A man bowed under the thick sacred rope in Samukawa Jinja

Man bowing under thick sacred rope — Man bowing under the thick sacred rope

Passing through the shrine gate, I entered the precincts of the Samukawa Jinja Shrine surrounded by a corridor. The square in front of the shrine building is spacious. Samukawa Shrine is said to have the second largest number of Hatsumode worshippers in Kanagawa Prefecture after Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine in Kamakura, but on an ordinary weekend in May, the shrine is deserted. Compared to the spacious precincts of the shrine, there are few worshippers, which makes it a bit lonely.

When I came to the front of the shrine, visitors were praying. The shrine is said to be for the protection of all directions. The word "protection from all directions" is an unfamiliar term to me. It is said to ward off bad luck and misfortune in the direction one is headed when traveling, on a business trip, on a transfer, or when moving. The official page also says, "It removes all misfortunes and calamities caused by geographical features, family aspect, direction, and day of the week, bringing prosperity to the family business and happiness and good fortune." Reading this much, it seems that some kind of blessing is likely as long as one does not stay still. However, the question remains as to how to protect oneself from the direction to come here to the Samukawa Shrine. What if the direction from my house to the Samukawa Jinja Shrine is in a bad direction?

After paying my respects, I stood off to the side and watched the worshippers. Above the heads of the worshippers was a thick shimenawa rope, a rarity in the Kanto region.

Comment via

日本語