Kuzuharaoka-jinja, Shinto shrine in Japan
Kuzuharaoka-jinja is a Shinto shrine set on Mt. Genji in Kamakura, surrounded by tall trees and sloping green grounds. The complex features a modest main hall, the tomb of Hino Toshimoto from the late medieval period, Enmusubi stones for love wishes, a wooden statue of the prosperity deity Daikoku, and a smaller Inari shrine dedicated to business luck.
The shrine was established in 1887 to honor Hino Toshimoto, a scholar and advisor to Emperor Godaigo who resisted the Kamakura shogunate in the late 14th century. His dedication to imperial authority and opposition to military rule made him a symbol of loyalty in Japanese history, and his remains rest within the grounds as a national historic site.
The shrine is known for blessings related to love and marriage, which visitors seek by tying red strings between the Enmusubi stones. Heart-shaped wooden plaques line the grounds where people write their wishes for romantic happiness and hang them as offerings.
The site is accessible on foot from Kamakura Station in about 35 minutes, with paths leading through a park and some steep sections that require comfortable footwear. Hours follow sunrise and sunset, and the administrative office is open in the morning and early afternoon for purchasing charms and receiving information.
Visitors can participate in a tradition called the Masaru Stone, where small sake cups are thrown at stones to ward off misfortune. The broken pieces create a colorful mosaic across the ground, forming a lively scene that many people enjoy photographing.
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