Kifune Shrine, located at Sakyo in Kyoto City, is the headquarters for 500 Kifune shrines located all over Japan. It is dedicated to the god of water, Takaokamino-kami.

The shrine is said to have been established 1500 years ago.  Legend has it that Tamayoribime, the goddess of Kamomioya Shrine (Shimogama Shrine), boarded a yellow boat, arrived there and enshrined the god of water.

For its long history, it has been famous as the shrine used to pray for rain. When the rain was scarce, a black horse was dedicated and when it rained too much, a white or red one.  Instead of live horses, sometimes, wooden plaques with the picture of a horse were dedicated; this is the origin of 'Ema', using a wooden plaque to make a wish. Banchohime, famous as the goddess offering good marriages is dedicated in the shrine.　Also the shrine is known as the place for Ushinokoku-mairi, praying for a curse on someone in the middle of the night.

According to the fairy tale 'Kifune's story', in the dream of Fujihara Isejin, the god of Kifune Shrine told him to build Kurama Temple. It also mentions that Setsubun, the ritual of driving demons away, and Gosekku, five special days for Japanese traditional annual events, originated in Kifune Shrine and Kurama Temple.