Kyoto #38: 車折神社【Kurumazaki Shrine】

車折神社【Kurumazaki Shrine】 has an interesting feature!! It is well known that celebrities, actors, and actresses like these people often come and pray their wish to be more famous or make a success!!

These all are the names of people who have a dream to become famous and celebrity!! In addition, the anime’s character of ONE PIECE!!

Actually, 車折神社【Kurumazaki Shrine】has lots of sub-shrines at the same ground!! So that’s why a wide variety of people visit there and pray for their wishes!! It’s really near the Kurumazaki shrine station. You can go there by walk for a few minutes from that station!!

I guess it’s one of the minor places for foreign tourists, that’s why I’ll introduce it to you!! I recommend that you’ll visit there after you’ve enough enjoyed things and places around Arashiyama. I hope it’ll be included in your future itinerary of Japan trip!!

車折神社【Kurumazaki shrine】

車折神社【Kurumazaki Shrine】is located in the east side of 嵐山【Arashiyama Area】. As I said before, Kurumazaki Shrine where is a popular tourist destination in Kyoto, is famous as a celebrity power spot which means a kind of spiritual place specific for entertainers.

The origin of its name came 車折【Kurumazaki】from a history Arashiyama. That’s when the Emperor came to one of the rivers in Arashiyama to play, the perch of the cow carriage was broken in front of this shrine. So that’s why it’s named from the combination of Japanese words (carriage = 車【Kuruma】 + Break = 折【Saki】).

Like this the cow carriage (But actually this one is for 人力車, not a cow but human)

It’s really near the Kurumazaki shrine station. You can go there by walk for a few minutes from that station!!

本殿【Main Shrine】
Then you’ll get to the main shrine (hall) of Kurumazaki Shrine. Kurumazaki Shrine indicates the better way to pray our wishes there. Let’s do pray following this way below!!

How to pray
①When you get to the shrine, first clean your hands and mouth in 手水舎【Tyozuya】.

②And then, instead of heading to the main shrine, head to the 清めの社【Kiyome-no-Yashiro】which is located on the way from the front gate to the main shrine. Let’s cleanse your mind and body by purifying bad fortunes and relationships.

Kiyome-no-Yashiro

③Next, you will receive a prayer stone at the office and head to the main shrine.
At the main shrine, pray with 祈念神石【Kinen Shinseki】 in both hands and worship and pray with your heart in mind. (In my case, I just prayed for my wish at the main shrine without that specific stone).

I hope your wishes come true in your future as soon as possible!!!

Kurumazaki Shrine

Kinen Shinseki

芸能神社
The shrine has several sub-shrines. One of which is Geino-jinja shrine, for example, can help people in the entertainment business. Benefits such as increased work by worshiping are well known in the entertainment world, and entertainers who actually visit will never end.

The name of the devoted entertainer is written in the red-painted 玉垣【Tamagaki】 lined up in a row to fill the precincts.