Kifune shrine
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TEL :075-741-2016 Address :180 Kuramakibunecho, Sakyo Ward, Kyoto Access :Eizan Railway Demachiyanagi Station > (train) > Kibuneguchi Station > (Kyoto Bus number 33) > Kibune bus stop > 5 minutes walk Parking :There is a parking lot(Paid) |
Kifune Shrine offers many experiences.
Kifune Shrine, located in the north of Kyoto, is a sacred site situated in an area where pure water has welled up since ancient times.
At this shrine, you can enjoy a variety of experiences, such as prayers offered before the deity, collecting free spring water, praying for good fortune in relationships, savoring matcha and Japanese sweets on the shrine grounds, and dining by the riverside.
Prayer ceremony before the deity
Kifune Shrine accepts requests for prayers every day. You can enter the shrine hall, where a Shinto priest will recite prayers and read aloud your wishes. It takes approximately 30 minutes. The fee for the prayer service is 7,000 yen.
There is also a formal worship service that includes a purification ritual performed by a Shinto priest and the offering of a tamagushi (a sacred branch). Your wishes will not be read aloud, but you may offer your prayers in a solemn atmosphere. It takes approximately 8 minutes. The fee is 3,000 yen, plus any additional contribution you wish to make.
Pure water that has been flowing since ancient times
It is said that Kifune Shrine originated from a small shrine built about 1600 years ago on a site where clear spring water gushed forth.
Spring water flows in front of the main shrine, and you can fill your water bottle or plastic bottle with it and drink it for free. Bottles for collecting spring water are also sold there.
Fortune slips that reveal characters when floated on water are popular.
Praying for a Good Match
At Kifune Shrine, there has long been a custom of tying together long, narrow leaves to pray for a good match.
Nowadays, people tie a piece of paper with their wishes written on it to the prayer area of the Yui (connection) shrine. It is an eight-minute walk from the Main Shrine to this shrine.
Matcha enjoyed at the Okumiya (inner) shrine
Kifune Shrine is divided into three areas, and the Okumiya (Inner) Shrine is located at the very back. You can enjoy matcha and Japanese sweets here.
Riverside road
The path connecting the three shrines of Kifune Shrine runs along the Kibune River. In the summer, the riverside dining platforms—where you can enjoy a meal right next to the river—are popular. (I visited in early spring, so it wasn’t taking place yet.)
There was also a heart-shaped photo spot along the riverside path.
Hiking to Kurama-dera Temple
If you have time, I recommend the hiking trail that goes over the mountain. After walking for about an hour, you will arrive at Kurama-dera Temple.
