Yasaka Shrine
By Andrew Liyan · Last updated: October 13, 2026
Yasaka Shrine stands at the east end of Shijo-dori, at the edge of Gion, and is the shrine behind the Gion Matsuri every July. It is free and open 24 hours; the vermilion West Gate faces the Shijo-Higashioji intersection, 5 minutes' walk from Keihan Gion-Shijo Station. Allow 20 to 30 minutes, or longer in the evening, when the lanterns on the dance hall are lit.
- Area
- Gion, Higashiyama
- Best For
- Shinto Culture, Festivals, Night Visits, Free Entry
Visiting Yasaka Shrine
Yasaka Shrine traces its origins to 656 by its own records, or to 876 by another account, and was known for most of its history as Gion-sha or Gion Kanshin-in, a shrine and temple in one. It enshrines Susanoo-no-mikoto, the storm god who in myth slew an eight-headed serpent, along with his wife and their eight children. It took the name Yasaka Shrine in the Meiji era, when Shinto and Buddhism were officially separated.
Most visitors arrive through the vermilion West Gate at the top of Shijo-dori, though the formal main gate is the South Gate, where the Gion Matsuri portable shrines set out. In the middle of the precinct, the dance hall is hung with rows of paper lanterns. Behind it, the main hall and worship hall share a single great roof, a form found at no other shrine; it was designated a National Treasure in 2020.
The Gion Matsuri began in 869 as rites to end an epidemic and runs through the whole of July. Its highlights are the parades of 34 decorated floats through central Kyoto on the mornings of July 17 and 24, and the night processions of three portable shrines between Yasaka and the city center on the same days.
The route through Yasaka Shrine
Short answer
Climb to the West Gate from Shijo-dori, cross to the lantern-hung dance hall and the main hall, then leave east into Maruyama Park or south toward Kodai-ji.
Start
The West Gate
The vermilion gate at the top of the steps from the Shijo-Higashioji crossing.
Center
The dance hall
Hung with rows of paper lanterns, lit in the evening.
Then
The main hall
Main hall and worship hall under one roof; a National Treasure since 2020.
Exit
Maruyama Park or the South Gate
East into the park, or south toward Kodai-ji and the Higashiyama lanes.
When to go
Short answer
At any hour; early morning and late evening are quietest. Plan around July and New Year, when crowds are heavy.
- Every day
- Grounds open 24 hours; shrine office 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
- July
- Gion Matsuri all month; parades on July 17 and 24.
- December 31
- Okera-mairi from about 7:30 p.m. to 5:00 a.m.
Fitting Yasaka Shrine into a Kyoto day
Short answer
Yasaka Shrine is where the Higashiyama walk meets Gion. Start at Kiyomizu-dera, walk down to the shrine, and finish in Gion.
On foot, downhill from the south
The Higashiyama walk
Kiyomizu-dera, Sannenzaka and Ninenzaka and Kodai-ji lead here.
Better on another day
Arashiyama
Arashiyama is at the opposite edge of the city; keep it for another day.
Things to do at Yasaka Shrine
After dark
The shrine never closes, and in the evening the lanterns on the dance hall are lit. It is an easy stop after dinner in Gion or Pontocho; the shrine office, where amulets and seals are sold, closes at 5:00 p.m.
Okera-mairi on New Year's Eve
From about 7:30 p.m. on December 31 until about 5:00 a.m. on New Year's Day, sacred fire burns in lanterns across the precinct together with okera, a dried plant root whose pungent smoke is said to drive away evil. People take the fire home on a length of smoldering rope; the rope is ¥1,000, and once extinguished it is kept as a charm against fire. Expect very large crowds.
Setsubun
At Setsubun in early February, geiko and maiko from the Pontocho, Miyagawa-cho, Gion Kobu and Gion Higashi districts perform dances on the stage over two days, and beans are thrown to drive out bad luck.
How to Get to Yasaka Shrine
Yasaka Shrine closes the east end of Shijo-dori, so you can walk to it from anywhere in Gion or downtown.
By train
Keihan Gion-Shijo Station is 5 minutes' walk west of the shrine; Hankyu Kyoto-Kawaramachi, across the river, is 8 minutes.
By bus from Kyoto Station
City Bus 206, from the Kyoto Station stop for Kiyomizu-dera and Gion (not the one for Daitokuji), stops at Gion, right by the shrine. On Saturdays, Sundays and national holidays, the EX100 express bus also stops there.
By car
The shrine has no parking. Visitors using wheelchairs can enter from the Tokiwa Shinden car park, through the shrine office.
- •Keihan Gion-Shijo Station is 5 minutes' walk; follow Shijo-dori east to the gate.
- •City Bus 206 (toward Gion and Kitaoji Bus Terminal) from Kyoto Station stops at Gion, in front of the shrine; on Saturdays, Sundays and national holidays, so does the EX100 express bus.
- •Walk down from Kiyomizu-dera through Sannenzaka, Ninenzaka and Kodai-ji to arrive from the south.
Best Time to Visit Yasaka Shrine
Early morning or after dark, when Gion is quieter.
- •The grounds are open around the clock; the shrine office is open 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
- •In July the whole of central Kyoto is busy with the Gion Matsuri, especially on and before July 17 and 24.
- •From New Year's Eve into the first days of January the shrine is at its most crowded.
Gion Matsuri: float parades in the morning, portable shrine processions at night.
Okera-mairi: sacred fire carried home on ropes, until about 5:00 a.m.
Dances by geiko and maiko, and bean throwing.
Entry Fee & Hours
- •Entry is free at any hour. Amulets and seals are available at the shrine office from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and prayers are received from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
- •Drones are banned throughout the precinct and at every festival, and professional commercial photography is not allowed.
Nearby Attractions
Places that pair with Yasaka Shrine
Gion District
Kodai-ji Temple
Sannenzaka and Ninenzaka
Kiyomizu-dera Temple
Two ways to build a day around Yasaka Shrine
One follows the Higashiyama walk downhill; the other is an evening in Gion.
Higashiyama, downhill
Kiyomizu-dera to Gion on foot.
Morning
Kiyomizu-dera early, then down Sannenzaka and Ninenzaka.
Late morning
Kodai-ji and Maruyama Park.
Midday
Yasaka Shrine, then lunch in Gion.
Frequently Asked Questions
Planning Your Kyoto Trip?
See the full Kyoto destination guide or browse Japan itineraries that include this city.
See all Temples & Shrines across Japan →