[Kyoto] Guardian Dog In Ujigami Jinja | Stroll, Photo and Essay by Tetsu Ozawa

It's not known exactly when this shrine was built originally. Yet it is sure it has a long history and one of the oldest existing architectures of Shinto shrine. And it was built as a guardian shrine for the nearby Byodo-in Temple. The statues of the guardian dogs were sitting in front of the main hall. It is said that the main hall in the background was built in the 11th century.

By the way, this old shrine was listed on the UNESCO's world heritage sites.