Confidence
| Field | Confidence | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Shrine name | 99% | Center calligraphy clearly reads 祇園社 (Gion-sha — Yasaka's pre-Meiji name). The dual crest at the top — 三つ巴 (mitsudomoe / triple-comma) on the left and 唐花木瓜紋 (karahana mokkō mon / melon-flower crest) on the right — is uniquely diagnostic of Yasaka Jinja. The center red square seal in tensho is the shrine's official seal. |
| Date | 97% | Left column reads 令和五年五月廿八日 = 28 May 2023. All characters legible. |
Identification
- Name (Japanese): 八坂神社 (also called 祇園社 / 祇園さん)
- Name (Romanized): Yasaka Jinja (also Gion-sha / Gion-san)
- Type: Shinto shrine — Kanpei-taisha historically, head shrine of all Yasaka and Gion shrines nationwide
- Sect/network: Head of the Gion shrines (祇園信仰) lineage worshipping Susanoo-no-Mikoto
- Location: Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto — on the eastern end of Shijō-dōri, marking the entrance to the Gion district
- Date received: 令和五年五月廿八日 = 28 May 2023
Reading the goshuin
| Element | Reading | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 奉拝 | Hōhai — "humbly worshipped" | Top right, brush |
| 祇園社 | Gion-sha — Yasaka's pre-Meiji name | Center, brush |
| 三つ巴 (mitsudomoe) | Triple-comma crest — symbol of Susanoo's martial valor | Top center, red, left side |
| 唐花木瓜紋 (karahana mokkō) | Melon-flower crest — Kino clan family crest | Top center, red, right side |
| Tensho seal | "Yasaka Jinja" in seal script | Center red square seal |
| 令和五年五月廿八日 | 28 May 2023 | Left column, brush |
The deliberate use of 「祇園社」 rather than the modern name 「八坂神社」 in the central calligraphy is a stylistic choice — many Yasaka goshuin use the historical name to evoke the shrine's pre-Meiji identity (the shrine was renamed in 1868 when the new government separated Buddhism from Shinto and ordered the removal of Buddhist names from shrines).
Why two crests at the top?
Yasaka Jinja famously has two sacred crests (神紋, shinmon) rather than one — and this dual marking appears on essentially every Yasaka goshuin:
- 三つ巴 (Mitsudomoe / Triple-Comma) — the spinning triple-tomoe pattern represents the martial valor and storm-god power of Susanoo-no-Mikoto, the principal deity. The tomoe is a generic symbol of war, wind, and divine protection, and Yasaka uses it for the deity's identity.
- 唐花木瓜紋 (Karahana Mokkō Mon / Melon-Flower) — a stylized cucumber/melon flower crest. This is the family crest of the Kino clan (紀氏), the priestly lineage that has administered Yasaka's rites and managed the shrine for centuries. They effectively "own" the shrine in succession terms, so their family crest sits beside the deity's.
The two-crest combination is rare in Shinto and is a tangible reminder that Yasaka is unusual: the deity gets one crest, the family that runs the shrine gets the other.
About the shrine
Yasaka was founded in 656 CE according to shrine tradition, when a Korean envoy from the Goguryeo kingdom brought the deity Gozu Tennō (牛頭天王 / "Ox-Head Heavenly King") — later identified with Susanoo — across the sea and enshrined the deity at this site in Higashiyama.
For most of its history (until 1868), it was called 祇園社 (Gion-sha) or 祇園感神院 (Gion Kanjin-in), named after the Jetavana Vihāra (祇園精舎) in India where the Buddha taught — a reflection of pre-Meiji syncretism. In 1868 the government renamed it 八坂神社 (Yasaka Jinja) under the Shinbutsu Bunri-rei (神仏分離令), removing Buddhist references from Shinto shrines.
Enshrined deities
- 素戔嗚尊 (Susanoo-no-Mikoto) — the storm god, principal deity. Brother of Amaterasu; banished from heaven; slayer of the Yamata-no-Orochi (eight-headed serpent).
- 櫛稲田姫命 (Kushinada-hime-no-Mikoto) — Susanoo's wife, the rice-paddy princess he saved from Yamata-no-Orochi.
- 八柱御子神 (Yahashira-no-Mikogami) — their eight children-deities.
What it's known for
The Gion Festival (祇園祭)
Yasaka Jinja is the home shrine of the Gion Matsuri (祇園祭) — Japan's most famous festival, running the entire month of July with its peak on 17 July (Saki-matsuri / first procession) and 24 July (Ato-matsuri / second procession). It originated in 869 CE as a plague-quelling ritual when the imperial court ordered Yasaka to perform a ceremony with 66 spears (one for each province) to drive out a deadly epidemic.
The festival's yamaboko (山鉾 — massive float-towers) are designated UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage and Important Tangible Folk Cultural Properties.
Blessings the shrine is associated with
- 疫病退散 (yakubyō-taisan) — driving out plague and epidemic disease (the shrine's foundational purpose)
- 厄除け (yakuyoke) — protection from misfortune and bad spiritual influences generally
- 縁結び (enmusubi) — matchmaking, especially for couples; the Utsukushi-gozen-sha (美御前社) sub-shrine on grounds is particularly visited by women seeking beauty and good marriages
- 商売繁盛 (shōbai hanjō) — business prosperity, given the shrine's central position in the Gion entertainment district