Introduction
Our last foray into money shrines took us around Tokyo; fittingly, half of them were located in Nihonbashi, the financial district. However, wishing for wealth isn’t just a pastime for denizens of the capital city — these dreams are for everyone.
Here, we take a look at another five money shrines around Japan. While one can arguably pray for better finances at most places, making a pilgrimage to further-flung shrines might suggest to higher powers that you’re taking these dreams seriously. Stay tuned for part two.
Awa Shrine, Chiba
Believed to have been founded as far back as 660 BC, Awa Shrine in Tateyama City is one of Japan’s ‘Three Great Money Luck Shrines,’ alongside Kinkengū in Ishikawa Prefecture and Arayayama Shrine in Yamanashi Prefecture. But given that there are so many shrines that offer financial blessings, what distinguishes these three from the rest?
In the case of Awa Shrine, praying here is thought to bring blessings of real, sustained, and sustainable financial prosperity, rather than quick riches through windfalls and lottery wins. The emphasis is on cultivating one’s skills and creativity, and through honest effort, achieving success in one’s work or business, leading to long-term financial wellbeing.
The shrine’s principal deity supports this idea. Amenofutodama, a close associate of the sun goddess Amaterasu, is the deity of industry and manufacturing, which in ancient Japan encompassed mirrors, jewellery, textiles, weaponry, and temple construction.
According to the Kogo Shūi (early Heian historical records of the Inbe clan), Amenofutodama was the ancestral deity of the Inbe clan. When they migrated to the Bōsō Peninsula and brought agricultural, textile, and metalworking techniques with them. In other words, prosperity for the region came about through industrial development — people learning how to make an honest living through new skills. For this reason, entrepreneurs, creative professionals, and freelancers are particularly strong devotees of Awa Shrine.
Amenofutodama and his consort Amenohiritome dwell in the Upper Shrine, and are said to grant blessings for business success, upskilling, and corporate growth. (And gambling, apparently.) For tackling new business opportunities and expanding one’s network, visit the Lower Shrine. It is home to Amenotomi and Amenoshihito; the former is the deity of ‘development of the Bōsō Peninsula,’ and the latter is Amenofutodama’s younger brother. Both are said to grant blessings of perseverance and focus for new ventures.
A few of the Inbe clan’s other ancestral deities at Awa Shrine may be of interest to creatives and craftspeople. Amenohiwashi is the deity of textiles and paper-making, and reputedly grants blessings to those working in apparel, paper, and publishing. Hikosashiri and Taokihooi are the deities of forestry, construction, and weaponry. Kushiakarutama (or Tamanoya), the deity believed to have crafted the first magatama. His domain encompasses the decorative arts, the beauty industry, getting into art schools, and artistic development generally.
However, the chief reason Awa Shrine is now known as one of Japan’s three major money shrines is because of management consultant and entrepreneur Yukio Funai (1933-2014). Funai famously recommended in 2004 that people with financial concerns visit these three shrines, ensuring that people all over Japan would know of their existence.
Besides all the other reasons cited above, he also liked Awa Shrine for its geographical location on a ley line that runs from Mount Hakusan to Mount Fuji — a source of spiritual energy that would awaken one’s inherent potential, ultimately leading to better financial fortune. Visitors have reported feeling lighter and more refreshed, their energy levels restored. Your mileage may vary; I would attribute it to getting out of the city and spending time in a peaceful, nature-rich place.
All of this should be taken with a large pinch of salt. However, we can’t fault Awa Shrine’s core message: there’s no such thing as instant wealth. You create your own luck, but the gods might offer a little bit of help with harnessing your creative and entrepreneurial potential.
Kinkengū, Ishikawa
Kinkengū is another of Japan’s three major money shrines, thought to have been founded around 95 BC. It was formerly called Tsurugi-no-miya, or Shrine of the Sword, lending its name to what is now the city of Tsurugi. Its present name means ‘Golden Sword Shrine’ as many of its devotees who lived in the area were metalworkers. The shrine’s annual autumn festival, the Hōrai Festival, is Tsurugi City’s largest such celebration, featuring a grand procession with lion dances and giant floats.
None of the deities at Kinkengū have anything to do with bringing wealth. Ninigi, grandson of the sun goddess Amaterasu, is the principal deity here; a subsidiary shrine, Otokami, enshrines Hikohohodemi, the youngest son of Ninigi, known for ensuring bountiful harvests.
One could argue that they bestowed blessings for opening new paths, thereby bringing wealth. But really, it was the aforementioned Funai Yukio who was responsible for catapulting this shrine to (undeserved) financial fame, having written about it in his book, Iyashirochi: The Place Where All Things Are Revived. He identified one of the deities at Kinkengū as 金勝金目尊 Kanakatsukana, who brings financial luck. However, this deity doesn’t appear in any major historical records like the Kojiki or Nihon Shōki, and the only mentions of him all seem to trace back to Funai himself. Ergo, another pinch of salt may be required here.
Indeed, the shrine priest was careful to emphasise that “it was originally simply the local community shrine… as a shrine, our main focus is not financial luck.” This didn’t stop them from capitalising on their newfound notoriety and selling money-themed lucky amulets and fortune-telling slips, nor did it quell the surge of visitors for years after SoftBank Group president Masayoshi Son visited in 2012. Well, que será. If nothing else, the shrine itself is a lovely place to visit.
Kogane Shrine, Gifu
The name of this shrine is literally ‘Gold Shrine,’ which is pretty self-explanatory. If visitors were ever in doubt, the golden torii gate drives the point home: pray here, and you too might find success and prosperity.
