Visit Strange Shrines in Kyoto, Worship to Show Respect!

Shrines are very common in Kyoto. You can't miss large and small shrines when you are in Kyoto. Shrines are the center of the original religious faith, the Shinto, which are mainly used to worship the Amaterasu-Oomikami and the gods of all kinds of nature. Different shrines have different guard gods and they bless diverse areas! From longevity, knowledge, marriage to beauty, even "divorce" shrine , you could find in Japan. Let us explore various strange shrines in Kyoto, worship in advance to show respect, regardless of the effectiveness!

The Jishu Jinja is located in Kiyomizu-dera Temple. The Shyusaijin is Oponamuti no kami. It is a famous shrine in Japan where people pray for love.

Strange point: there are two stones in front of Jishu Jinja which are about ten meters apart. It is said that if you blindfold your eyes and walk from one end to the other to touch the other stone, you can obtain true love. It is somewhat hard, so many people close their eyes and let their companies to lead them to touch the stone.

Gokami Jinja is located in Sagaogurayama, which is the only shrine to pray for the protection of hair in Japan. There are two kinds of people who come here to pray. One is hairdressers around Japan who pray for the success of their career. The other one is the people who are worried about their hair, such as thinning hair, hair loss, receding hairline.

If you have interest, you can look at the Ema hanging in the shrine secretly on which people write many good wishes for their hair, making you can not help laughing. If you or your friends have similar worries, you can buy a bomb Omamori in the shrine to pray for the healthy growth of the hair.

Strange point: it is said that if you pray for no hair related worries, you should cut a pinch of hair and worship it in front of the mound of hair. Isn't such worship method raise the risk of hair?!

Picture of pray Ema from a Japanese friend saying that " I don't want to be bald!". Critical things should be written for 7 times!

Bigozensha Shrine is located in Yasaka Jinja. It is said that as long as you worship the three beautiful Kami enshrined in the shrine sincerely, you will become beautiful from the inside out. Therefore, from ancient times to the present, Geisha, Maiko and makeup artists and hairdressers in Kyoto nearby, including current beauty pharmacy's owner, cosmetic surgeon come here to worship.

Strange point: there is a pond of beauty water in front of this small shrine. It is said that the face could be softened and more beautiful through 2 or 3 drops of the water.

When I applied the water on my face last time, a Japanese girl next to me shouted, " I don't need to buy SK-II treatment essence after applying this!"

Kawai Jinja is located in Shimogamo Jinja, with Tamayoribime being enshrined. She takes the responsibility of protecting the females and realize their dreams of becoming pretty, healthy and keeping young. She is the embodiment of beauty and is known as Japan's first beauty god. " I am beautiful than you", Tamayoribime surpasses all of the beauty gods through her power.

Everything in the shrine is associated with beauty. A white stone being enshrined could be used to pray for better skin. The beauty water for sale is made from the pear in the Shimogamo Shrine. Apart from the sweet and sour flavor, it also has the effect of making the skin more beautiful (500 yen each). The mirror Omamori which is made of lace fabric can be used to pray for becoming prettier at any time.

Strange point: the Ema of the shrine is particularly different, with the shape like a hand-held mirror. Simple five sense organs have already been printed on the Ema. You need to make up for it ideally. It would be better if you use your own cosmetics! After making up, put the Ema on the shelf in the shrine.

Since there is a "fate connection" shrine, the shrine of "cut off the fate connection" also exists.

Yasui-Konpiragu which enshrines Sutoku-joukou is a famous shrine for cutting off the bad fate connection. A stone monument of fate connection and cutting off the fate connection stands in the center of the shrine, which is covered with paper strips that people use to pray. When pray, the visitor should hold the paper strip with his wish and let it get in and out of the hole in the middle of the stone monument once. Then, stick the paper strip on the stone monument.

Yasui-Konpiragu not only can cut off the bad fate connection, you can pray for saying goodbye to the people you don't want to meet, bad habits and conditions at the shrine, too.

Strange point: absorbing a lot of negative energy through reading the pray paper stripes and Ema hanging on the stone monument. For example, divorce with dear wife, let husband separate with mistress, even let the competitor become injured... Is it ok?

When the capital of Japan was moved from Heiankyo, Kifune-jinja was worshiped as the god of water. The shrine is known for many women come to worship between 1 a.m. to 3 a.m. .It is said that Izumi Shikibu has also worshiped here with the hope of saving the love from her husband. Finally, her wish was realized.

Strange point: Kifune-jinja is very considerate. Since it is the shrine to worship the god of water, it launches the divination method which uses the water as the media. Compared with drawing lots in common shrines, it is more creative. Firstly, get an empty lot and put it in the water of Mizuura Uniwa. The letters on the lot will appear gradually.

The shrine is northwest of the Ichijo Modoribasi, which is the former residence of the ancient Onmyoji, Seimei. The Onmyoji (geomancer) employed by the emperor during Heian time, Abe Seimei, is enshrined in Seimei Shrine. On September 22nd and 23rd, a costume ritual will be held in front of the shrine to worship Abe Seimei, with as many as 400 people attending.

It is said that Onmyoji masters the magic of beating the evils, among which Abe Seimei is the most famous one, leaving a lot of lengendaries. According to the legend, the writer Baku Yumemakura wrote a series of novels, Onmyoji, which was popular for a while. Later, the novel was also adapted into a popular movie, Onmyoji. Seimei Shrine has always been famous in Kyoto. Kyoto's citizens appreciate his continuous protection. Later, many visitors become the fans of Abe Seimei under the impact of novels, movies or animations, thus visiting the shrine.

Strange point: I heard that there have been a lot of game homebodies gathered here recently. Due to the launch of the mobile game Onmyoji, many strange visitors- a group of crazy homebody gameplayers- visit Seimei Shrine.

It is said that there are a lot of Ema about games in the shrine. I can't help laughing.