Kamomioya jinja / Shimogamo jinja

A shrine that serves as the Ichinomiya of Yamashiro Province and is one of the Twenty-Two Shrines.
Registered as a World Cultural Heritage site as part of the "Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto." It enshrines the ancestral deity of the Kamo clan, along with Kamo-wake-ikazuchi Shrine (Kamigamo Shrine).
Collectively referred to as Kamo Shrine, both shrines host the Aoi Festival in May.

Surrounded by the primeval forest known as Tadasu no Mori, the approach to the shrine is long and covered with gravel.
It is said to have been founded around the time of Emperor Sujin around 900 BC, but the exact details are uncertain.

As you proceed along the approach, you will find a large vermilion torii gate leading to the two-storied gate (Romon), which is designated as an Important Cultural Property.
The gate stands 30 meters tall with corridors extending to the east and west.
The western corridor has a special room, the "Ken no Ma," used by the imperial envoy during the Aoi Festival.

舞殿

神服殿

橋殿

Most of the buildings in the shrine complex are designated as Important Cultural Properties or National Treasures.
The buildings undergo disassembly and repair every 21 years.
Each building has a specific role in the various ceremonies and rituals of Kamo Shrine, preserving ancient traditions to the present day.

At the back of the shrine grounds, behind the舞殿 (Mai-den), stands the中門 (Chumon).
This gate separates the extensive grounds of various shrine buildings from the area where the main shrine (Honden) is located.
Beyond this gate are the East and West Honden, the Haiden (worship hall), and the十二支 (Junishi) guardian shrines.

The言社 (Koto-sha) enshrines Okuninushi no Mikoto and is located in front of the Haiden.
Okuninushi no Mikoto has seven different names, each associated with a different shrine building within the Koto-sha complex.
Each of these shrines is a guardian deity for one of the zodiac signs, and all are designated as Important Cultural Properties.

Next to the fenced-off main shrine is the摂社三井神社 (Sessha Mitsui Jinja).
Mitsui Jinja, with its numerous small shrine buildings, serves as a wakamiya (young shrine) of the main shrine and is designated as an Important Cultural Property.
The shrine grounds also include many other auxiliary shrines, such as河合神社 (Kawai Jinja) at the entrance of the approach and相生社 (Aioi-sha) known for matchmaking.