Kujo Myojin Shrine

Kujo Myojin's three buildings look Buddhist in style but function as Shinto places of worship, a reminder of how intertwined the two faiths were in Japan for over a millennium. The main hall houses images of the Three Hachiman Deities: Hachiman, guardian of warriors; his mother, Empress Jingo; and the goddess Himegami. Sub-halls hold images of other important kami gathered from significant shrines across Japan. The earliest imperial mention of the shrine dates to 1212, though the current buildings date to the early 17th century. Located within a larger temple complex, it represents the layered religious landscape that predates the forced separation of Shinto and Buddhism in the Meiji era.