Is it possible to double your money simply by washing it? Here at Sanko Inari Shrine, legend says you can. This isn’t just any shrine. Sanko Inari Shrine is a place of history and hope.
Sanko Inari Shrine stands at the base of Inuyama Castle. It was built in the 1500s. It’s known for bringing fortune in romance. People seek luck here for peaceful households and harmonious marriages.
Look around you at the heart-shaped amulets and charms. They’re everywhere. They make this shrine popular for photographers. Sanko Inari Shrine specializes in love. It is dedicated to the guardian deity of Inuyama Castle.
There is a legend of a wish-granting stone. It is said that if the stone is easy to lift, your dreams will be realized easily. The shrine’s original name was “Sankojisan”. It was highly respected by locals and visitors.
Every year on July 22nd, families visit after dark. They carry small red paper lanterns on bamboo branches. These chochin lanterns add to the shrine’s magic. Large Makiwara boats float down the Kiso River. They are decorated with paper lanterns. Traditional music accompanies them. The lanterns’ reflections on the water create an enchanting scene.
Notice the red torii gates near the entrance. They lead to Sanko Inari Shrine. The shrine also enshrines three auxiliary shrines. The Sarutahiko Shrine is for opening the way to the future. The Himekame Shrine brings good luck in marriage and family happiness. The Zenarai Inari Shrine brings good luck in money.
Many people visit Himekame Shrine to pray for love. The heart-shaped ema votive tablets are a popular topic. People often say, “How cute!” Sanko Inari Shrine has a sen-arai inari pond. Visitors soak and wash their money here. This is said to double the amount. Inari means fox. Many shrines enshrine foxes in Japan. Inari is originally the God of grain and agriculture. Now, it is also believed as a god of commerce and industry.
The shrine that enshrines Inari is called Inari Shrine. Fushimi Inari Shrine in Kyoto is the main Shinto shrine. Because it is equated with Ukonomitama, many Inari shrines have made Ukonomitama the main god.
Sanko Inari Shrine is believed to bring you love. This includes couple harmony and matchmaking. It also brings house security and business prosperity. It offers land house purification and safety. It promotes family health.
Remember the heart-shaped ema. Write your wish on the board. Tie it to the provided place to hang it. You are supposed to come back if the wish comes true for appreciation. This unique practice adds to the charm of Sanko Inari Shrine. As you leave Sanko Inari Shrine, remember its blessings. May love and fortune follow you always.