Oharano Shrine - The Ultimate Guide to Kyoto's Hidden Gem

It is no surprise that Kyoto (京都) is home to a plethora of temples and shrines, both large and small; including the highlight of today’s post, Oharano Shrine (大原野神社). Oharano Shrine is among the hundreds of shrines in Kyoto that is relatively hidden from the usual tourist radar. While it is rather secluded; it makes up for it with its captivating nature scenery as well as a rich history behind its founding (see my trivia post about this shrine). To find out what the shrine beholds, lets explore its beautiful in today’s post.

Table of Contents

Exploring Oharano Shrine

Location

Oharano Shrine is located at Nishikyō Ward (Nishikyō-ku/西京区); aka the Western Capital Ward. This is also the same area where the famed Arashiyama (嵐山) is located at. The area surrounding the shrine mainly comprised of housing areas as well as forests and mountains. There is a lovely soba restaurant and a cafe specialising in mugwort dumplings inside the shrine grounds; however given that restaurant choices are limited around the area, it is highly advisable to grab a meal before heading here.

Look Out for The Deer Motifs

Despite having a overall small complex, Oharano Shrine has some interesting sights not to be missed. The main one to look out for are the deer statues around the complex. Like every shrine in Japan, there is a purification fountain at the shrine. Here lies a statue of a deer pouring water down to the fountain itself or chozuya (手水舎).

Lets not forget the pair of buck and doe that are right in front of the shrine’s prayer hall or main sanctuary (Honden/本殿). These pair of deer serve as guardians of the shrine; a unique case as most other shrines often have lion dogs (koma-inu/狛犬) as guardians instead. Even the Ema (絵馬) or the wooden plaques where you write your wishes or prayers had deer caricatures on it which are quite cute in my opinion.

The reason for the deer motifs lies in the fact that the founders of the shrine were originally from the ancient capital of Nara (奈良); whereby deer are revered as sacred and served as messengers for Gods in Shintoism (神道). For more details about this, check out my separate trivia article of this shrine here.

Oharano Shrine Architecture

The main sanctuary of Oharano Shrine is designed using the Kasuga-zukuri (春日造) style; earning its name from the famed Kasuga Taisha shrine (春日大社) in Nara. And given how the founders of the shrine were of the Imperial Court members from Nara, it was no surprise they used the same style as Kasuga Taisha.

The main highlight of the main sanctuary architecture are the gable roofs (a roof consisting of two sections whose upper horizontal edges meet to form its ridge; aka the most common type of rooftops used for residential houses). The roofs are covered in cypress barks and are decorated with a Chigi (千木/ornamental crossbeams that formed a shape of an X) and Katsuogi (鰹木/ornamental logs arranged perpendicular to the ridge). Me and my wife had the rare chance to witness the actual architecture given the main sanctuary is only opened in the event of ceremonies.

These traits together with the curvy roofs combine to create a stunningly beautiful and elegant architecture. Not to mention the vermillion colour of the pillars and the Torii (鳥居) gate serves as a vibrant contrast to the serene and towering cypress trees in the backdrop.

Oharano Shrine's Garden and Surroundings

Apart from the main shrine, one shouldn’t miss out on the shrine’s scenic garden; featuring a water lily pond together with a vermillion bridge. This pond is modelled after the Sarusawa pond (猿沢池) at Kofukuji temple (興福寺) in Nara (奈良), and is said to have provided painting inspirations for the 19th century French painter Oscar-Claude Monet (check out my separate article here for more info).

Look out for the vermillion bridge here in particular, as it offers a wonderful photography spot in this lovely garden. Alternatively, consider taking some shots along the side of the pond during autumn. The scenery here is stunningly beautiful, especially during autumn with the presence of the vibrant autumn leaves.

Another aesthetic spot to look out for is the large stone torii (鳥居) nearby the entrance. The scenery of the torii surrounded by the tall and lush maple tress and the stone lanterns provides an overall impression that you are in the spiritual world. And during the peak of autumn, the fall colours will add a whole new layer of beauty to the scenery itself.

When to Visit

Undeniably, the best time to visit Oharano Shrine in my opinion is during autumn from mid-November until early December. During this period, the fall foliage will be at its peak and the colours compliment the vermillion shrine and the surroundings perfectly. This was also the main reason why me and my wife chose this shrine for our Japanese wedding ceremony.

The lack of crowds too offers a lot more opportunities and breathing room to enjoy the fall foliage and snap some wonderful photos without having to compete with the horde of tourist crowds. The water lily pond area and the pathway to the shrine especially are the main photogenic spots to look out for during this time.

Other times to consider a visit are as below:

If you love snowfall, winter in Jan 2024 is another option to witness the beauty of the pure white snow covering the vermillion structures of the shrine.
For the sumo (相撲) fans, consider the second Sunday in September to attend the annual Mitakarai sumo festival (御田刈祭). Advisable to check Kyoto Travel Info and Oharano Shrine’s official website to confirm on the timing ahead of time (both sites are Japanese only; be sure to Google Translate if needed).
For the cherry blossom lovers, pay a visit around 29th Mar to 8th April to witness the blooming of the shrine’s cherry blossom tree, Senganzakura (千眼桜). The tree only blooms for about 3 days and those that are able to witness it will have their wishes granted. Advisable to check Oharano Shrine’s official website before visiting.

Still not convinced of the beauty of this place? Check out my Instagram reel here for a much better idea of its scenic beauty.

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How To Get Here

Getting to Oharano Shrine via public transportation requires a bit of navigating between train, bus and walking. Firstly, board the JR Line (JR線) to Mukōmachi Station (向日町駅). Then take bus no 63 for about 25 minutes and disembark at Minami Kasuga-chō Bus Stop (南春日町), and afterwards, walk for about 10 minutes to the shrine. If you have the JR Pass, then your train fare is already covered by the pass. If you are using the Hankyu train line (阪急線) however, you need to disembark at Higashimukō Station (東向日駅) instead before boarding bus 63.
As you can see, Oharano Shrine can be a hassle to get to via public transportation. If you are willing to splurge, consider getting a taxi instead for convenience. Both MK Taxi and Yasaka Taxi are great options to choose as they have years of experience in dealing with foreign tourists and they also provide English speaking drivers.
Or if you are like me who prefer road trips, consider renting a car for your trip in Japan. Driving around Japan is one of the best ways to explore off the beaten destinations that are notoriously hard to access via the standard public transportation. And renting a car also gives you the flexibility to travel to many hidden gems across the beautiful countryside of Japan.

Is It Worth Visiting Oharano Shrine?

If you are staying in Kyoto for more than 3 to 4 days and would like to getaway from the bustling city, then yes!! It is a great destination to check out simply for its beautiful sceneries and tranquility. On the other hand, it can be hard to recommend to those who only have a few days in Kyoto; given its far distance from many of Kyoto’s iconic attractions. Because of these reasons, it is best to put this as a destination to visit on a road trip.

If you love to see more hidden gems like this, be sure to subscribe as I will be sharing more destinations in the near future. And If you found this guide useful, feel free to tell more people about it on social. Thank you and stay tune!

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Oharano Shrine – The Ultimate Guide to Kyoto’s Hidden Gem