Matsunoo Shrine

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Matsunoo Shrine (松尾大社) is a Shinto shrine located a couple of kilometers south of the Arashiyama area of Kyoto, Japan. It is home to a spring at the base of the mountain, Arashiyama, that is believed to be blessed. It is said that during the move of the capital from Nagaoka to Kyoto, a noble was said to have seen a turtle bathing in under the spring's waterfall, and created a shrine there. It is also one of the oldest shrines in the Kyoto area, its founding extending back to 700 A.D. The restorative properties of the spring bring many local sake and miso companies to the shrine for prayers that their product will be blessed.

The shrine also serves a kinpaku (gold leaf filled) miki (or blessed sake) during hatsumode.