Power-spot パワースポット
Sources of positive energy
In recent years, a phenomenon has appeared in Japan, the 'Power spots'. They are places where some people feel the positive energy from nature and have spiritual experiences. These specific places can be in the middle of nature, but more often on a religious site, a sacred place to increase the impression of purification of the spirit!
All this is in fact very normal in a country where, in the Shinto tradition (polytheist and animist), man must live in harmony with nature and the gods who inhabit each of its corners.
Read: Shintoism
It has therefore become fashionable to go to these 'power spots', as indicated by a survey conducted by Medicare Life in 2017 among 1,000 women. The results indicate that nearly 40% of them go to these places to clear their minds and clear their heads .
Here is a list of these 'power spots' that are experiencing the craze:
- Ise-Jingu (Mie Prefecture) - Shrine
Ise Grand Shrine, the largest in Japan, has been a sacred place for over 2,000 years . It is made up of Naiku and Geku , the two main sites which form a set of 125 buildings surrounded by forest and the Isuzu River. The Naiku is dedicated to Amaterasu, the goddess of the sun, ancestor of the imperial family. It is understandable that this place is mythical for the Japanese and a source of very deep energies.
See: 5 places from Japanese legends
The large torii marks the entrance to Ise Shrine, Japan's holiest Shinto site.
Wikipedia
- Izumo-Taisha (Shimane Prefecture) - Shrine
Izumo Shrine has been mentioned since the dawn of time in Japanese mythological legends . Every October, according to the lunar calendar, all the kami (gods) of Japan gather at Izumo. The great strength that results then attracts the Japanese in search of intense spirituality . In Izumo, everything is on a grander scale than elsewhere, like the huge shimenawa (braided rope) that adorn the temple buildings.
Izumo Taisha
Jerome Laborde
- Senso-ji (Tokyo) - Temple
Senso-ji is a large Buddhist temple in Asakusa. This temple in the heart of the capital is the symbol of Edo culture because it has already been very popular since that time. Today, the inhabitants of the district still go there with fervor, touched by the great heart of the Kannon, goddess of the temple .
- Itsukushima-jinja (Hiroshima Prefecture) - Shrine
Extremely famous thanks to its large red torii floating on the waters of Hiroshima Bay, on the sacred island of Itsukushima; it is one of the three wonders of Japan . This sanctuary on the water calls for contemplation as well as purification of the spirit thanks to the power of water. Do not be afraid to go off the beaten track on these paths that cross the hills to appreciate the places from high viewpoints , far from the crowds but close to the heart.
Discover: Itsukushima Shrine
- Meiji-jingu (Tokyo) - Shrine
The large shrine of Meiji-jingu , a stone's throw from the popular district of Harajuku , is dedicated to the Emperor and his wife . Desired by the Japanese people for the imperial family, it was founded in 1920 . 10,000 trees were planted in the hope of seeing a forest develop in the heart of the city for 150 years later. After 100 years the effect is already fabulous, you are immersed in a haven of peace and greenery that immediately soothes the mind of the most stressed city dwellers.
- Yakushima (Kagoshima Prefecture) - Forest
Far from everything, 60 km from the city of Kagoshima , you are on an island made up of 90% forest and covered in moss due to the hot and humid climate for most of the year. Remarkable trees stand there, Japanese cypresses that are thousands of years old , and even more than 2,000 years old for several specimens. To take all the vital energy of nature, Yakushima is ideal, and to walk for hours on forest paths in order to meet these sacred trees.
Path in Yakushima
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- Nikko Tosho-gu (Tochigi Prefecture) - Shrine
The Tosho-gu was built in 1617 to honor the memory of the great shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu , in the mountains north of Edo, a strategic point to protect the city. This place is chosen according to feng-shui and the traditional esoteric onmyôdô cosmology, assuring it a strong beneficial power and protection for 260 years . Even today, the Japanese come to take advantage of this strength and revitalize themselves.
- Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gu (Kanagawa Prefecture) - Shrine
This Shinto shrine in Kamakura is dedicated to Minamoto no Yoritomo, the founder of the Kamakura shogunate in 1192 . The layout of the buildings in this temple is impressive, with this monumental staircase marking the axis of the city itself down to the ocean. In March 2010, the millennial ginkgo was felled by a violent gust of wind. A month later, a new shoot was emerging and then symbolized rebirth and vitality .
The Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gû shrine seems embedded in the hill.
Wikipedia
- Narita-san (Chiba Prefecture) - Temple
A stone's throw from Narita International Airport has stood for centuries the Narita-san Buddhist temple . He is protected by Fudo Myoo, an esoteric deity responsible for fighting the forces of evil that haunt us. To benefit from this power of protection and ensure all its benefits, an Ogoma Kitô prayer time is provided every hour from 6am, every day . Anyone can attend this solemn moment at the temple.
Narita-san
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- Kumano Kodô (Mie prefecture) - Pilgrimage
Pilgrimage routes lead to Kumano Sanzan (the three great shrines of Kumano) which is located in the Kii Peninsula. The road links the prefectures of Mie, Nara, Wakayama and Osaka. On this path taken since the Heian period (794-1192) , the current pilgrim walks in the footsteps of thousands of people before him, drawing his strength from this multitude to recharge his batteries and move forward.
To go further: 5 pilgrimages to do in Japan
On the paths of Kumano kodo
JNTO
