Enjoy and explore Kyoto with a local guide. private Kyoto tours, Chaelie's Kyoto Tours.

Exciting Rugby matches are come to Japan this autumn.
Rugby World Cup is one of the biggest sports events in the world, along with The Summer Olympic Games and FIFA World Cup.
From September 20th to November 2nd, one and half month rugby competition is being held in the twelve cities throughout Japan and excitement is spreading across the world.

Let me introduce Shimogamo Shrine, one of the UNESCO world heritage sites and it is located near Kamo River and the shrine complex is surrounded by TAdasu no Mori, a forest which has lush greenery and a lot of trees up to 600 years old.
The shrine is a must-visit site for rugby fans and deeply related to rugby.

There is a small shrine in Shimogamo Shrine called Sawata shrine.
In 1911, the very first rugby match in Kansai region took place at the ground of Tadasu no Mori in the precinct of Shimogamo Shrine. To celebrate the first match here, the students from Kyoto University rugby team built a stone monument in 1969. The words, ”The place of the first kick off” were inscribed on the monument.
At Sawata Shrine, just beside the stone monument, the deity of Kemari, a traditional Japanese kicking game and football is enshrined.
People come to pray for their improvement in ball sports.

There is another small shrine called Kawai Shrine, nearby Sawata Shrine.
Here visitors can purchase Ema, a wooden tablet which people write their wishes and offer them to the deity in the shape of a rugby ball!!
You see a lot of Ema hung at the Shrine by hundreds of rugby players and fans for the success in their careers and teams.

You can visit a stadium in Osaka or Kobe to watch the rugby matches and also there are a few places offering a public screening in Kyoto. At Shimogamo Shrine, the final match will be broadcasting on a big screen so a lot of people will expect to gather at the shrine.

Let’s go and enjoy the rugby matches in Japan’s ancient capital, Kyoto!