Shrine

Shimogoryo Shrine

Imperial Palace, Kyoto

Address
657 Shimogoryomae-cho, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto 京都府京都市中京区下御霊前町657
Hours
Daily
6:00 to 19:30

Office and goshuin 9:00 to 17:00. The gate sometimes closes early.

Source: shimogoryo.main.jp, checked 11 Oct 2026.

The vermilion torii of Shimogoryo Shrine in front of its roofed gate, with the shrine's stone name pillar beside it
Photo: Hyppolyte de Saint-Rambert / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0)

Shimogoryo Shrine guarded the Imperial Palace and honours eight spirits of Heian nobles who died under false charges, enshrined to calm them and keep plague away. It moved to this spot in 1590. The main hall was once the sanctuary of a temporary palace, and the front gate came from that palace's Kenreimon.

Nearest station Jingu-Marutamachi (Keihan)
Cost Free
Time needed 15 min
Best time Mid-October, for the Fujibakama Matsuri
Free

Insider tip

The Fujibakama Matsuri, 16 to 19 October 2026, brings music and dance offerings, ikebana, a small market, a foot bath and lanterns in the evening. On 17 and 18 August the shrine performs mikagura court music and azuma-asobi dances. The office and goshuin desk keep 9:00 to 17:00.

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Nearby

Ippodo Tea Shopping · 4 min walk Ippodo's main store has stood on Teramachi-dori, just north of Nijo, since 1864, when it was rebuilt here after the fire of the Hamaguri Gate... Murakami Kaishindo Cafe · 4 min walk Murakami Kaishindo has sold Western-style sweets on Teramachi, just north of Nijo, since 1907. Hachikian Food · 6 min walk Hachikian has been a chicken restaurant on Kawabata-dori since 1970. Club Metro Nightlife · 6 min walk Metro is a basement club you reach from Exit 2 of Jingu-Marutamachi Station, and it has the longest history of any club still open in Kyoto. Bar K6 Nightlife · 6 min walk Bar K6 is a second-floor bar in the Vals Building, just east of the corner of Kiyamachi and Nijo, up at the north end of the Takase canal. Shusuitei Landmark · 7 min walk Shusuitei is the only building left of the Kujo family, one of the five regent houses, put up about 200 years ago as a pavilion for tea gatherings.

Around Imperial Palace

Free palace walks, a park that never shuts, and the court's old shops

Kyoto Gyoen, a park 1.3 km long in central Kyoto, never closes. The Kyoto Imperial Palace sits inside it, and you can walk round it for free without booking. Around the edges you'll find Shokoku-ji (head of the Zen branch that takes in Kinkaku-ji), the house site where The Tale of Genji was written, and shops that once supplied the court.

Imperial Palace has 23 places on the Roam Kyoto map: 6 shrines and temples, 5 landmarks, 3 museums, 2 cafes, 2 restaurants, 2 shops, 2 parks and gardens and 1 bar. Read the Imperial Palace guide.

Good to know

What is the address of Shimogoryo Shrine?
657 Shimogoryomae-cho, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto (in Japanese: 京都府京都市中京区下御霊前町657).
What are the opening hours of Shimogoryo Shrine?
Daily 6:00 to 19:30. Office and goshuin 9:00 to 17:00. The gate sometimes closes early.
How do I get to Shimogoryo Shrine?
The nearest station is Jingu-Marutamachi (Keihan). Shimogoryo Shrine is in Imperial Palace, Kyoto.
How much does Shimogoryo Shrine cost?
Nothing. Shimogoryo Shrine is free to visit.
How long do you need at Shimogoryo Shrine?
Plan for 15 min.
When is the best time to visit Shimogoryo Shrine?
Mid-October, for the Fujibakama Matsuri.

Stay near Shimogoryo Shrine

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