Heian Jingu Shrine Northern Higashiyama

Heian-jungu Shrine is one of the most important and visually impressive Shinto shrines in Kyoto. It’s worth a visit, particularly on Shinto festival days.

[Heian jingu shrine]

Like most Shinto shrines, Heian-jingu Shrine is marked by a vermillion torii (shrine gate) out front. But the torii at Heigan-jingu is anything but ordinary: It’s vast. Standing almost 25 meters high, it dominates the entire Okazaki-koen Park area.

Interestingly, it’s set so far away from the main compound of the shrine that many people assume it’s completely unrelated to the shrine. Heian-jingu Shrine was built in 1895 to commemorate the 1100th anniversary of the founding of Kyoto as capital of the country and to coincide with an industrial exposition held that year. It’s a 5/8 scale reproduction of the original Hiean Palace (the palace of the early emperors of Kyoto).

You can explore the vast gravel strewn open area in front of the main shrine, make wishes at the shrine, buy amulets and fortunes and observe the Japanese as they go through their various religious rituals. There’s a decent garden that you must pay to enter behind the main hall. It’s famous for its cherry blossoms and this is the only time that we really recommend paying to enter the garden.

English address:
97 Nishitenno-cho, Okazaki, Sakyo-ku;

Japanese Address:
左京区岡崎西天王町97

Opening hours:
6am-5:30pm February 15-March 14 & October
6am-6pm March 15 — September 30
6am-5pm November 1 — February 14

Admission:

Admission to shrine precincts:
Free

Garden:
Adults: \600
Chidlren: \300

Non-smoking area: Yes

Nearest Transport:
1min walk from Kyoto Kaikan Bijutsukan-mae Bus Stop, Kyoto City Bus 5 from Kyoto Station
10min walk from Higashiyama Station, Tozai subway line

Nearest Hotels:
Check availability and pricing for hotels near to Heian-jingu Shrine Agoda.com.

Telephone: 761-0221

Website: Official Website (English)

Where Is This Place Located?

• Open the Kyoto map
• You will see the list of places on the left hand side. (Click the 3-line icon in the top left corner if not). Scroll down or use the map search (the magnifying glass icon) to find the place you want.
• Click the name of the place in the list. Its location pin will be highlighted on the map.
• Map pins are color coded - BLUE: Hotels | VIOLET: Ryokan | PINK: Places to Eat | YELLOW: Things to See and Do
• If you’re using the map on your phone, open the map and then search for the name of the place. The map will then zoom in on its location.

Near To Here:
Heian-jingu Shrine is located in Kyoto’s Northern Higashiyama district. See our complete list of things to do in Northern Higashiyama, including places to eat, nightlife and places to stay.

---