An ancient Kyoto shrine venerating the god of water, with records of shrine construction dating to 711; it is the head shrine of approximately 450 Kifune shrines across Japan. The enshrined deity Takaokami no Kami is a god governing the supply of water, and since ancient times has received deep imperial veneration with prayers for rain and for rain to stop. The rows of vermilion Kasuga lanterns on…

The origins of Kibune Shrine are said to trace back to the age of the gods, with tradition holding that Tamayorihime no Mikoto traveled up the Yodo and Kamo rivers aboard a yellow boat and built a shrine at the headwaters. The earliest written record of shrine construction is dated to 711 CE (Wadō 4…