Zeniarai Benzaiten Ugafuku Shrine In Kamakura - Help Your Money Luck!

From the year 1185 to 1333, Japan was ruled by the Kamakura Bakufu (*1). In the city of Kamakura, there are many places related to Minamoto no Yoritomo, who was the warlord of the area and the founder of the Kamakura Bakufu. The Zeniarai Benzaiten Ugafuku Shrine is one such place.

_{*1 Kamakura Bakufu: a government organized by samurai that was created by Minamoto no Yoritomo in 1185.}

What is Zeniarai Benzaiten Ugafuku Shrine?

At the end of the twelfth century, all sorts of disasters struck Kamakura and many of its people suffered. One day in the year 1185, Minamoto no Yoritomo has a dream where the God of Luck, Ugafuku visits him and tells him, "perform a service for the Buddha in the fountain in order to restore peace in the land." After the premonition, Minamoto no Yoritomo sets out to find a spring and builds a yashiro (*2) to restore peace.

After many years in 1257, Hojo Tokiyori who had an important post in the Kamakura shogunate visited the spring and washed his money while praying for his family prosperity. People then began to believe that money would double if you wash your money in the spring.

This belief spread across Japan and many strong believers still visit to give their prayers at this shrine. This spring is also considered to be one of the cleanest waters in Kamakura and was selected as one of the top five waters of Kamakura.

In addition to that, this shrine is also known to have the Eggplant that Grants Wishes (an eggplant charm). For many years, the Japanese have believed that eggplants bring good luck and grant wishes.

This charm is also used by celebrities like Reni Takagi from the Japanese idol group, Momoiro Clover Z.
*2 Yashiro: A structure said to be the dwelling of a deity.