Kamomioya Jinja

Known popularly as Shimogamo Shrine, this sanctuary is one of the oldest in Kyoto. Enshrined here are Kamo-Taketsunumi-no-Mikoto in the west hall — the deity who guided Emperor Jinmu's eastern campaign by taking the form of the Yatagarasu — and Tamayori-Hime-no-Mikoto in the east hall, mother of Kamo-Wakeikazuchi and venerated for her blessings of marital bonds, safe childbirth, and child-rearing. While the exact founding date is unknown, records of restoration works during Emperor Sujin's reign suggest the shrine predates that era. After the capital moved to Kyoto, it received imperial reverence second only to Ise Jingu, and was ranked among the top seven of the Twenty-Two Shrines. Today it is designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site as part of the Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto.