End your loneliness here — Japan’s top 5 most spiritually powerful sites

By / MOOK Scenic Spots Editorial Department (compiled and reported)

Japan’s highly revered power spots, as the name suggests, are locations filled with abundant positive energy. Common examples include shrines and temples, often set against the backdrop of nature’s mountains and seas, making you feel enveloped by positive vibes. The Japanese also firmly believe that visiting these sites can change their fortune — whether for wealth or love, they’re great places to visit.

1. Ōmae Shrine
Located in Tochigi Prefecture, Ōmae Shrine is a highly efficacious shrine dedicated to the god of happiness, Ebisu. Always wearing a kind smile, Ebisu is known as the god of happiness, so the Japanese believe that coming here brings endless good luck and fortune.

In front of Ōmae Shrine stands a 20-meter-tall statue of Ebisu, making this site widely known as an energy spot for wealth. Every year, around 500,000 people from all over Japan come here to pray.
 
Address: 943 Higashi?, Mooka City, Tochigi Prefecture
Getting there: Take the Mooka Railway to Kita-Mooka Station and walk for 15 minutes

2. Mikane Shrine
Located in Kyoto, Mikane Shrine is Japan’s only officially recognized money-worshipping shrine, as certified by Japanese media. The main deity enshrined here is “Kanayamahiko no Mikoto,” the son of the deities Izanagi and Izanami in Japanese mythology, and the god of metals, minerals, and treasures. The shrine is dedicated to all things metal and prosperity.

Originally, the torii gate at Mikane Shrine was made of wood, but it was destroyed during a typhoon. It was later replaced with an iron structure covered in gold leaf, resulting in a striking golden gate — not only very eye-catching but also fitting for a shrine dedicated to wealth.
 
Address: 618 Oshiyanochō, Nishidōin-dōri, Okazakinishi, Nakagyō Ward, Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture
Getting there: Take the subway from Kyoto Station to Karasuma-Oike Station, then walk for 6 minutes