Zeniarai Benten

Zeniarai Benten Shrine (銭洗弁天) is a well-known shrine in western Kamakura, where visitors wash their money in the belief it will double. The shrine was built by Minamoto Yoritomo, the founder of the Kamakura government, after a god appeared in his dream, urging him to create the shrine for peace. The shrine is dedicated to Benten, a Buddhist goddess connected with snakes, as the dream occurred on a snake day, in a snake month, of the snake year.

Zeniarai Benten Shrine is a rare example of the fusion of Buddhism and Shinto, preserved from the Meiji Restoration’s separation efforts. During this time, many other shrines lost their Buddhist connections. The shrine’s unique history and traditions make it a spiritual and cultural landmark in Kamakura.