Kamigamo-jinja

Around 2km north of the Botanical Gardens is Kamigamo-jinja (上L茂神社; kamigamojinja.jp/en), one of Japan’s oldest shrines, which predates the founding of Kyoto. Established in 679, it is dedicated to Raijin, the god of thunder, and is one of Kyoto’s 17 UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The present buildings (more than 40 in all) are exact reproductions of the originals, dating from the 17th to 19th centuries, including the impressive haiden (hall). Look for the tatezuna (sand cones), representing a sacred mountain, topped with a single pine needle representing a whole tree.