Established during the reign of Emperor Seimu in 135, the principal deity at Kogane Shrine is Kogane-no-ōkami (Great Deity of Gold). The other deities venerated here are Nunoshihime, Inishikiirihino, Ichihaya, and Hibasuhime. Nunoshihime was the consort of Inishikiirihino, the deity of Inaba Shrine, and the mother of Ichihaya, deified at Kashimori Shrine. It seems that these three shrines have a close working relationship.
A local legend describes how Inishikiirihino was falsely accused of rebellion by a certain Mutsunokami Toyomasu. (The latter’s identity is unclear, but he may have been a member of the Toyo clan.) Inishiki was deemed an enemy of the court, and killed upon arriving in the area that would later become Gifu City. Nunoshihime was struck by grief upon hearing of his death, so she left the capital and travelled to this area to pray and pacify her husband’s spirit.
During her time here, she drew on her own resources (wealth) to help develop the area, allowing industry and agriculture to flourish. Her benevolence in life led to the locals enshrining her as a deity of wealth after her death. Some theories consider her and Kogane-no-ōkami to be one and the same, while others think that Kogane-no-ōkami collectively refers to the four named deities.
Goshuin collectors should take note of Premium Gold Friday at Kogane Shrine. While the priests use black ink for standard goshuin, a gold ink version is available only on the last Friday of each month. The same day also sees a special version of the usual wealth-themed lucky amulet being sold.
Kanahebisui Shrine, Miyagi
Snakes have a long association with wealth and divine blessings in Japanese mythology, especially white and gold ones. The serpent deity, Ugajin, is often conflated with Benzaiten, the Buddhist manifestation of Hindu goddess Sarasvati. They are regarded as one and the same; both are believed to bring prosperity and bountiful harvests. As such, there are numerous shrines around Japan dedicated to snakes.
Kanahebisui Shrine is written with the characters for ‘metal,’ ‘snake,’ and ‘water.’ Precisely when it was established is unknown, but the legend behind its name dates back to the tenth century, and concerns a blacksmith named Sanjō Munechika who had been tasked with forging a sword for Emperor Ichijō. He travelled through the country searching for a place to set up a forge, and eventually encountered a beautiful stream that venerated a water deity deep in a forest, its pure waters ideal for sword-smithing.
However, Munechika couldn’t focus on his work: the frogs nearby were croaking too loudly for him to concentrate. He made a metal snake and left it in the rice paddy to frighten the frogs into silence. With that, he was able to successfully craft a magnificent sword, and he offered the metal snake to the shrine as thanks to the deity.
For over a millennium now, people have prayed at Kanahebisui Shrine for wealth and protection. Enshrined within are Benzaiten and Mizuhanome, a water goddess also associated with snakes. (“Fun” fact: Mizuhanome — literally meaning ‘water gushing woman’ — was born from the urine of Izanami.) The object of worship is (reputedly) the metal snake forged by Munechika. The shrine is home to a gorgeous 300 year-old wisteria tree, a peony garden, and Sando Terrace, a recent 2020 addition to the precincts that has a rest area, souvenir shop, cafe, and art gallery.
At the south side of the shrine outside the main building is a line of jamonseki, stones with (very cool) naturally-occurring snake patterns. If there is a particular stone you gravitate towards on an intuitive level, stroking the pattern with your hand or wallet will reputedly bring wealth, good luck, and healing. For additional blessings, stop by the sub-shrine that’s home and pay your respects to Kanahebi Benzaiten, dedicated to wealth, wisdom, and artistic development.
Kabushima Shrine, Aomori
Kabushima Shrine is perched on a small hill of the same name in Hachinohe City, Aomori Prefecture. The shrine was first built in 1269, originally patronised by fishermen to pray for safety and good fishing at sea. Although it was originally an actual island surrounded by sea on all sides, the Japanese navy reclaimed land around it to build a military base in 1942, connecting it to the mainland. Kabushima Shrine most recently burned down in November 2015, and was rebuilt in 2020.
Its association with wealth and financial luck hinges on a pun: ‘kabu’ is a homonym for ‘stock’ and 'turnip' in Japanese, so people visit to pray for good luck in the stock market and for their portfolios (or favourite meme stocks) to do well. The pun is a common enough one; Animal Crossing: New Horizons players may recall the turnips that are traded on the Stalk Market — a brilliant bit of Japanese-English localisation if there was ever one.
Another interpretation is that it sounds similar to ‘kabu’ in the sense of ‘popularity’ or ‘influence,’ so people also pray to improve their personal standing.
Financial blessings aside, the shrine has been designated a National Natural Monument, as it is the nesting ground for black-tailed gulls. Most of their other breeding grounds are located on inaccessible cliffs or remote islands, and this is reputedly the only place in Japan where visitors can see the breeding of black-tailed gulls up close in such numbers — as many as 30,000 or 40,000, once the eggs have hatched in late spring.
There is a ritual one can take part in: on Benzaiten’s holy day, which occurs every 60 days during odd-numbered months, walk around the shrine three times to purify one’s soul and invite good luck. The path is wide enough for one person, flanked by hundreds of seagulls unfazed by human presence.
The black-tailed gulls are considered (one of) the messengers of Benzaiten, and some believe that getting seagull droppings on you is a harbinger of good fortune. This belief also hinges on a pun: ‘luck,’ or ‘un,’ is a homonym for ‘poop.’
Should you get some droppings on you while walking around the shrine, you can apparently show them to the shrine office and they’ll issue you a commemorative certificate of good luck 会運証明書. (I suppose there has to be some upside for having bird poop on you.) Fortunately, there are umbrellas provided for visitors who would rather avoid seagull blessings altogether.
Written by Florentyna Leow