Kamo Shrine, Shinto sanctuary complex in northeast Kyoto, Japan.
Kamo comprises two separate sites, Kamigamo to the north and Shimogamo farther south, both positioned along the course of the Kamo River in Kyoto. Each site has its own prayer halls, gates, and courtyards surrounded by trees and gravel paths.
Both sites existed before the city became the capital of the country and served emperors as important places of worship in the following centuries. The shrines received regular imperial support and were rebuilt several times.
The name Aoi refers to the hollyhock leaves that decorate participants and ox-drawn carriages during the annual procession. The ceremony blends imperial traditions with the worship of the shrine's guardian deities and draws visitors from across Japan.
Shimogamo sits about a quarter hour on foot from Demachi-Yanagi Station, while public buses also stop nearby. Kamigamo is accessible via local bus lines that depart from several points around the city.
Tadasu no Mori surrounds the southern grounds and forms one of the few ancient forests within a major Japanese city. Some of the trees there are several hundred years old and have been maintained as a sacred boundary for centuries.
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