Jishu Jinja

Kyoto’s famous tourist spot in Kiyomizu Temple near the Stage of Kiyomizu. It is said to have been built before the country of Japan was established while Kyoto Valley was still a lake. The shrine was worshipped as the place for longevity. The halls and the ground are designated as national important cultural properties and the world cultural heritage site.

The principal god is Okuninushi no mikoto, known as the god of love. The ground has halls for luck in romance and prayer halls. Koiuranai-no-ishi (love fortune stones) in front of the inner hall is popular. They are sacred stones standing about 10m-apart. If you can walk from one stone to the other with your eyes closed, your wish for love is supposed to come true. A literature from the Edo Period mentions people doing love-fortune-telling with these stones and a recent study discovered the ancient stones are from the Jomon Period.

The Main Hall enshrines the Okuninushi no mikoto’s parent gods, Susanoo no mikoto and Kushinadahime no mikoto and her parent gods, Ashinazuchi no mikoto and Tenazuchi no mikoto. These three-generations of gods are believed to help with child-birth. Visitors pour water and make a wish on Mizukake Jizo statue, pray to Okage Myojin, believed to make one whatever wish come true, or hit the gong three times for good luck on relationships. You can pray for a variety of things in this one precinct.

Love charms for singles, dating couples and married couples are sold on the shrine grounds.