Shimogamo-jinja Shrine (Kamomioya-jinja)

"Tadasu-no mori" forest is where trees hundreds of years old grow thick. Shimogamo-jinja shrine calmly stands at the end of this sacred forest and was originally part of the Kamigamo-jinja shrine. Although the exact date of construction is unknown, it is believed that it was built before the Nara era and originally large scale.

The two main halls located to the east and the west are listed as national treasures. Most of the shrine is designated as an important cultural asset, mostly built or rebuilt in the early Edo period. Among them and open to the public is the "Ooi-dono," a kitchen that cooks offerings for the gods using grains such as rice and mochi. Here, you can see an exhibit displaying reproductions of traditional offerings and cooking utensils. Even in Japan, a shrine of this kind is still very rare and it is a valuable cultural asset where you can get a glimpse of Japan's unique food culture. In the precincts, there are several village shrines of various beliefs, such as the marriage god “Aioi-no yashiro," the guardian deity of protection "Kotosha" that the village is known for worshipping, and the protector from disasters "Inoue-sha." Shimogami-jinja Shrine is famous for Mitarashi dango rice dumplings, but the "Saruya" area has revived its "Sarumochi rice cake" and they are becoming a hot commodity as it was served exclusively during the Aoi Festival until the beginning of the Meiji era.