Zeniarai Benten Shrine (Ugafuku-jinja Shrine), Kanagawa

Kamakura has many good fortune spots such as Kotokuin, famous for the Kamakura Daibutsu, Genjiyama Park, and Sasuke Inari Shrine. Blessed with delicious food-gathered from the mountains and the sea, it is also a town with a line of shops with a focus on local produce. “Zeniarai Benten Shrine” (Ugafuku-jinja Shrine) is a small shrine in Kamakura, full of the atmosphere of the old city. In the caves of the shrine, there is a spring called “Zeniarai-mizu” (water of washing money), which is one of the five major waters of Kamakura.
It is a Shinto shrine where you can get the benefit of fortune up in a unique way of washing money. In the old days, it was surrounded by cliffs and it could not be reached without crossing over a rocky mountain. Currently, tunnel is dug and can be worshiped without any hardship. A sight like a hideout is spread beyond the tunnel with this slightly mysterious atmosphere. The sacred fountain is crawling in the rock caves ahead through the tunnels of the countless white trees torii. Money washed with sacred fountain is called money change, and it is said that it will be many times more expensive if it is used meaningfully. A lot of worshipers are visiting to profit from the fortune up.
The grounds are not very large, and it takes about 30 minutes to visit Zeniarai Benten Shrine. Even if it is crowded, it will not take more than an hour. The journey takes more time to come here than to visit the precincts, and it takes less than an hour to go from Kamakura Station. In addition, the god of Zeniarai Benten Shrine and the god of the neighboring Sasukeinari shrine are considered to be the same deity, and it is said that it is better to worship not only one but both when visiting. Considering this Sasukeinari Shrine visit, it will take approximately 2 hours to leave Kamakura Station and to come back to visit.
There is no such thing as when to visit, and you can always benefit from the fortune. However, considering that the way to the shrine is long and there are many slopes, and that the surroundings of the ground are surrounded by rocky mountains and steaming, it is better to avoid the hot summer season.
Kamakura is a town where flowers are so beautiful that it is also called the city of flowers. Especially from spring to early summer, the flowers will be beautiful, so it is recommended that you visit this period to see the beautiful flowers as well as the benefits of the fortune.

Money will increase many times

The Zeniarai Benzaiten Ugafuku-jinja Shrine is famous as sacred place of Kamakura, Kanagawa prefecture. It is known as “Zeniarai Benten” commonly.
It is said that when you wash money with spring water in the precincts of Zeniarai Benten Shrine, money will increase many times. So it’s a very popular spot.
It is said that Yoritomo Minamotono had dreamed one day the divine message as “it will be peacefully subsided if a memorial service is held for Shinto and Buddhist deities with this water.” And it is said that he worshiped Ugajin (identified as Saraswati (god of wealth, music, eloquence and water)) and built this shrine.

Prayed for the prosperity of the family by washing Zeni (money)

Ugajin is god appearing in Japanese mythology, the head is a person and the torso is a serpent. It was believed as God of grain, and god of luck, so it was thought to be the same as Benzaiten (Saraswati), it seems to be called Uga Benzaiten.
Later Tokiyori HOJO prayed for the prosperity of the family by washing Zeni (money) with the spirit water of this place, so it came to be considered that there is a benefit of Zeniarai (to wash money).

Spirit of land is shut up by the special geographical feature

The precincts of Zeniarai Benten Shrine is located beyond the tunnel like a cave. It is said that spirit of land is shut up by the special geographical feature surrounded by the cliff on all sides.
After worshipping at main shrine first and purifying the body, then wash the money in Okumiya (rear shrine). It seems there is no benefit if the body is not purified before washing money.

“Zeniarai Mizu” is counted as one of the five famous water of Kamakura

Goshinsui (sacred water) which gushes to Okumiya is called “Zeniarai Mizu” (the water for washing money) and is counted as one of the five famous water of Kamakura. Since the bamboo baskets for washing money is prepared, put money in this basket and wash it with Goshinsui. And it is said that the money washed and purified is good to use without saving up.

the effect of bringing good luck

Money comes and goes.
Purified money is said to have the effect of bringing good luck and it is said that there is a big divine favor when using it to convey the fortune. It can be expected that the used money will go round and get back becoming several times.

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