A Japanese long story created by Murasaki Shikibu in the middle of the Heian period. Through the main character Hikaru Genji, the aristocratic society of the Heian period is depicted, including love, glory and downfall, political desires and power struggles.

“The Aoi Festival, which has a history of over 1,400 years, was visited by many people, including aristocrats, even during the Heian period.

Together with Kamigamo-jinja Shrine, Shimogamo-jinja Shrine is worshiped as Kamo-sha Shrine, which was the guardian deity of the country and Kyoto during the Heian period, and was the tutelary deity of the imperial family. In chapter 9 of the Tale of Genji, chapter 9, "Aoi," the former lover Rokujo no Miyasudokoro, who came to see Hikaru Genji for a glimpse, and his lawful wife Aoi no Ue's oxcart compete for the spot at the Saio Misogi ritual of the Aoi Festival. From the crowds of spectators and oxcarts, it is evident that Shimogamo Shrine and the Aoi Matsuri have been worshiped by people since those days. Murasaki Shikibu probably got the idea while actually watching the Aoi Festival.

It is said that you can also experience the world of The Tale of Genji through the matchmaking fortune slips that you can draw at this Aioisha shrine. “This omikuji is named after the fifty-four chapters of The Tale of Genji, such as Kiritsubo and Wakamurasaki.

Tadasu no Mori, which stretches along the approach to Shimogamo Shrine, is also a spot that appears in The Tale of Genji. "In the volume of 'Suma,' before Hikaru Genji is exiled to Suma, he visits Shimogamo Shrine and composes a waka poem in Tadasu no Mori. Appearing in a symbolic scene about his feelings of leaving the capital. "You can feel the strong ties between the Heian nobility and Shimogamo Shrine," says Otsuka.

The waka poem, "Let's leave the sad world now, leave the name to Tadasu no Kami," expresses the feeling of leaving the fate of rumors about her to Tadasu no Kami, now that she has left the painful world. As you walk through the greenery, which retains the appearance of a primeval forest from ancient times, you will be surrounded by a dignified atmosphere that will give you a feeling of purifying your soul. I wonder if Hikaru Genji also wrote his songs based on this feeling.

Shimogamo Shrine, which is also a World Cultural Heritage site, has a long history, and there is a record that the water fence of the shrine was restored in BC. During the Heian period, it was given a high ranking, and as it appears in The Tale of Genji, it prospered as one of the centers of culture.

It is believed that these shrines will bring good luck, such as good harvests and warding off evil spirits, and some of the shrines attract attention, especially among women. Kawai Shrine, where the enshrined deity Tamayorihime no Mikoto is worshiped as a beautiful god as beautiful as a jewel, is deeply worshiped as a guardian of women.

Officially called the Kamo Festival, this is an annual festival held at Kamigamo Shrine and Shimogamo Shrine. It is one of the three major festivals in Kyoto and is held on May 15th every year. The highlight of the festival, the Road Ceremony, is scheduled to be held this year for the first time in four years. A procession of 500 people, mainly from the Saio era, dressed in Heian period dynasty costumes and oxcarts called Goshoguruma, depart from the Kyoto Imperial Palace and parade through the city, passing through Shimogamo Shrine to Kamigamo Shrine.

At both shrines, shrine ceremonies are held, including the recital of sacred texts by imperial envoys. In the precincts of Shimogamo Shrine, where paid seats are set up, you can also see clusters of Futaba Aoi, which is the crest of the god and symbol of the Aoi Matsuri, at this time of year.