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Overview
Tsukiyomi Shrine is a Shinto shrine in Nishikyō Ward, Kyoto City. Listed in the Heian-era Engishiki as a Shikinaisha, and moreover ranked as a Myōjin Taisha (a great shrine for a notable deity), it is today a subsidiary shrine of Matsunoo Taisha. It is counted among the Matsuo Seven Shrines closely tied to Matsunoo Taisha, and sits quietly about 400 meters south of that grand shrine. Its main hall is built in the nagare-zukuri style widely seen in Japanese shrine architecture, and though a venerable old shrine, it keeps a calm atmosphere that makes it easy to visit together with Matsunoo Taisha.
Highlights
- ●The old rank of a Shikinaisha (Myōjin Taisha) listed in the Engishiki
- ●The heritage of being a subsidiary shrine of Matsunoo Taisha and one of the Matsuo Seven Shrines
- ●A main hall in the nagare-zukuri style widely seen in Japanese shrines
- ●A location about 400 meters south of Matsunoo Taisha, easy to visit alongside it
History
Tsukiyomi Shrine is a Shikinaisha recorded in the register of deities in the Engishiki, the Heian-era code of regulations, and it was ranked among the higher-status Myōjin Taisha. In the old administrative divisions it stood in Kadono district of Yamashiro Province. Today it is positioned as a subsidiary shrine of Matsunoo Taisha and counted as one of the Matsuo Seven Shrines centered on that shrine. Through its long history it has been preserved in close connection with the Matsuo sphere of faith.
Access
The shrine is in Nishikyō Ward, Kyoto City, at roughly 35.00 degrees north and 135.69 degrees east. Since it sits about 400 meters south of Matsunoo Taisha, the clearest route is to visit Matsunoo Taisha first and then walk south to pay your respects at Tsukiyomi as well. Matsunoo Taisha is a landmark in western Kyoto easily reached by city bus or train, so it makes a convenient starting point. For detailed routes and visiting hours, check official information.
Best season
Its annual festival is held each year on October 3, so visiting around that date lets you feel the atmosphere of the shrine's yearly rites. The Matsunoo area is also lovely in the fresh green of early summer and the foliage of autumn, seasons well suited to a calm stroll in western Kyoto. For a quiet visit, the morning hours are especially pleasant.
Map
34.9966, 135.6860 · Wikidata
Suggested itinerary
- 1First visit Matsunoo Taisha and take in the mood of an ancient shrine in western Kyoto
- 2Walk about 400 meters south from Matsunoo Taisha to Tsukiyomi Shrine
- 3Face the nagare-zukuri main hall and reflect on the shrine's ties to the deity Tsukuyomi
- 4Extend your trip to the Matsuo sake breweries or toward Togetsukyō to explore the Arashiyama–Matsuo area
Did you know?
💡 The shrine's name is linked to Tsukuyomi, the deity who presides over the moon, connecting it to a faith in the moon distinct from the gods of the sun or the sea. Keeping the old rank of a Myōjin Taisha Shikinaisha while being worshipped as one of the Matsuo Seven Shrines integral to Matsunoo Taisha gives this shrine a depth all its own.
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