Kawai Shrine is a small shrine located within the grounds of Shimogamo Shrine in Kyoto. It is especially well known as a shrine associated with beauty and the protection of women.
The shrine is dedicated to Tamayori-hime no Mikoto, who is traditionally described as the mother of Emperor Jimmu, Japan’s legendary first emperor. Because she is said to have possessed exceptional beauty, she has long been revered as a deity of beauty and feminine well-being.
One of the most distinctive features of Kawai Shrine is the Kagami Ema, or “Mirror Ema.” These wooden prayer plaques are shaped like hand mirrors and feature a simple face. Visitors decorate the face using their own cosmetics or colored pencils to represent their ideal appearance, then write their wishes on the back. The custom symbolizes a wish not only for outward beauty, but also for inner beauty and personal growth.
Kawai Shrine is also closely connected with Kamo no Chōmei, the famous Japanese poet and essayist who wrote Hōjōki (An Account of My Hut). His father served as a priest at the shrine, and Chōmei spent part of his early life in this area.
Surrounded by the peaceful Tadasu no Mori forest, Kawai Shrine offers visitors a unique combination of Japanese spirituality, beauty traditions, and literary history.