Shimogoryo Shrine
Imperial Palace, Kyoto
- 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.
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.
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.
What's on near Shimogoryo Shrine
Upcoming events within a ten-minute walk of Shimogoryo Shrine, from the weekly Kyoto events calendar.
Nijo Castle and the Opening of the Edo Shogunate
特別展「二条城と江戸開府～慶長から寛永の京の城～」
Time 9:00 to 17:00 (closed Mon, holidays, 28 Dec to 4 Jan) Station Jingu-Marutamachi (Keihan)
Old documents, picture scrolls and maps trace Nijo Castle from Tokugawa Ieyasu's building of it to the 1626 imperial visit, with gallery talks on 19 Nov and 3 Dec. Closed Mondays and holidays.
Mi-gawari Fudo Saito Goma Fire Rite at Hoju-ji
身代不動尊採燈大護摩供
Time Goma rite from 14:00 Station Bus Hakubutsukan Sanjusangendo-mae, 3 min walk
Masked tengu and red, blue and black demons dance in a procession before a large outdoor fire rite starting at 14:00, at the temple on the site of Emperor Go-Shirakawa's palace.
Gishi-kai Memorial Service at Hoju-ji
義士会法要
Time Service from 10:30 Station Bus Hakubutsukan Sanjusangendo-mae, 3 min walk
A service on the day of the 47 ronin raid at the temple that holds their wooden statues, with a prayer stick and soba. Entry fee covers the soba or tea.
Art Rhizome KYOTO 2026 (Gyakuryo Kyoto 3)
Art Rhizome KYOTO 2026「逆旅京都3」
Time Hours follow each venue Station Kyoto Shiyakusho-mae (Tozai, Karasuma Lines)
Works by young Kyoto-linked artists are shown and sold at nine hotels, shops and public buildings around the city, including Kyoto City Hall.
GRID KYOTO: Kyoto Town Culture Festival 2026
GRID KYOTO～京都まちの文化祭2026～
Time 11:00 to 16:00 Station Kyoto Shiyakusho-mae (Tozai, Karasuma Lines)
Food, goods, workshops and stage shows fill the City Hall plaza, with a Halloween costume contest and trick-or-treat. Held in rain, cancelled in a storm.
Nearby
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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