This little shrine is tucked away in Gion and we just found it by coincidence. It is just outside the grounds of Kenninji Temple. At this shrine, you break with undesirable things – either an unwanted partner, or just some plain bad luck.
You do this at this interesting looking monument. It is actually made out of stone, but there are many paper notes hanging from its top and its sides so that it looks like a big pile of paper. Actually, I later found out that the desired outcome is written on the slip of paper, that’s what it is meant for!
In the middle is a hole for people to go through. If you go through from the front of the rock, you are breaking up a relationship. However, if you go through from the backside, it is romantic as you tie a relationship.
Funnily enough the person I was watching going through the hole, first climbed in from the front and then one more time from the back. Not sure if she was trying to break up her first relationship and then start her new one immediately after – or if she had no idea what this stone and paper monument is meant for?
bluebalu 