Matsuno’o Taisha｜松尾大社

It’s hard to miss Matsuno’o Taisha, considering the size of its large vermilion torii gate, standing at 14 meters tall.  Crossing under the large gate and heading down the path brings you to a somewhat uncommon site for a Shinto shrine, a two story rōmon gate that has two zuishin warriors installed on either side of the entrance.  Rather than being a bright vermilion structure like you are more likely to see at other shrines, Matsuno’o Taisha’s gate maintains its natural wooden appearance, decorated with donated lanterns.

Though hard to see from the outside, this honden (main hall) is constructed in a distinctive style called matsuozukuri, boasting a distinctive roof that flows down and forms a portico in both front and back of the structure.  An Important Cultural Asset, records date this structure back to construction in 1397.  This is actually quite amazing, as most of the shrines and temples in the old capital suffered damage or were destroyed altogether during the 15^th century Ōnin Civil War and other periods of unrest and fire in Kyoto’s history.  Though many places in Kyoto have ancient histories, most buildings themselves are not as old as this one.

Turtles and tortoises have long had fortuitous meanings in Asian cultures, representing good fortune and long life.  Since turtles (and koi fish) are considered the sacred messengers of the mountain god enshrined in the main hall, turtle imagery abounds throughout the Matsuno’o Taisha grounds.  Near the entrance to one of the gardens is the Kame no I, the “Tortoise Well”, and those who drink water from this well are said to be blessed with health and longevity.  Near the gate is a black turtle placed on a rock called “Nade Kame-san” that is said to good things to those who pet it, and people making prayers are encouraged to also visit the small statues of a turtle and koi on either side of the main hall.  Keep your eyes peeled as you walk around, because you never know where you might find a turtle at Matsuno’o Taisha. 

Since Matsuno’o Taisha is famous for its relation to sake production, brewers from all over Kyoto and even the farthest reaches of the country come to pray at this shrine and receive some of its sacred waters.  In return, these brewers donate casks of  their product to be used in the shrine’s rituals.  While such donations are usual, Matsuno’o Taisha boasts a considerable collection of interesting casks that can be viewed to the left of the haiden stage.  For those more interested in sampling the wares, check out this shrine for your new year’s visit and try their kinpaku sake filled with gold leaf, or their blessed miki sake.

In the far back of the shrine’s precincts is a waterfall that falls from Mt. Matsuo, also known as Wakeikazuchi no Yama.  It is this waterfall that features in a legend about the shrine in which a turtle was seen in the water and inspired the nobleman who saw it, leading to the waterfall being called the Reiki no Taki, or “Waterfall of the Mysterious Turtle”. To this day, sake and miso producers come all the way to Matsuno’o Taisha to receive some of this sacred water to use in making their goods.

A small treasure hall of statuary on the Matsuno’o Taisha property can easily be overlooked, but if you have an interest in history be sure to use your garden ticket and check out the 21 statues displayed within.  In their midst are three wooden statues believed to be of the gods worshipped at Matsuno’o Taisha: Ōyamagui no Kami, a god of mountains, Ichikishima-hime no Mikoto, a goddess of water travel, and Mikogami.  These three statues are actually some of the oldest and best preserved of their kind, dating back a thousand years to the Heian period.