Otoshi Jinja Shrine

Otoshi Jinja Shrine in Kyoto claims a founding date of 718, with its current main sanctuary built in 1690. The three deities here include Otoshi no Okami, associated with time, agriculture, and protection from misfortune, and Toyotamahime, a sea deity's daughter believed to be the paternal grandmother of Emperor Jinmu. The shrine grounds have long been called Kaya no Mori, or Forest of Kaya Trees, after the coniferous nutmeg-yew trees that once covered the area. Their seeds were pressed for lamp oil in earlier centuries. Several mature kaya trees remain, and saplings have been planted to restore the original canopy. An annual autumn festival includes a Noh performance dedicated by the head of the Kongo school.