Maruyama Park

Until 300 years ago, the area where Kyoto’s Maruyama Park stands today was merely shrubs and weeds. Early last century a landscape gardener, Jihei Ogawa, improved the gardens. The area was originally called Makuzugahara, but during the Kamakura period, it became known as a place of traditional Waka poems.

Kyoto’s most photographed site

Fushimi Inari was dedicated to Inari Okami, the god of rice and sake in 711 before the site moved to Mount Inari in 816 and became Fushimi Inari Taisha. The first tori, the Romon tower gate at the entrance, was built from donations by a samurai warlord in 1589.

A drop of peace behind the chaos

At the end of Kyoto’s Nishiki Market or what might have been the beginning of Teramachi, was a small temple. Here was a little relief from the crowds. Some clapped their hands before bowing in front of a shrine; others wash their hands with well water.