Last update: January 2025
The Kyoto Basin is located in the southern part of Kyoto Prefecture (in the Kinki Region), an area stretching from north to south and surrounded by mountains. The capital of Japan was established in this plain in 794, and for a long time since then it has been the political and cultural center of Japan. Currently, two-thirds of the population of Kyoto Prefecture is concentrated in this basin, and there are many temples and shrines designated as World Heritage Sites and National Treasures. In this post, I would like to introduce some interesting places (or “hidden gems” if you like) in the northern part of the Kyoto Basin.
Shake-machi in Kyoto
At first, let me say a few things about shake (社家). Shake is pronounced “shakei” and refers to a prestigious family that has served a particular shrine for generations, performing rituals and events. With the fall of the Edo samurai government in 1867, the shake system itself was abolished. But some of the traditional shake houses still remain in some parts of Japan and many of them still maintain close ties to their local Shinto shrines.
There are a couple of districts throughout Japan where a number of these old shake are gathered. These areas are called shake-machi (社家町, or a shake town). Among a number of shake-machi that remain in Japan, the one south of Kamigamo Shrine is particularly famous for retaining an atmosphere of ancient history, with around 30 shake houses still standing. For this reason, this particular area in Kyoto was designated by the nation as an ‘Important Preservation District for Groups of Historic Buildings (重要伝統的建造物群保存地区)’.
Ota Shrine
Among hidden gems in the northern part of Kyoto Basin is Ota Shrine, which is near the Shake-machi street. Probably for many people the shrine is recognized as a place where one can see the beautiful water iris (kakitsubata) flowers which bloom in May in the marsh adjacent to the precinct. This colony of the wild water iris is a Natural Monument of Japan. However, even without the kakitsubata marsh, Ota Shrine is interesting and worth visiting for its own sake.
The foundation of the shrine is uncertain. Yet it is surely the oldest shrine in the Kamigamo region, even being listed in the Engishiki jinmyocho (延喜式神名帳, a register of shrines in Japan) compiled in the 10th century. Currently, it is a branch shrine of Kamigamo Shrine, but it was originally an independent shrine. The shrine’s worship hall has an open atrium in the middle, which is a very ancient shrine architectural style.
Enshrined here is Ame no Uzume no Mikoto, who is a female deity appearing in Japanese mythology. She is arguably the first dancer in the history of Japan. She is said to have danced the sacred Shinto kagura dance in front of the other kami (gods) to entice Amaterasu to come out of Ama no Iwato (cave of heaven) because the world had turned dark.
For this reason, many people, like aspiring musicians and stage artists, visit the shrine today to pray for the improvement of their artistic skills. They say that among other blessings the shrine bestows upon visitors are kanai anzen (家内安全, safety of the family), and ryou-en (良縁). Here, ryou-en (good match) means meeting a good person or meeting a good marriage partner. “Blessed with a ryou-en” means meeting someone with whom you can have a happy romance or marriage.
Another benefit that can be expected from Ota Shrine is chouju (長寿, longevity). This comes from the fact that this shrine is said to be the oldest in the Kamo region. The sacred kagura dance that is regularly dedicated at this shrine is called “Sato Kagura” and is performed by elderly people with minimal movement. This Sato Kagura is also commonly called “Chan-Pon Kagura,” which comes from the sound of the dance. The YouTube clip below shows a Chan-Pon Kagura performance witnessed at Ota Shrine, where you can see an elderly female miko (Shinto maiden) dancing to the rhythm of “Chan! Pon! Chan! Pon!” played by the rhythm section.
❖There is sound. Please be sure to wear your headphone.
The last time I visited the shrine, I used a taxi instead of a bus from Kitayama Station on the Karasuma Line, Kyoto City Subway. It was a short distance so the taxi fare was not expensive, and I could avoid all the complications and the waiting time associated with a bus trip. I asked the taxi driver if the water irises were in full bloom.
He said, “I think they have just started to bloom, not full though. But I am a little worried about deer because they came out of the woods and ate a lot of flowers last year.”
“Do they go into the marsh, I mean, into the water?”
“No, they don’t. But they only stand outside the marsh and crane their necks. They only eat flowers growing on the periphery of the marsh.”
On entering the shrine precinct, I met an old woman peddling rice cakes. She also mentioned last year’s damage inflicted on the water irises by deer.
