The Kyoto Shugoshoku
京都守護職
"Kyoto Shugoshoku（京都守護職）" was the Military Governor of Kyoto, established in the last days of Tokugawa shogunate.
Katamori MATSUDAIRA（松平容保）, the feudal lord of Aizu Clan, took up this post on September 24, 1862 leading with over 1,000 soldiers of Aizu clan.
He placed the headquarters of Kyoto Shugoshoku at Konkaikomyo-ji Temple （金戒光明寺）.
There was the Daimyo's residence on the west side of the Imperial Palace, and training ground was set up in Shogoin Village (聖護院村) to practice Western-style military training.
Following the family motto "To be loyal to the Shogun family" left by the feudal lord Masayuki HOSHINA （保科正之）, The Aizu clan left did great contribution for the peace of the city.
In December 1867, when the 15th Shogun, Yoshinobu TOKUGAWA（徳川慶喜）, restored government to the Emperor and ended the Edo Shogunate, the Kyoto Shugoshoku was also abolished.
The Shinsengumi
新選組
"Shinsengumi (新選組)" , launched in 1863 was a special police force to counter pro-imperial and anti-Shogunate subversion in Kyoto.
They were placed under the control of Katamori MATSUDAIRA（松平容保）, the feudal lord of the Aizu Clan, who held the position of "Kyoto Shugoshoku（京都守護職）".
The “Ikedaya Incident（池田屋事件）” was the one of the most famous matter which greatly contributed by Shinsengumi (新選組).
They attacked and caught the imperial loyalists who were planning a terrorist attack at the Ikedaya Inn （池田屋）.
At the peak, over 200 soldiers were enrolled in the Shinsengumi (新選組), but they shared their fate with the former Shogunate army who lost the battle of Toba - Fushimi, and ended in the battle of Goryokaku in Hakodate in 1869.
Mibu-dera Temple
Mibu-dera Temple has been established in 991.
Well known as " A temple of Jizo Bosatsu（地蔵菩薩）", for avoidance of Bad Luck.
Especially, the Setsubun festival（節分） at this temple is one of the most famous seasonal events in Kyoto.
Mibu-dera Temple is well known by “Mibu Kyogen（壬生狂言）” performance, the religious pantomime, designated as an Important Immaterial National Folk-Art Treasure.
Mibu Kyogen is performed at Kyogen-do hall in February (SETSUBUN Festival) , Spring, and Autumn.
The Shinsengumi（新選組）, a special police force launched in 1863 set up their military post in Mibu area and they used this temple as a military training ground.
In Mibu-zuka, there are some memorial monuments and the graves of the Shinsengumi soldiers enshrined reverently.
Shogo-in Temple
In 1090, Zoyo（増誉）, a personal monk of Emperor Shirakawa was awarded this temple from the Emperor for the achievement of the guiding to the pilgrimage of Kumano.
Because of the deep connection with the Imperial family, the royal family and regents have served as chief priests for generations until the Meiji Restoration.
In 1864, the Kyoto Shugoshoku（京都守護職）, built a training ground in the demesne of the temple and trained in Western-style military arts.
Inside the building, more than 130 sliding screens painted by the School of Kano（狩野派）, which is one of the most celebrated Japanese painters groups are conserved.
From Heian to Edo period, Sho-goin Temple used to prosper as the largest headquarter of Shugendo（修験道）, which is a Japanese unique mountain religion developed by combining ancient worship with the elements of foreign beliefs such as Buddhism and Taoism.
At its peak, over 20,000 temples were under the control of Shogo-in Temple.
Nowadays, this temple is still well-known as one of the most famous headquarters of Shugendo.
Konkai-Komyoji Temple
Konkai-Komyoji Temple was founded in 1175, and is one of the eight headquarters of Jodo sect, the major Buddhist denominations.
The precincts of the temple include the site where HONEN（法然）, the founder of the Jodo sect, stayed with his lifelong follower Shinku（信空) after leaving the Mt. Hiei in 1175 to proclaim his new Pure Land teaching.
Konkai-Komyoji Temple is one of the Kyoto's most famous spots for cherry blossoms and autumn leaves.
During the peak of autumn colored leaves, special exhibition and nighttime illuminations are held.
In 1862, Konkai-Komyoji Temple became the headquarters of the "Kyoto Shugoshoku（京都守護職）", and about 1,000 Aizu clan soldiers were stationed in this temple.
In the temple, there is a cemetery to honor over 350 war dead of the Aizu clan of the end of Edo period.