KYOTO HEIAN JINGU SHINTO SHRINE

The Heian-jingu Shrine (平安神宮, Heian-jingū) is a Shinto shrine located in Sakyō-ku, Kyoto, Japan The Shrine is ranked as a Beppyō Jinja - the top rank for shrines by the Association of Shinto Shrines It is listed as an important cultural property of Japan. Heian Jingu Shrine celebrates the legacy of the ancient capital of Kyoto with ornate architecture and beautiful gardens open to the public The shrine is a 5:8 scale replica of one of the innermost parts of Heiankyo, the imperial capital of Japan for more than one thousand years Heian Jingu was built in 1895 to coincide with celebrations marking the 1100th anniversary of the founding of Heiankyo, the imperial capital of Japan from the late eighth to mid-nineteenth centuries MODELED ON AN ANCIENT CAPITAL The shrine is atypical in that it is modeled on a part of the ancient capital known as the State Hall of the Imperial Palace or Chodoin complex, that was the administrative part of the city and the place where the emperor presided over state affairs The shrine’s ornate halls and buildings are arranged symmetrically around a spacious, graveled courtyard Several of these, including the Daigokuden (outer hall of worship) and the Otenmon Gate (main gate), are designated Important Cultural Properties of Japan. The bright vermilion buildings stand out against the white gravel of the courtyard and the lush, surrounding greenery GARDENS TO EXPLORE The four landscape gardens covering an area of 30000 square meters behind the shrine exemplify Japan’s identification with nature and the appreciation of its beauties Each garden is built in a different style, but all are carefully integrated into a seamless whole They are open to the public and can be covered in approximately 40 minutes if time is limited Entrance is from within the courtyard inside the shrine and requires a small fee A SYMBOL OF REVITALIZATION Heian Jingu was constructed when the Kyoto economy was suffering and its population declining, partly as a result of the capital being transferred to Tokyo The shrine was one of several projects planned to celebrate the city’s long history and encourage economic growth It opened the same year that a large industrial exhibition was held in the city to showcase new technologies and attract new industries In the years that followed, the economy began to improve and the population recovered. Kyoto became a grand city once again and Heian Jingu is a lasting symbol of its rebirth ARCHITECTURE The architecture design was a reproduction of the Chōdōin (Emperor's palace in the former eras) in 5/8th scale (in length) The large red entrance gate is a reproduction of the Outenmon of the Chōdōin The architecture of the main palace mirrors the style and features of the Kyoto Imperial Palace, the style from the 11th–12th century (late Heian Period). The Shrine's torii is one of the largest in Japan GARDEN The Japanese-style garden takes up about half the land area (approximately 33060 m2 or 355900 sq ft). Renowned gardener Ogawa Jihei VII, also known as Ueji, created the garden over a 20-year period The water used in the ponds comes from the Lake Biwa Canal Species otherwise rare in Japan such as Acheilognathus cyanostigma, the Yellow pond turtle and the Japanese pond turtle live around the ponds. Visitors may feed the fish and turtles with food sold around the ponds FESTIVALS Annual festivals celebrate the memory of Emperor Kōmei (late January) and Emperor Kanmu (early April) On October 22, Heian-jingū hosts the Jidai Matsuri which is one of the most important festivals of Kyoto The procession of this festival begins at the old Imperial palace, and includes carrying the mikoshi (portable shrines) of Emperors Kanmu and Kōmei to the Heian-jingū Events and festivals are held at the shrine throughout the year The largest is the Jidai Matsuri (Festival of the Ages), the highlight of which is a large procession from the Kyoto Imperial Palace to Heian Jingu The procession features hundreds of people dressed in the costumes of the eighth to nineteenth centuries. The festival is held each year on October 22 and the procession starts at noon Other annual events include Noh drama in June, performed at night and illuminated by flaming torches set up around the grounds. Tickets are required for the event and typically go on sale in April The Shrine is also used for traditional Japanese weddings as well as concerts It is rare for a modern concert to be held at a historic site like the shrine, but merging modern and old culture in Kyoto has become a trend AROUND THE SHRINE Adjacent to the Shrine is Okazaki Park, where visitors can learn about culture The Shrine is surrounded by the Kyoto Prefectural Library, Kyoto Municipal Museum of Art, the National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto, Kyoto Kaikan, and the Kyoto City Zoo IN MEDIA Parts of the 2003 film Lost in Translation were filmed there