Power spots

Visiting “power spots” is starting a boom among the Japanese. The “power spots” are holy places where Gods are living, having healing power or giving additional energy to people. Some of them are temples or shrines, then some falls, mountains or anywhere having the special power to make people happy. Many Japanese visit power spots in Japan not only but all over the world. In general the Japanese are perceived by others as shallow in faith. However, I see the situation where power spots are fueling a craze in Japan; I think that the Japanese might be ‘potentially’ one of the most superstitious nations in the world.

Recently, Imado Shrine in Asakusa, famous for a god of marriage, has become especially popular among young women. “koi- mikuji, a paper love fortune” is famous as an accurate paper fortune among them. There are many young women visiting the shrine to get a chance to find a nice partner even on a weekday afternoon. Banryu Temple in Meguro is famous for Oshiroi-Jizou, a face powder Buddha statue. It is said that if people put face powder on the Oshiroi-Jizou then put the rest of the powder on their faces, they will be beautiful. According to rumors, some Kabuki artists had faith in the temple.

Other examples, Tomioka Hachiman Shrine in Monzen-Nakacho is famous for a god of games. Taisou Temple in Shinjuku is famous for the having benefit of stopping children from lying or becoming delinquent. This is because a statue of Yama, the lord of death, who is really strict for liars, lies in repose in the temple. Saiko Temple in Nerima is famous for Ibo-Tori Jizou, a wart removaling Buddha statue. There is a legend that when people pray to the Ibo-Tori Jizou their warts will be gone. Their troubles also will be gone the same as their warts. To be honest, benefits such as, stopping children from lying and wart removal are unbelievable for me because they are too concrete and niche.

In addition, it is usually said that there are many hot springs — having benefits for treatment, in Japan. Almost all hot springs have a diversity of healing effects for ailments such as women’s diseases, skin irritation, broken bones, burns, etc…

One of the most famous hot springs is Tamagawa Hot Spring in Akita. It is the strongest acidic hot spring in Japan, with a pH of about 1.2. Rumors are that the hot spring has a healing effect on cancer by sleeping on a rockbed made of hokutolite, a radiogenic mineral having Radium. That’s why it is difficult to get a reservation staying at inns near the Tamagawa Hot Spring.

Why do people visit such power spots and healing hot springs? Maybe people want to rely on Gods or something to replace Gods when they are on uncertain ground. Furthermore, people easily visit these kinds of holy places called power spots or hot springs as leisure, which are less religious atmosphere than praying to Gods.

I trust that they don’t quit believe in those kinds of powers: healing people, giving them more energy and curing patients. Yet, they want to believe in the powers and they are praying for miracles to happen. I would think that miracle will happen only for people believing in miraculous powers. When people have a strong hope for something they really want and a coincidence happens at the same time, they will think it is a miracle. Yes, it might not be a miracle, but I want to believe it is a miracle. If there is no strong hope I will think it is just a coincidence or I am lucky. Even if it is a completely coincidence I want to trust that I have the power to work wonders.

I think that if people visiting power spots can find rays of hope it is not a big deal even though it doesn’t have the intended effect. Maybe the most important effect is making people think positively with a glimmer of hope. I think that is the miracle. That’s why those places are called “power spots,” making people believe in some special powers and their capabilities, because miracles never happen without hope.