Kashihara Shrine

Kashihara Shrine is a Shinto shrine in Kashihara, Japan, located at the base of Mount Unebi and reached through a ginkgo-lined approach. The compound includes several wooden halls with curved roofs and wide gravel paths that pass between torii gates.

The shrine was built in 1890 under Emperor Meiji at the site where the first emperor, Jimmu, is said to have taken the throne more than two millennia ago. Two buildings from the imperial palace in Kyoto were later moved here and incorporated into the religious complex.

The wide courtyards invite visitors to pause in silence before the wooden gates and listen to the rustling of the ginkgo trees. Many people arrive dressed in formal clothing or toss coins at the altars, especially at the start of the year or during important life moments.

Visiting is free and the gates open daily from early morning until evening. The closest station is Kashiharajingu-mae, and a direct path leads from there through the forest to the main entrance.

The main hall originally stood in the imperial palace in Kyoto and was relocated here to give the shrine a more formal ceremonial structure. The same construction once stood at the center of political life before being repurposed as a religious site.

Location: Kashihara

Inception: April 2, 1890

Founders: Emperor Meiji

Architects: Itō Chūta

Part of: Shinbutsu Reijō Junpai no Michi

Address: 934, Kume-chō, Kashihara-shi, Nara-ken 634-8550

Website: https://kashiharajingu.or.jp

GPS coordinates: 34.48802,135.78758

Latest update: December 12, 2025 22:37