Fodor's Expert Review Otoyo Shrine
Eastern Kyoto
Religious Building
Dating from 887, this very small shrine is best known for its "guardian rats." Most shrines have pairs of Koma-inu, mythical dogs, but Otoyo is unique in this regard, and very popular during the Year of the Rat. As with the canine twosomes, one rat's mouth is open, and the other's is closed. The main halls enshrine Sukunahikona-no-mikoto, the Japanese god of medicine; Emperor Ojin, Japan's 15th emperor; and Sugawara Michizane (845–903), a Heian-era poet and politician. The grounds are resplendent with several varieties of camellia. Otoyo Jinja is considered the guardian shrine for people who live in the adjacent neighborhoods of Shishigatani, Honenin, and Nanzenji.
