Heian Jingu Shrine In Kyoto
About the Heian Jingu Camera
Heian Jingu is one of Kyoto's newer landmarks, built in 1895 for the 1100th anniversary of the founding of Heian-kyo, the city that became Kyoto. Its buildings are a reduced-scale reconstruction of the original imperial palace's main hall, painted in the vermilion and green of the Heian court.
The approach is unmistakable. A vast vermilion torii, one of the largest in Japan, straddles Jingu-michi several hundred metres south of the shrine, and the museum district of Okazaki spreads around it.
The garden behind the halls is the reason to come in spring, when weeping cherries hang over its ponds. The shrine is also the start and finish of the Jidai Matsuri each 22 October, when a costumed procession spanning a thousand years of history moves through the city.
Highlights & Nearby
- •Watch for: the vermilion halls and courtyard, weeping cherries in the garden in spring, the Jidai Matsuri on 22 October
- •Nearby: the giant Jingu-michi torii, Okazaki Park and its museums, Nanzen-ji, Kyoto Zoo
- •Note: built in 1895 for the 1100th anniversary of the capital's founding
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Heian Jingu camera live?
Yes. It streams continuously.
How old is Heian Jingu?
It was built in 1895, making it modern by Kyoto standards, for the 1100th anniversary of the founding of Heian-kyo.
What are the buildings modelled on?
A reduced-scale reconstruction of the main hall of the original Heian-period imperial palace.
What is the Jidai Matsuri?
A procession held each 22 October in which participants in costume represent a thousand years of Japanese history, starting and ending at this shrine.
