Ichihime-jinja Shrine

This shrine houses five goddesses: Ichikishima, a goddess of water; Tagiri, a goddess of the sea; Tagitsu, a goddess of rivers; Kamioichi, a goddess of cultivation; and Shitateru, a goddess of relationships and love.
The shrine was founded in 795, when Emperor Kanmu relocated the capital to Heian-kyo (Kyoto). As a guardian shrine of Kyoto’s markets (government markets), it had estates by both the East and West Markets, while the actual shrine was inside the East Market. However, it was relocated to its current site in 1591. A subsidiary shrine was opened at the Kyoto City Central Wholesale Market when it opened in 1927, and this shrine is also the head shrine of all Ichihime shrines around the country.
Over the 27 reigns from Emperor Seiwa to Emperor Go-Toba, the shrine was frequently patronized by members of the imperial family and nobility, and each time a prince or princess was born, sacred water from the Ame-no-Manai Spring in this shrine was added to their first bath. The Fifty Days Rice Cakes or Hundred Days Rice Cakes that were used for the babies’ first ritual meal of solid food, and Birth Rice Cakes known as Ichi-no-Mochi, were also presented to the imperial babies by the shrine.
Ichihime enshrines the goddess mother of Inari, the rice god, and is a place where parishioners can pray for business prosperity and protection for child-rearing and women. Enshrining deities that can turn away harm from women, it has long been visited by women from around the country. The grounds feature a card mound as well, in which all manner of cards, including credit cards and member’s cards, can be ceremonially disposed of as a way to offer thanks in a very 21st century rite.
The shrine holds large spring and autumn festivals on the 13th of May and November each year.
Kyoto City