HISTORY of UGENTA

The Torii family company adopted the name “Ugenta” and took its name from the family of artisans who worked diligently in the service of Kifune Shrine. Kifune Shrine was established 1600 years ago by the goddess Tamayori-hime, and as one of the most important shrines in Japan, it is revered as the main shrine of the water gods, managing 500 affiliated shrines across the country.

During the Heian Period (794-1185), Kifune shrine came under the auspices of Kamigamo Shrine.　 However, in 1635, Kifune Shrine challenged the authority of Kamigamo Shrine, but in decisions handed down from the 1660s through the 1760s, Kifune lost the suit. Three representatives of the Kifune priesthood, including Ugenta, fell on their own swords on the banks of the Kamo River.

In 1871, the new government of the Meiji Emperor, in accordance with its seizure of temples and shrines, also confiscated the land of Kifune Shrine, and it came under the direct management of Kyoto Prefecture. Kifune Shrine's 700-year relationship with Kamigamo Shrine ended and its independence restored.

However, along with its independence, the hereditary priesthood of Kifune Shrine was disbanded. The Ugenta family, now unemployed, sold lumber and charcoal from the mountains, living off of the resources from the forest. 90 years later, in 1962, my mother started up an eatery and inn. This was the beginning of present-day "UGENTA".

Current representative, Torii Ugenta Hiroyuki