Kamigamo
The thunder god shrine in Kyoto
Let's continue our tour of the temples and shrines worth visiting in Kyoto, with the Shinto Kamo set of two shrines, two kilometers away:
- Kamigamo (upper) and;
- Shimogamo (lower).
Located north of Kyoto, on the verge of the Kamogawa River, the Kamo-jinja are both listed as World Heritage by UNESCO.
Kamigamo
Built in 678, more than a hundred years before Kyoto became imperial capital of Japan (794), Kami-gamo is dedicated to the kami / god of thunder.
It's also known by its official name: Kamo-jinja Wakeikazuchi.
Shimogamo
Its official foundation date isn't known, but it dates back to the sixth century, a hundred years before Kami-gamo, making Shimo-gamo one of the oldest Shinto shrines in Japan. It worships the Kamo Wakeikazuchi's mother, Kamo Tamayori-hime and her own father, Kamo Taketsune. It's also known by its official name: Kamo-mioya Jinja.
Shimogamo is located in the "forest of the truth," Tadasu no Mori, a primeval forest that has supposedly never been maintained and has yet survived several fires.