Kibune and Kurama
Kibune and Kurama is an area where is famous for Kibune shrine that is popular for matchmaking. Kibune River runs between Mt. Kurama and Mt. Kibune where has no other sound but mountain streams. It makes you feel like you are in another world where the sound of the stream echoes.
According to the shrine biography, The name of shrine, Kibune means a yellow ship or a respectful ship, is referred to the story of the mother of Jinmu Emperor, princess Tamayorihime no Mikoto enshrined the god of water by going up the river with a yellow ship. The current Kanji characters of Kibune means a respectful ship. It is believed that the ship appeared in the story is now covered by rocks, and is at Okunomiya, the rear shrine located behind the main shrine.
In Heian period, it was worshiped as a shrine to pray for rains or to stop rains. It has been also worshiped for matchmaking as a result of Izumi Shikibu’s pray became true after she visited there and prayed for her relationship with her husband to be rekindled.
Kibune shrine is consisted by Hongu the main shrine, Yuino-yashiro and Okunomiya, the rear shrine standing behind the main shrine. The shrine carries the mysterious atmosphere as three shrines are standing along the water stream, which corresponds with the shrine’s biography. As Kibune is a spiritual spot, it is also popular as an outskirt of Kyoto with the traditional restaurants by Kibune River. They offer some delicacy from the local cuisine by a river between the mountains with the fresh breeze blown by.
