Zeniarai Benten Shrine

Walking through the lush green forest you will come upon Zeniarai Benten Shrine, one of the most popular tourist spots in Kamakura. Its official name is Zeniarai Benzaiten Ugakufu Shrine because it enshrines Ugafukujin, a water god with a dragon's body and a human head. Legend has it that Minamoto no Yoritomo searched for the sacred spring in 1185 after having a prophetic dream: peace in the domain would prevail, he was told, if he enshrined both Buddhist and Shinto deities with the spring water from a northwestern mountain. When Yoritomo did as the dream instructed, it came true; people's lives improved. Zeniarai Spring is one of five ”remarkable waters” in Kamakura that draw many visitors. It is said that if you wash money in the sacred spring water here, that money will bring much more money. The shrine lends you a bamboo sieve for this purpose. After using it, you are advised to wipe the sieve completely and spend the washed money immediately. The shrine also sells lucky charms — put one in your wallet, they say, and you will never be short of money. A 25-minute walk from the West Exit of Kamakura Station (both Yokosuka and Enoden Lines).