyomori and Toyotomi Hideyoshi, have visited the shrine.

The main shrine pavilion

The main shrine and worship hall were rebuilt by Tokugawa Iemitsu in 1633.
Both are designated as National Important Cultural Properties of Japan.

The ceiling of the hall of worship features a round dragon by Motonobu Kano,
It is called "the dragon of the eight directions" because it looks as if it is looking at you from any angle.

Jishu Gongen Shrine

Until the Edo period, this shrine was called Jishu-gongen-sha, the Shinto shrine of Kiyomizu-dera Temple.
In the Meiji era (1868-1912), the shrine became independent from Kiyomizu-dera Temple and changed its name from Jishugongensha to Jishu-jinja Shrine due to the Shinto/Buddhist Separation Order.

Because of its historical background, the shrine was registered as a part of Kiyomizu-dera Temple as a UNESCO World Heritage Site under the category of "Cultural Properties of Ancient Kyoto.

Stone for love fortune-telling

Two guardian stones, "stones of love fortune-telling," are located 10 meters apart in the precincts of the shrine,
The two guardian stones, "stones of love fortune-telling," are ritual relics from the Jomon period.

It is said that if you can reach the stones with your eyes closed, your love will be fulfilled.

Shrine of Enmusubi

Jishu Shrine is dedicated to Okuninushi no Mikoto, the god of marriage,
The main gate, the main shrine, and the hall of worship are designated as National Important Cultural Properties,
Ryouen Okuni, the god of marriage,
Kurimitsu Inari Shrine, the god of business prosperity,
Daikokuten "Nade-Daikoku," which is said to bring blessings when stroked,
Nadegade Okage Myojin, a guardian deity of wish fulfillment that attracts the faith of women,
The "Mizukake Jizo," which is believed to bring blessings when prayed to by sprinkling water on it, is also located on the temple grounds,
The entire precincts of the shrine have been designated as a national important cultural property.

Noroi cedar

The sacred tree "Inori cedar" is located behind "Okage Myojin," the god of wish fulfillment.

This sacred tree was used for "Ushi-no-kori", a ritual popular among women in the Edo period (1603-1868),
Even today, there are countless marks where five-sided nails were hammered into the tree in order to pray for the spirits of the dead.

The practice is a type of ancient Japanese curse in which a straw doll is nailed to the sacred tree of a shrine to look like a person who hates the shrine.

Kiyomizu Temple and Jishu Shrine

Before the separation of Shinto and Buddhism, Jishu Shrine was separated from Kiyomizu Temple.
Jishu Shrine is located directly north of the main hall of Kiyomizu-dera Temple, and its location suggests a close relationship between the two shrines.
The shrine is located directly north of the main hall of Kiyomizu-dera Temple, and its location suggests a close relationship with the temple.

The "Otowa Falls" below the main hall is the origin of the founding of Kiyomizu-Dera Temple and the origin of the temple's name.
The sacred water that wells up from the waterfall has been called "Konjikinomizu" or "Enmeimizu" since ancient times.

As a place where sacred water springs, it is also a place of training for mountain worship and a space for worship of the local deity,
It is thought that a shrine enshrining the local deity Jishu was built as a place of training for mountain worship and as a space for worship.

Information

Name
Jishu Shrine
地主神社
Address
1-317 Kiyomizu, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto
Telephone number
075-541-2097
Hours of operation

9:00-17:00

Admission fee

Free (however, admission fee to Kiyomizu Temple is required)

Access

City bus from JR Kyoto Station → 15 min.
15 min. on foot from “Gojozaka” or “Kiyomizu-zaka

Gion, Higashiyama

Kyoto