Kifune Shrine

Kyoto · Japan · Monastery

Kifune Shrine in the mountains north of Kyoto is the home of the water god — and notorious as the site of 'ushi no koku mairi', the rite in which the spurned nail a straw effigy to the sacred trees at two in the morning to curse a rival. According to the legend behind the Noh play Kanawa, a jealous wife came here praying for transformation and became a living demon who tore her husband's new woman apart, until the master onmyōji Abe no Seimei drove her back. The nocturnal visit was originally a path to granted wishes, but the centuries turned it into Japan's most famous cursing ritual. Rusty nail holes can still be seen in the tree trunks above the shrine — and now and then, a fresh effigy.

FAQ

Hvor ligger Kifune Shrine?

Kifune Shrine ligger i Kyoto, Japan.

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