Day: November 6, 2022

The Kasagake Ceremony

Kasagake is an ancient Japanese archery event that appears in the Nihon Shoki (Chronicles of Japan). There are two types of kasagake: tokasagake, in which the archer shoots at a 40-centimeter square target about 5 meters away from the horse, and kokasagake, in which the archer shoots at a 10-centimeter square target set up low on the ground. Female archers also ride on horseback. There will be seats for spectators and English commentary will be provided.

Nara no Ogawa (Nara Stream)

 This stream runs through the grounds of the temple. Trees grow thickly along the riverside, creating a beautiful landscape. It is especially beautiful in the autumn season, when the river is covered with a tunnel of autumn leaves.

Honden ( The main hall)

The Honden, which enshrines the shrine deity, is designated as a national treasure as it is a typical example of nagare-zukuri, a type of shrine architecture. The “Kage-koma” paintings of komainu (guardian dogs) on the walls of the shrine are also a must-see. It is a valuable picture painted in the Edo period by the Kano school, the largest painting school in the history of Japanese painting. 

History

Kamigamo Shrine has a long history and was founded at the end of the 7th century. This was before the capital was moved to Kyoto.

It was registered as a World Cultural Heritage site in 1994 as “Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto (Kyoto, Uji and Otsu Cities)”.“Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto” is a registration of 17 temples,shrines, and castles.

Overview

Kamigamo Shrine is one of the oldest and largest shrines in Kyoto. It stands about 3.5 km upstream from Shimogamo Shrine. The shrine grounds are vast, extending over an area of about 660,000 square meters and including the mountains behind the shrine. Two sand dunes on the grounds serve a purification function and have been ceremonially created since ancient times.