Gokōnomiya Shrine｜御香宮神社

Since 862 Gokōnomiya Shrine has been famous for its natural spring water, which was said to have a particularly pleasant aroma.  The spring, which dried up in the Meiji period but was later restored, is still popular with the locals, who bring empty plastic bottles to the shrine to fill up and take home.  The water is said to have both healing and protective qualities, and is considered one of the top 100 natural water sources in the country.  The Fushimi area is famous for its sake breweries, and the local businesses are staunch patrons of the shrine, seeing as their business relies heavily on pure water.  There is a large sago palm tree (sotetsu) on the shrine grounds that is native to more tropical regions whose health in Kyoto’s climate is attributed to the spring water.  The spring can be found just to the left of the entrance to the main sanctuary, and you are free to take some away with you if you have a bottle.

Made up of pieces transferred from Toyotomi Hideyoshi’s Fushimi Castle, the main sanctuary and worship hall gate of Gokōnomiya Shrine are decorated with vibrantly painted wood carvings characteristic of Hideyoshi’s favorite lavish Momoyama-style artwork.  The gate has a particularly striking water motif, with turquoise waves and cerulean waterfalls splashing over the wood and other carvings of flowers and clouds.  The main sanctuary and worship hall were both built in the early 1600’s during the height of the Momoyama style’s popularity, and since the shrine carried out a renewal in 1990 the colors pop just like they would have hundreds of years ago.

The Enshū Yukari no Sekitei is located behind the shrine’s office.  The stones used here were originally in a garden designed by the famous Kobori Enshū 350 years ago for the Fushimi Ward Magistrate’s Office.  Transferred to Gokōnomiya Shrine after World War II when its original location was going to be turned into a residential area, the Enshū Yukari no Sekitei contains a water basin with a rare inscription from the 15th century, and the resident maple tree drops colorful orange leaves onto the rock garden below in the autumn season.