Jan 15, 2014 - 1 min read

Kyoto Tadasu-no-mori Forest

Age-old forest surrounding Shimogamo Jinja Shrine

By Tomoko Kamishima

Community writer

Crescent moon hanging over the shrine and forest

The main gate of the shrine in the early morning

Warm sunlight beginning to shine into the forest

Tadasu-no-mori is the source of spring water

The long approach to Shimogamo Jinja Sharine

Tadasu-no-mori is a mysterious age-old forest surrounding Shimogamo Jinja Shrine. From ancient days, people have treasured this forest as the source of spring water. In late November, I visited before dawn, when the sky was still dark, and then changed from pitch-black to dark blue. Huge numbers of crows cawed and cawed and cawed from within the heart of the forest. Walking down the 300 meter long approach to the shrine, I could see my breath in the cold morning air. When I arrived at the shrine and stepped into its precincts, flocks of the crows flew away - some to the north and others to the west. Then, complete silence was upon me. The night had gone.