What is Yasaka Shrine?
{{Infobox religious building|name={{nihongo|Yasaka Shrine|八坂神社|Yasaka-jinja}}|religious_affiliation=[[Shinto]]|image=Yasaka jinja.jpg|caption=Yasaka Shrine|map_type=Japan|coordinates={{coord|35|00|13|N|135|46|43|E|region:JP_type:landmark_source:dewiki|display=title,inline}}|map_size=|map_alt=|map_relief=|map_caption=|location=[[Gion]], [[Kyoto]], [[Japan]]|deity=|festival=|type=|leadership=|website=|architecture_style=|founded_by=|established=656|date_destroyed=}} '''{{nihongo|Yasaka Shrine|八坂神社|Yasaka-jinja}}''', also known as '''{{nihongo|Gion Shrine|祇園神社|''Gion-jinja''}}''', is a [[shinto shrine]] in the [[Gion]] District of [[Kyoto]], Japan. It is the central shrine of [[Gion worship]]. It sits at the east end of Fourth Avenue and has various buildings such as gates, a main hall, and a stage. The shrine worships Susanoo as its main deity, along with his partner Kushinadahime on the east and eight other gods known as yahashira no mikogami on the west. These eight gods include Yashimajinumi no kami, Itakeru no kami, Ōyatsuhime no kami, Tsumatsuhime no kami, Ōtoshi no kami, Ukanomitama no kami, Ōyatsuhiko no kami, and Suseribime no mikoto.<ref>{{Cite web|date=21 April 2005|title=Mikogami|url=http://eos.kokugakuin.ac.jp/modules/xwords/entry.php?entryID=13|access-date=29 September 2019|website=Encyclopedia of Shinto|archive-date=30 September 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930212535/http://eos.kokugakuin.ac.jp/modules/xwords/entry.php?entryID=13|url-status=dead}}</ref> == History == The Shrine was first built in 656 and during the early [[Heian period]], it gained support from the Imperial family.<ref>Breen, John ''et al.'' (2000). [https://books.google.com/books?id=MADlfH002mAC&q=oharano ''Shinto in History: Ways of the Kami,'' pp. 74-75.]</ref> In 965, Emperor Murakami ordered the practice of presenting heihaku, or offerings of white cloth, to the guardian kami of Japan to report important events. Initially, these offerings were presented to 16 shrines.;<ref>Ponsonby-Fane, Richard. (1962).