I paid 300 yen and entered into the kakitsubata marsh. This marsh is called “Ota no Sawa” and was apparently already famous as a scenic spot during the Heian period. Over 20,000 iris plants grow naturally on the approximately 2,000 square meter site. During blooming season only, admission is required as a ‘preservation fund’. Though the flowers were still half in bloom, the beautiful purple color spread on the surface of the marsh, and I could fully enjoy it.
These kakitsubata plants have grown here for more than a millennium, and Fujiwara-no-Shunzei, a poet in the Heian period, actually composed a waka poem about them, in which he likens the Ota no Sawa turning purple to unwavering love. The waka goes like this: “Kouyama (Kamoyama) ya / Ota no sawa no kakitsubata / fukaki tanomi ha / iro ni miyu ramu…..” And it roughly means: “The irises of Ota Shrine near Koyama. Is my deep desire for love as sincere and beautiful as the color of the irises?”
Kamigamo Shrine
Kamigamo Shrine (officially known as Kamo Wakeikazuchi Shrine) is one of the oldest and most important shrines in Kyoto. This shrine is so famous that it cannot be put in the “hidden gem” category. However, if you come to the Kamigamo district, you cannot miss visiting this shrine. The shrine grounds are vast, containing forests, streams, and many historically significant buildings (including two “National Treasures”). In 1994, the entire site was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
This shrine and the aforementioned Ota Shrine are about a 10-minute walk away along the streets of Shake-machi, with the Nishimura Family House on the way. The Aoi Festival (one of Kyoto’s three major festivals) held every year in mid-May is actually the annual festival of this shrine and Shimogamo Shrine. While the Gion Festival in July is a “festival for the common people,” the Aoi Festival has a history of being held as a national event since the Heian period.
Shoden-ji Buddhist Temple
Here, I would like to introduce another quiet temple. Shoden-ji is a Rinzai sect Zen temple that stands alone, surrounded by bamboo groves at the northern edge of the Kyoto Basin, with mountains behind it. It is a “hidden gem” temple, which is a bit difficult to reach by public transportation such as trains and buses (because it is a bit far from the center of Kyoto and there is no station or bus stop nearby). Therefore, it is best to go by taxi or rental car. It is less than a 10-minute drive from Kamigamo Shrine.
Shoden-ji Temple was founded in the Kamakura period (1185-1333). Although it is a very quiet temple, it has many things to see. The main hall (Hojo), designated as an Important Cultural Property of Japan, is said to have been relocated from the remains of Fushimi Castle in the 17th century. The ceiling of the corridor is called the “Blood Ceiling” and still retains the bloodstains of samurai who committed suicide when Fushimi Castle fell. The paintings on the sliding doors of the main hall are masterpieces painted by the Momoyama period artist, Kano Sanraku.
However, the highlight of the temple is undoubtedly its kare-sansui (“dry landscape”) garden (▣See the photo at the top of this post ). Said to have been created by Kobori Enshu, this garden is made only of white sand and trimmed azalea plants, without using any rocks. Mount Hiei, visible beyond the white earthen walls, is used as a shakkei (borrowed landscape). Even the heights and angles of the surrounding trees have been meticulously calculated as part of the garden design. This garden looks different depending on the season and the weather.
This garden has fascinated many people, famous and unknown, but the anecdote about British artist David Bowie is particularly well known in Japan. He visited Kyoto in December 1979 to shoot a TV commercial for Takara Shuzo, a Japanese liquor manufacturer. (Also, Bowie himself wrote a song called “Crystal Japan” specifically for this commercial.) Initially, Takara Shuzo was considering other temples as the location for the shoot, but Bowie, who was already familiar with Kyoto at this point, requested that Shoden-ji Temple be used as the location. A Japanese staff member who accompanied him later said that during the shoot, Bowie “stared at the garden with tears in his eyes.” However, it is unclear whether Bowie was moved by the scenery of the garden or simply thinking about something sad.
❖There is sound. Please be sure to wear your headphone.
The Nishimura Family House
The Nishimura Family House is the only shake in the Kamigamo district which is open to the public (▣Unfortunately, as of January 2025, the interior and gardens of this house are not open to the public.). Its main attraction is its Japanese garden, the prototype of which is thought to have been created in 1181 by a Shinto priest serving at Kamigamo Shrine at that time. Like other shake, this house is surrounded by a clay wall and has a gate at the entrance. The entire house cannot be seen from the street.
