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Annunciation Cathedral developed from the efforts of early missionaries sent by Bishop [[Nicholas of Japan|Nicholas (Kasatkin}]], the Apostle to Japan, during the latter decades of the nineteenth century. The initial [[missionary]] in the Kyoto district was Pavel Nakakouji, a catechist who visited the city in 1880. By 1889, a meeting hall was acquired in the central district of the city and a full time catechist, Kiril Sasaba (Masakichi), was assigned to the mission under the supervision of Father John Ono (Shogoro), the [[priest]] in the neighboring city of Osaka.
In 1890, a missionary [[hieromonk]] from Russia, [[Serguis I (Stragorodsky) of Moscow|Serguis I (Stragorodsky) of Moscow|Sergius (Stragorodsky)]], later [[patriarch]] of Russia, was assigned to the [[church]] in Kyoto where he developed the pastoral life of the Kyoto [[parish]] during the next three years. Subsequent to his return to Russia, Fr. Sergius wrote a book of his experiences in Japan entitled "Hokkaido Travel Notes".
In 1894, Fr. [[Simeon Michiro Mii|Simeon Mii (Michiro)]] was assigned to the Kyoto community. During Fr. Simeon's tenure the site of the old Kyoto Noh theater in Yanagi-no-Banba, Doori-Nijo Agaru was purchased in 1897 upon which the present Annunciation church was built. The church, designed by the architect Matsumuro Shigemitsu, was completed in December 1901. Bishop Nicholas of Tokyo [[consecration of a church|consecrated]] the new house of prayer in May 1903. Commemorating the consecration of the church, the parish received a [[Gospel Book]] bearing the signature of St. [[John of Kronstadt]]. Additionally, as an annex to the church, the Kyoto Orthodox Women's School was founded with the completion of the church. The school was supervised by Nadezhda Takahashi (Ine).
