Kyoto Ryozen Gokoku Shrine

Kyoto Ryozen Gokoku Shrine is a Shinto shrine in Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto, best known for enshrining Sakamoto Ryōma. It honors 549 spirits, including patriots of the late Edo period and those who died in World War II. The most visited sites are the graves of Sakamoto Ryōma and Nakaoka Shintarō, located about a 5-minute climb up stone steps from the entrance. A bronze statue of the two stands there, and the viewpoint offers a sweeping panorama of Kyoto city. The sloping approach is called "Ishin no Michi" ("Path of the Restoration") and turns golden in autumn as ginkgo leaves fall. Across the road, the Ryozen Museum of History displays around 500 items, including relics connected to leaders of the Meiji Restoration—an essential stop for history enthusiasts. At the foot of the hill stands the massive 24-meter-tall Ryozen Kannon statue, which visitors can also enter. The shrine is located beyond Kōdai-ji Temple; from Kiyomizu-dera, walk down Sannenzaka and Ninenzaka, turn left at the end, and continue up the slope. While the Sannenzaka/Ninenzaka and Nene-no-michi area is busy with shops and restaurants, the Path of the Restoration becomes quieter as you ascend.