Iwashimizu Hachimangū

One of Japan's great Hachiman shrines on Mount Otoko near Kyoto – a National Treasure and imperial ancestral shrine since 860.

Iwashimizu Hachimangū is one of Japan's most important Shinto shrines, founded in 860 on Mount Otoko southwest of Kyoto. It served as one of the two royal ancestral shrines for the Imperial family alongside the Ise Grand Shrine, and ranks among the Three Great Hachiman Shrines. Ten of its buildings, including the main hall, are designated as National Treasures. Perched on a forested mountain summit, the shrine retains a serene atmosphere away from the city below.