Walk Through a Myth in Kyoto

Kyoto is known as a city of history, but it is also a place where myths come alive as you walk. Shimogamo Shrine and Kamigamo Shrine may look like two separate shrines, but when you walk from one to the other, you begin to see them as one connected myth. In this column, I introduce a way of walking through Kyoto as a “path of stories.”

 Shimogamo Shrine and Kamigamo Shrine are often introduced as separate shrines, but they are actually connected by one myth. At Shimogamo Shrine, a mother goddess is worshipped. At Kamigamo Shrine, her child, a thunder god, is worshipped. Because of this, people in the past visited Shimogamo Shrine first and then Kamigamo Shrine. Even more interesting is where they stand. Shimogamo Shrine is in a forest near the lower part of the river, and Kamigamo Shrine is at the foot of the mountains upstream. In Japan, water and the earth have long symbolized maternal strength, and the sky and thunder have symbolized heavenly powers. The locations of the two shrines reflect this traditional view of nature. Walking upstream from Shimogamo to Kamigamo feels like moving through a myth—from the earth to the sky.

When I visited, I was surprised by how different the two shrines felt. Shimogamo Shrine was quiet, surrounded by tall trees. I could hear birds and the sound of the river. Being in the forest felt calm, almost like the quiet presence of a mother goddess. In contrast, Kamigamo Shrine was open to the sky. The wide white gravel courtyard and the large torii gate were impressive. The open sky and strong wind reminded me of a god close to heaven. As I walked with this in mind, I felt as if the myth were unfolding around me.

Shimogamo Shrine and Kamigamo Shrine are places where you can experience a myth by walking. Seeing these two shrines as a story of parent and child gods may not be widely known. If you walk with this story in mind, the scenery of Kyoto may feel different. When you visit Kyoto, try walking from Shimogamo Shrine to Kamigamo Shrine, following the Kamo River upstream. You may begin to see how the landscape unfolds like a story.