Take a gamble on the strength of your faith the next time you visit Kamakura and you may leave richer in both spiritual and monetary terms. The Zeniarai Bentzaiten Ugafuku Jinja (shrine) is dedicated to Benzai, one of the Seven Gods of Good Fortune, who is revered as the Goddess of knowledge, art and beauty, music and anything that can be said to flow.
Your hard earned money is one of those things that flows, usually away from you faster than towards you, and it is said that if you visit Zeniari Bentzaiten and wash your money there the flow will be reversed for the faithful and that it will come back to them many times over when spent.
Based on the tale of Minamoto Yoritomo who, in 1185 had a vision and received the following message “I am the god of Ugajin {woo-gah-gin}.  In a valley to the northwest, there is a miraculous spring that gushes out of  the rocks.  Go there and worship to the Gods of Shinto and peace will come to the people”.  Moniamoto followed the directions of the Gods and founded the Zeniarai Bentzaiten Ugafuku Jinji. The shrine is small but located in a lovely glade that is accessed through a short tunnel borrowed into the hills of Kamakura whose entrance is marked by a large stone tablet and tori.  Stepping out of the dim tunnel you are surrounded by rocky slopes of emerald green trees and the peaceful sound of flowing water.

Take a wander about and explore the small altars inset into the hillside, the lovely ponds and the small waterfa...