Kyoto walk Kamigamo shrine 上賀茂神社で焼きもち

朝早い時間の上賀茂神社も、穏やかで静かな京都を感じる場所。

If you want to experience quiet peaceful Kyoto, I recommend you to visit Kamigamo shrine in early morning. 

上賀茂神社には、神話がある。昔、綺麗な玉依日売（たまよりひめ）が水浴びをしていると、川から丹塗矢（形を変えた火雷神だった！）が流れて来て、それを持ち帰って寝たところ神様の子を授かった。それが、上賀茂神社の御祭神にあたる加茂別雷神（かもわけいかづちのかみ）ってわけ。雷神ではなくて、雷をもわける力がある神様って意味なんだそう。

There's a myth in this Kamigamo shrine. 

A long long ago, there was a beautiful princess, Tamayorihime. One day when she was by the river( Kamo) she found an arrow (it was a thunder God! who changed the appearance) floating. She took it home and put it beside her when she slept that night. Then she got pregnant. This Kamigamo shrine prays for this God's child, Kamo-wake-ikaduchi-no-kami(what a long name!). 

この立砂はその神話に出てくる加茂別雷神が現れた、神山（御本殿の北北西）に因んでいて、神様が降りられる憑代の一種なんだそう。

These are beautifully made with sands  and called Tatezuna. They stand for Ko-Yama, the mountain,where Kamo-wake-ikaduchi-no-kami came down to the land for the first time. You can see the mountain behind the main shrine. 

願い石

If you touch this stone with two hands, your wish might come true...

玉依日売を祀る、片岡社は縁結びでも有名。This Yashiro, prays for Tamayorihime and is famous for its good luck in romantic relationship. 

この白いもの。上賀茂神社と言えば焼きもち！お店が２つあって、私は神馬堂さんの素朴なお餅が好き。

Don't forget to try Yaki-mochi, rice cake with sweet red bean paste! There are two shops," aoi-ya" and "jinba-do" and I prefer the latter. 

Morning walk in Kyoto will make you calm and peaceful :))