Heian Shrine, Kyoto

On our first day in Kyoto, my sisters and I decided to explore the templel that is very close to the main bus stop. First stop? It was the Heian Shrine. We just followed the flow of people going to the shrine. You can't really missed it. This structure was built in 1895 on the occasion of the 1,100th anniversary of the Heian Capital foundation. It is known to be built in dedication to the last Kyoto emperors: Emperor Kammu and Emperor Komei.

The shrine has an inner court where there are more structures to see.

The admission to the temple is free.

We visited the temple in the fall (November 2007) and I heard that the shrine is really beautiful in spring time because of the cherry blossoms. The shrine has a garden with weeping cherry blossoms!

The Heian shrine complex is easy to find and surely a top place to visit in Kyoto. For us the gardens were the highlight.

The Shin'en has four gardens surrounding the main shrine buildings. The paths through the landscaped gardens are representative of Meiji-era (1868-1912) garden design. When we were here, in April, the blossoms were stunning. Cherry blossoms in the Minami Shin'en (South Garden) flow from the trees and over frame structures. The Higashi Shin'en (East Garden) is built around a pond called Seiho-ike, with great views from all sides. Two traditional style buidings make a nice backdrop for scenic photos.

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It was built for the first and the last emperor which is Emperor Kammu and Emperor Komei during the Heian period. Interesting part of the architecture, claimed its the replica of Imperial Palace particularly the shrine area.

Right in front of the Heian Shrine its a huge Torii Gate (very red striking colour). Amazing though it looks new.

Why should you visit Heian Shrine:
1. Partially replica of Imperial Building
2. Garden - amazing sceneries especially during Cherry Blossom season in mid April
3. Sacred Shinto practice - if you wanted to see shinto practice this is the right place.
4. Make your wish the Shinto way for details go to Prayer & Luck

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Built in 1895 to commemorate the 1100th anniversary of the founding of Kyoto as the capital of Japan.

This on is not a UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE.

Quite striking on a sunny day at 5:00 pm.

The site depicts the Imperial Palace in Kyoto in 795 AD.

Lots of bus tours stop here so its best to come at the end of the day or early morning.

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This is a rather new shrine, built in 1895 to commemorate the 1100th anniversary of the Heian Capital. The ritual hall was built in 1976. The torii before the shrine is one of the largest in Japan. But what there really is to see, is the garden and the hundreds of cherry trees. Incredibly beautiful!

Admission fee to the garden: 600 yen for adults

This is my fourth favorite Kyoto temple/shrine. There is a sense of stoicism and rituals here. Apparently it was built to commemorate 1,100 years of Kyoto as the capital. It is actually rebuilt in 1976 after a fire. Many students bought lucky amulets. I liked the garden at the back of the shrine.

UNDER CONTRUCTION

Admission to the shrine is free, although entry to the gardens is ??600 (open 8:30am-5:30pm from 15 Mar to 31 Aug; until 4:30pm from 1 Nov to end of Feb; until 5pm the rest of the year).

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The gardens of Heian shrine complex are stunning in spring. Cherry blossom literally cascades from the trees and special frame work structures built around the cherry trees. The ponds and streams add to the beauty of the gardens. There is a picturesque covered bridge where you can sit and contemplate the gardens around you. This place is well worth the JPY600 entrance cost.

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It amazes me how different the Japanese do things to the rest of the world, check out the Heian Shrine in Kyoto and look at the architecture and bright colours it has built over 100 years ago in the late 1800`s.

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It's a rather impressive complex and quite big indeed. It was our last temple for the day and we were a bit tired when we got there. But the huge space and nice wind and air sort of healed our tired feet and we actually had fun in this shrine. It's hard to miss with its bright orange gate and it has a huge area that leads to the actual shrine. It was built in 1895 to commemorate the 1100th anniversary of the founding of Kyoto and the buildings were colorful replicas of the Kyoto Gosho of the Heian Period. My personal favorite is the entrance part wherein you see these huge ropes hanging.