Some of the characteristics which were often seen in the aristocratic mansions of the Heian period (794-1185) can also be seen here. In particular, the stream that meanders through the garden originates in an outside waterway, and after circulating around the garden, it again rejoins its source. This waterway is called Myojingawa (the Myojin River), and flows from Kamigamo Shrine. Perhaps by letting this sacred water flow through the garden, the aristocrats purified their bodies and minds and offered themselves to kami.
It is worth noting that the original form of this garden was created before the introduction of Zen Buddhism and the appearance of kare-sansui (dry landscape) gardens. The stream was used for Kyokusui-no-En (曲水の宴), a tanka-writing party beside a stream. In this game the participants had to make up tanka poems before the cup of sake floating along the water reached them. The game, which is said to have originated in ancient China, was an elegant event for Heian aristocrats, and was also hosted by the powerful regent Fujiwara no Michinaga.
Since the Nishimura Family House is basically a private property, it is different in some ways from typical Japanese tourist spots. if you get there, the first thing you have to do is to push an intercom button at the gate to inform the residents of your arrival. Entering into the entrance hall, you will hear a man’s voice say “Douzo.” So you take off your shoes and step up on the floor. After a while, a man clad in dark attire suddenly appears from nowhere. You pay him 500 yen as an admission fee, and he will say, “Douzo goranni natte kudasai” (“please look around”).
Then you can appreciate the tokonoma alcove and a scroll hanging there in the main building. It is also good to sit down on the floor to view the garden. The gardens are located to the north, south, and west of the main building, and in the north garden there is a kourinseki (降臨石), where it is said that the spirits of kami descend. In a corner of the garden, you may notice a pit that has a stone wall. That is where people performed mizugori (水垢離), which is a cold-water ablution. It is a kind of practice to purify oneself by pouring cold water upon one’s naked body.
Getting there (English Map)
Ota Shrine is about a-few-minute drive from Kitayama Station on the Karasuma Line, Kyoto City Subway. You can use a bus or a taxi, or it’s not too far to walk. Kamigamo Shrine and Shouden-ji Temple is not very far from Ota Shrine. But please note that, as of 2025, the Nishimura Family House is no longer open to the public.
Other Photos
Places Nearby
Kinkaku-ji Temple and Ryoan-ji Temple are popular tourist destinations relatively close to Shoden-ji Temple and Kamigamo Shrine. Kinkaku-ji Temple is a Zen Buddhist temple officially named Rokuon-ji Temple. However, due to the beautiful and impressive three-story gold-leafed Shariden building, the entire temple came to be called Kinkaku-ji (literally, “Temple of the Golden Pavilion”). It is one of Japan’s leading tourist spots, visited by many people from Japan and abroad throughout the year, so it is always crowded no matter when you go. In addition to the golden building, this temple has many other sights to see, such as the vast pond-centered strolling garden where you can enjoy the natural beauty of the four seasons, and the Sukiya-style teahouse “Sekka-tei.”
Ryoan-ji Temple is about 1.5 km west of the street in front of Kinkaku-ji Temple. It is about a 20-minute walk away. It is a beautiful Zen temple with vast grounds that was founded in 1450, but what it is most famous for is its mysterious kare-sansui garden with 15 rocks arranged in white gravel. There have been various interpretations of this garden up to now, but the date of its creation, its creator, and its intentions are still not clear. In 1975, Queen Elizabeth of the United Kingdom praised this garden during her official visit to Ryoan-ji Temple, and since then, many tourists from all over the world have visited Ryoan-ji Temple.
Conclusion & Contact
All the places introduced in this post, except for Ryoanji Temple, are located in Kita-ku (North Ward), Kyoto Prefecture, about 8km north from JR Kyoto Station. Kamigamo Shrine, Kinkaku-ji Temple, and Ryoan-ji Temple are all registered as UNESCO World Heritage Sites as “Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto”, but they are always crowded with tourists. In contrast, Ota Shrine and Shoden-ji Temple are quiet, secluded spots (for Kyoto). Please note that the Nishimura Family House is not open to the public anymore. For a guided tour in and around the Northern Kyoto Basin, please send an e-mail from Rates/Contact page of this site.
Photographs by Koji Ikuma, unless otherwise noted. (The featured photo: Kare-sansui garden at Shoden-ji Temple.)
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