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Heian Shrine is a large [[Shinto shrine]] in [[Kyoto]], enshrining the spirits of [[Emperor Kammu|Emperors Kammu]] and [[Emperor Komei|Kômei]], the first and last emperors to reign in the city.

Heian Shrine is a large [[Shinto shrine]] in [[Kyoto]], enshrining the spirits of [[Emperor Kammu|Emperors Kammu]] and [[Emperor Komei|Kômei]], the first and last emperors to reign in the city.

The shrine was established in [[1895]], in honor of the 1100th anniversary of Emperor Kammu establishing Kyoto (aka [[Heian-kyo|Heian]]) as the imperial capital in [[794]]. The main buildings of the shrine are meant to resemble or recreate those of the [[Heian Imperial Palace]], and within the context of national discursive efforts to preserve & present Kyoto as something of a museumpiece showcasing the nation's ancient and grand Imperial traditions, historian [[Takashi Fujitani]] describes the shrine as "a model within a model, a reproduction of an imperial court within Japan's exemplary imperial city."<ref name=fujitani>Takashi Fujitani, ''Splendid Monarchy'', UC Press (1998), 86.</ref> The shrine was granted the highest ranking, ''kanpei taisha'', by the [[Meiji government]], and is designed to recreate the Chôdôin, the core sections of the larger Heian Imperial Palace (''daidairi''), as it might have looked at the founding of Heian-kyô at the end of the 8th century. The main gate of the shrine reproduces the palace's Ôtemmon, while the two towers to either side reproduce the White Tiger Tower (''Byakko-rô'') and Blue Dragon Tower (''Sôryû-rô''), and the main building of the shrine is designed to resemble the Daigokuden, the Great Audience Hall of the Heian palace.<ref name=fujitani/>

The shrine was established in [[1895]], in honor of the 1100th anniversary of Emperor Kammu establishing Kyoto (aka [[Heian-kyo|Heian]]) as the imperial capital in [[794]]. Originally enshrining only Emperor Kammu, the shrine came to include Emperor Kômei as well in 1940.<ref>Takashi Fujitani, ''Splendid Monarchy'', UC Press (1998), 263n128.</ref>

 

The main buildings of the shrine are meant to resemble or recreate those of the [[Heian Imperial Palace]], and within the context of national discursive efforts to preserve & present Kyoto as something of a museumpiece showcasing the nation's ancient and grand Imperial traditions, historian [[Takashi Fujitani]] describes the shrine as "a model within a model, a reproduction of an imperial court within Japan's exemplary imperial city."<ref name=fujitani>Fujitani, 86.</ref> The shrine was granted the highest ranking, ''kanpei taisha'', by the [[Meiji government]], and is designed to recreate the Chôdôin, the core sections of the larger Heian Imperial Palace (''daidairi''), as it might have looked at the founding of Heian-kyô at the end of the 8th century. The main gate of the shrine reproduces the palace's Ôtemmon, while the two towers to either side reproduce the White Tiger Tower (''Byakko-rô'') and Blue Dragon Tower (''Sôryû-rô''), and the main building of the shrine is designed to resemble the Daigokuden, the Great Audience Hall of the Heian palace.<ref name=fujitani/>

The shrine's gardens are particularly famous.

The shrine's gardens are particularly famous.