Shimogamo Shrine

, is a significant Shinto holy site in Kyoto city's Sakyō ward in the Shimogamo district. The formal name of the shrine is .Richard, Ponsonby-Fane. (1964)  Visiting Famous Shrines in Japan, pp. 1-118.

Shimogamo Shrine is among the oldest Shinto shrines in Japan, dating back to the 6th century. It is also recognized as one of the seventeen Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto, designated by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. The name Kamo-jinja refers generally to Shimogamo Shrine and Kamigamo Shrine, which are two traditionally linked shrines in Kyoto.Terry, Philip. (1914). Terry's Japanese empire, p. 479. Shimogamo Shrine is the older of the two Kamo shrines in Kyoto, believed to be around 100 years older than Kamigamo. It dates back to the 6th century, which is centuries before Kyoto became Japan's capital in 794 (known as Heian-kyō). The Kamo-jinja serve the purpose of guarding Kyoto from harmful forces.Miyazaki, Makoto. "Lens on Japan: Defending Heiankyo from Demons,"  Daily Yomiuri. December 20, 2005.

The term "jinja" denotes the deities of the Kamo family that are worshiped in the shrine. It also refers to the surrounding forest, which used to be a part of the ancient Tadasu forest (Tadasu no Mori). Additionally, the shrine's name honors the Kamo clan, the early inhabitants of the region, many of whom still reside in the area and have traditionally served the shrine.Nelson, John K. (2000). Enduring Identities: The Guise of Shinto in Contemporary Japan, pp. 92-99.

Shimogamo Shrine honors the worship of Tamayori-hime (also known as 'the spirit-inviting maiden') and her father, Kamo Taketsunomi. Tamayori-hime is the mother of Kamo Wakeikazuchi, the thunder god of Kamo, and was impregnated by Honoikazuchi-no-mikoto, the God of Fire and Thunder.Kōjien Japanese dictionary, entry for Tamayori-bime.Kokugakuin University's digital Encyclopedia of Shinto, entry for Tamayorihime . The Kamigamo Shrine is a shrine in Kyoto and it is dedicated to Kamo Wakeikazuchi. This shrine worships gods that are related to thunder.

 Gallery 

 Related pages 
 List of Shinto shrines in Japan
 Twenty-Two Shrines
 Modern system of ranked Shinto shrines

 References 

 Other websites 

 Shimogamo Shrine website 

Category:Chokusaisha
Category:Twenty-Two Shrines
Category:Myōjin Taisha
Category:Beppyo shrines
Category:World Heritage Sites in Japan
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Category:Shinto shrines in Kyoto
Category:Shikinaisha in Yamashiro Province