Formal Names of Kyoto's Temples and Shrines

Temples whose common and formal names differ

Kinkaku-ji (Rokuon-ji) and Ginkaku-ji (Jishō-ji) are both subtemples (tatchū) of 相国寺 (Shōkoku-ji).

Most national cultural property designations are written with the formal names. "Kyōōgokoku-ji Five-Story Pagoda" means the five-story pagoda of Tō-ji, and "Hongan-ji Goeidō" means the Goeidō of Nishi Hongan-ji.

Formal names of shrines

The formal name of Kamigamo Shrine, 賀茂別雷神社 (Kamo-wakeikazuchi Jinja), is the same as the name of its deity, 賀茂別雷大神 (Kamo-wakeikazuchi-no-Ōkami).

Until 1868 (Keiō 4, which became Meiji 1), Yasaka Shrine was called "Gion-sha" (祇園社) or "Gion Kanshin-in" (祇園感神院). It is still called "Gion-san" today because of these old names.

Temples whose names grow long with the mountain name

A temple's full formal name begins with its mountain name (sangō). Some Zen temples also have long temple names: the formal name of Nanzen-ji is 瑞龍山 太平興国南禅禅寺 (Zuiryūzan Taihei Kōkoku Nanzen Zenji), and that of Shōkoku-ji is 萬年山 相国承天禅寺 (Mannenzan Shōkoku Jōten Zenji). Tenryū-ji was first named 暦応資聖禅寺 (Ryakuō Shishō Zenji), but because Mount Hiei objected to using the era name "Ryakuō" as a temple name, it was renamed 天龍資聖禅寺 (Tenryū Shishō Zenji).

Likewise, Kiyomizu-dera calls itself 音羽山清水寺 (Otowasan Kiyomizu-dera), and Kōzan-ji calls itself 栂尾山高山寺 (Toganoosan Kōzan-ji). Chion-in took the name 知恩教院大谷寺 when Genchi Shōnin built its Buddha hall and other buildings in 1234 (Bunryaku 1). Ninna-ji takes its temple name from the Ninna era and Kennin-ji from the Kennin era, and Ninna-ji also calls itself the "Former Omuro Imperial Palace" (旧御室御所, Kyū Omuro Gosho). Kōryū-ji has the alternative names 太秦寺 (Uzumasa-dera) and 蜂岡寺 (Hachioka-dera).

Popular names born from buildings, places, and founders

• Kinkaku-ji and Ginkaku-ji: The reliquary hall known as the Kinkaku (Golden Pavilion) is so famous that Rokuon-ji is popularly called "Kinkaku-ji." The name "Ginkaku-ji" (Silver Pavilion Temple) reportedly came into use in the Edo period as a counterpart to Kinkaku-ji.
• Sanjūsangen-dō: The Hondō of Rengeō-in is popularly called "Sanjūsangen-dō" (Hall of Thirty-Three Bays) because its inner sanctuary has 33 bays between pillars.
• Senbon Shakadō: Daihōon-ji is called "Senbon Shakadō" because it stands near Senbon-dōri.
• Rokkakudō: Chōhō-ji is called Rokkakudō (Hexagonal Hall) because its main hall is hexagonal.
• Kōdō: According to tradition, Gyōen, who built Gyōgan-ji in 1004 (Kankō 1), wore a robe made from the hide of a deer he had shot and was called "Kawa-hijiri" (皮聖, the Hide Saint), so the temple came to be called Kōdō (革堂, "Hide Hall").
• Shinnyodō: "Shinnyodō," the name for the main hall of Shinshō Gokuraku-ji, became established as the temple's popular name.
• Higashi Hongan-ji: Hongan-ji moved to Horikawa Shichijō in 1591 (today's Nishi Hongan-ji). The Shinshū Honbyō was founded in 1602 by Kyōnyo Shōnin on land between Rokujō and Shichijō along Karasuma donated to him by Tokugawa Ieyasu, and it is generally called "Higashi Hongan-ji" (Eastern Hongan-ji).
• Tō-ji: In 796, two official temples were built to the east and west of Rashōmon, the main gate of Heian-kyō, and Tō-ji ("East Temple") is the eastern one (the western one was Sai-ji, "West Temple").

Formal names to read with care

• 賀茂別雷神社: in the furigana of its national cultural property designations, the name is written "かもわけいかずちじんじゃ," with the kana ず instead of づ (both are pronounced "zu").
• 木嶋坐天照御魂神社 (Konoshima-ni-imasu-amaterumitama Jinja, このしまにますあまてるみたまじんじゃ): the formal name of Kaiko-no-yashiro (蚕ノ社) in Uzumasa, Ukyō Ward.
• 真正極楽寺 (Shinshō Gokuraku-ji, しんしょうごくらくじ), 引接寺 (Injō-ji, いんじょうじ), and 金戒光明寺 (Konkai Kōmyō-ji, こんかいこうみょうじ) are also temple names whose readings are hard to guess from the characters.
• 勧修寺: the temple in Yamashina Ward is read "Kajūji" (かじゅうじ), while the surrounding town names are read "Kanshūji" (かんしゅうじ).
• 新熊野神社 (Imakumano Jinja, いまくまのじんじゃ): the place name 今熊野 is voiced, "Imagumano" (いまぐまの). 車折神社 in Ukyō Ward is read "Kurumazaki Jinja" (くるまざきじんじゃ), and 御香宮神社 in Fushimi Ward is "Gokōnomiya Jinja" (ごこうのみやじんじゃ).

Designated names of Cultural Properties and World Heritage Site names

The component sites of the World Heritage property "Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto" are also listed by their formal names, such as Kamo-wakeikazuchi Jinja, Kamo-mioya Jinja, Kyōōgokoku-ji, Rokuon-ji, Jishō-ji, Saihō-ji, and Hongan-ji. The Goeidō and other buildings of Higashi Hongan-ji became Important Cultural Properties on September 30, 2019 (Reiwa 1), under the designated name "Shinshū Honbyō Higashi Hongan-ji" (真宗本廟東本願寺).

For Kitano Tenmangū, Fushimi Inari Taisha, Daigo-ji, Byōdō-in (in Uji City), and others, the everyday name is also used as the designated name of their national cultural properties. Some designated names add the popular name in parentheses, such as "Rokuon-ji (Kinkaku-ji) Garden," "Rengeō-in Hondō (Sanjūsangen-dō)," and "Hōkan-ji Five-Story Pagoda (Yasaka Pagoda)." Some also use different characters: the designated name of the main hall of Ryōan-ji is written "竜安寺本堂" with the simplified character 竜, while its abbot's quarters garden, known for its rock garden, is written "龍安寺方丈庭園" with the traditional 龍.

Getting to Yasaka Shrine, Rokkakudō, and Tō-ji

Yasaka Shrine (625 Gionmachi Kitagawa, Higashiyama Ward) is open for worship 24 hours a day and is about a 5-minute walk from Keihan Gion-Shijō Station (as of October 2026). The old name "Kanshin-in" (感神院) is carved on the stone basin of the West Temizuya (purification fountain), on the left after you enter the West Tower Gate.

Rokkakudō (248 Dōnomae-chō, Rokkaku-dōri Higashinotōin nishi-iru, Nakagyō Ward) has grounds that are free and open to all, a 3-minute walk from Exit 5 of Karasuma-Oike Subway Station. At Tō-ji (1 Kujō-chō, Minami Ward), visiting the Miedō and the Jikidō (refectory) is free, and it is about a 10-minute walk from Kintetsu Tōji Station.