Enoshima has three shrine areas. They are dedicated to the Lucky Goddess Benzaiten and a specific myth related to the Enoshima area. Along with that, you can find places to wash your money in hopes it will increase. It is expected that you donate your washed money, saisen, by tossing it into the saisen-bako.
Meet Gozuryu, the white dragon that fell in love with Benzaiten.
Images of Gozuryu can be found all over the island.
One of the many shrines on the island. Hetsunomiya originated in 1206 by order of Minamoto no Sanetomo, third shogun of Kamakura shogunate. It was rebuilt in 1976. The shrine is dedicated to one of the three Munakata kami, the goddess Tagitsuhime.
But you can't miss Benzaiten here with the biwa shaped ema, prayer plaques.
Along with Gozuryu omamori charms.
The woven hoop is a chinowa, which worshipers can pass through to become purified.
Leaving the bad luck fortunes, omikuji, behind.
There was even a Tanabata booth for offering your wishes.
Another building at this level is the Hoanden.
This octagonal shaped building is like a honden, in that it houses a kami. In this case it is Benzaiten. Unlike most honden, this one is open for a small fee. Inside one can view two statues of Benzaiten, the eight armed Happi statue and the Hadaka statue. It was really interesting to see and experience.
There are so many other shrines on the island. This is the Yasaka Shrine.
One of the many komainu on the island.
Really nice views here. Below is Nakamise Street, Enoshima Bentanbashi, and Fujisawa in the distance.
I do not know the name of this Shinto shrine. It is for Inari, there was a really small kitsune fox statue on one side.
I have seen mention of the cats of Enoshima. Yes, there were cats.
A biwa shaped map of the shrines of the island. A biwa is the stringed instrument Benzaiten plays.
And a look at the Enoshima Yacht Harbor.
After exploring this level, it was time to ascend another escalator. What is at the top is in my next post.
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