This was our field trip to the Zeniarai (moneywash, literally) Ugafuku Jinja. About a kilometer from Kamakura station, the last little bit up-hill, I think I was resting, not necessarily getting a wide shot.
Reina and Jun-yi on the outside.
Reina and I ready to go in. One of the things I loved about walking here was the cool looking houses we passed. Some were Bavarian looking. And I didn't take any pictures. Houses are so utilitarian here in Japan, that often you don't see a pleasing to the eye house. It was a nice walk, just because I like to look at houses, and there were many unique ones!
Then you go through the tunnel into the shrine.
You know it's a shrine, because of the torii gates.
This is looking straight up. All the ferns and fauna. So pretty!
Before entering a shrine, you wash your hands. Reina has good form!
Jun-yi and I, looking back towards the tunnel.
The first building you see, is the place where you can buy stuff.
Okay, so what is incense doing at a Shinto Shrine? Well, not all Buddhist things were thrown out of the shrines during the Meiji restoration. You pull the smoke over what you want healed. Can you heal fat? I'm trying to here. :)
This small shrine outside of the cave had eggs. When the original 'vision' of this place was seen in a dream by Yoritomo Minamoto, (e was the founder of this area as capitol under the shogunate), it was the year and month of a snake. So, eggs are placed here for that deity who told him of this place in the hills where there is water.
First they washed rice for crops, and eventually it became money. It is thought that your money will be doubled if you wash it and spend it wisely.
Of course, it tells you how to do this.
The cave kind of has a back, open part, and a shrine inside.
You take a basket, put your money in, and then wash it in this spring water that is flowing through the cave.
Jun-yi and Reina weren't as greedy as me. I think they just washed coins.
I went for the big bucks. And, just to make sure the Goddess of Fortune was happy, I washed a woman on the ¥5000 note. Mother Nature, now the Godess of Fortune. We're taking over the world, guys!
Coming out of the cave, you see more torii gates.
This is looking into the cave where you wash your money.
Jun-yi and Reina are buying omamori, or protection charm for a friend who is going to have a baby.
The price list. Even the numbers are in kanji! I wonder how much wet money they're given for the souvenirs and eggs sold here. Reina bought us salt. Salt is thought to ward off bad spirits in front of a house. I joke that William still comes inside, no matter how much salt I form into a pyramid in a tiny dish on my doorstep!
There are so many little shrines to visit in this little canyon amongst the hills.
The vegetation was spectacular.
And you can see some of the natural spring. I wonder if it ever dries up? You are in the hills above the city. It's not like they have snow pack here!
These ladies just wouldn't leave so we could take a picture.
Of course, I had to get a koi picture. This is what they're looking at. If I get rich this year, I'm going back and washing more money!
This was our field trip to the Zeniarai (moneywash, literally) Ugafuku Jinja. About a kilometer from Kamakura station, the last little bit up-hill, I think I was resting, not necessarily getting a wide shot.
Reina and Jun-yi on the outside.
Reina and I ready to go in. One of the things I loved about walking here was the cool looking houses we passed. Some were Bavarian looking. And I didn't take any pictures. Houses are so utilitarian here in Japan, that often you don't see a pleasing to the eye house. It was a nice walk, just because I like to look at houses, and there were many unique ones!
Then you go through the tunnel into the shrine.
You know it's a shrine, because of the torii gates.
This is looking straight up. All the ferns and fauna. So pretty!
Before entering a shrine, you wash your hands. Reina has good form!
Jun-yi and I, looking back towards the tunnel.
The first building you see, is the place where you can buy stuff.
Okay, so what is incense doing at a Shinto Shrine? Well, not all Buddhist things were thrown out of the shrines during the Meiji restoration. You pull the smoke over what you want healed. Can you heal fat? I'm trying to here. :)
This small shrine outside of the cave had eggs. When the original 'vision' of this place was seen in a dream by Yoritomo Minamoto, (e was the founder of this area as capitol under the shogunate), it was the year and month of a snake. So, eggs are placed here for that deity who told him of this place in the hills where there is water.
First they washed rice for crops, and eventually it became money. It is thought that your money will be doubled if you wash it and spend it wisely.
Of course, it tells you how to do this.
The cave kind of has a back, open part, and a shrine inside.
You take a basket, put your money in, and then wash it in this spring water that is flowing through the cave.
Jun-yi and Reina weren't as greedy as me. I think they just washed coins.
I went for the big bucks. And, just to make sure the Goddess of Fortune was happy, I washed a woman on the ¥5000 note. Mother Nature, now the Godess of Fortune. We're taking over the world, guys!
Coming out of the cave, you see more torii gates.
This is looking into the cave where you wash your money.
Jun-yi and Reina are buying omamori, or protection charm for a friend who is going to have a baby.
The price list. Even the numbers are in kanji! I wonder how much wet money they're given for the souvenirs and eggs sold here. Reina bought us salt. Salt is thought to ward off bad spirits in front of a house. I joke that William still comes inside, no matter how much salt I form into a pyramid in a tiny dish on my doorstep!
There are so many little shrines to visit in this little canyon amongst the hills.
The vegetation was spectacular.
And you can see some of the natural spring. I wonder if it ever dries up? You are in the hills above the city. It's not like they have snow pack here!
These ladies just wouldn't leave so we could take a picture.
Of course, I had to get a koi picture. This is what they're looking at. If I get rich this year, I'm going back and washing more money!
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