Looking for love in all the right places
Love shrines & matchmaking spots in Osaka

Maido! Yuka here♪

Want to meet someone? Looking for the love of your life? Trying to stay happy with your partner for the long run?
Osaka has lots of great places to build your luck, in love, romance, and relationships. This is Part 2 of my piece on love shrines in Osaka. Check Part 1 (Maybe all you need is a little luck! 6 spots to improve your love life♡) if you haven’t already!

■Build a relationship or break bad ties—Shigino Jinja Shrine

Ikukunitama Jinja Shrine is also known by its nickname, Ikutama-san. Cute, right?
A look back at the history of this shrine reveals that as Japan’s first emperor, Jimmu (711–585 BCE) traveled east from Kyushu to Yamato (modern-day Nara), he enshrined two deities—Ikushima no Kami and Tarushima no Kami—at the location where Osaka Castle is located. This was the beginnings of Ikutama-san. It’s perhaps the oldest shrine in Osaka, with a history stretching back more than 2,700 years.
The two deities mentioned above are creator kami who, in Shinto, are believed to have given life to all things and founded the nation. As such they are very significant and you can sense it when you visit.
Ikutama-san has a number of subsidiary shrines on the grounds, one of which is related to love—Shigino Jinja Shrine!

Three Shinto goddesses are enshrined here—Ichikishima Hime, О̄miya no Hime, and Yodo Hime—including their divine virtues for matchmaking and also breaking off undesirable relationships. Ichikishima Hime is also known as Benzaiten and is the goddess of beauty and a guardian of fortune, the arts, and children. О̄miya no Hime is the goddess of household peace and prosperity in business. Yodo Hime was the famous concubine of the powerful Toyotomi Hideyoshi, who once ruled the country from his castle in Osaka. She frequented Shigino Shrine so often during her lifetime that after death she was enshrined here as a deity.

The heart-lock votive plaques (ema) have an illustration of a lock and the kanji for heart (心) in large red lettering. To keep your heart’s desires top-secret, you pray while writing only your Asian age (calculate by adding 1 to your age, as newborns are considered 1 year old at birth), your Chinese zodiac sign, and your sex on the plaque.

The lanterns inside also bear the mark of a heart-lock. And on the back…

It says en which is not easy to translate, but means destiny, relationship, or connection. You wouldn’t even know if you didn’t look at the back.
This is a great spot to visit if you want to your prayers to be answered for building a relationship or to breaking ties that have turned sour.

■Love connections at Omoto-sha Shrine—Sumiyoshi Taisha

The head shrine for approximately 2,300 Sumiyoshi Shrines nationwide, Sumiyoshi Taisha is believed to have been built 1,800 years ago. Like Ikutama-san mentioned above, this shrine has a nickname too—Sumiyos-san.

The gorgeous Sorihashi Bridge aka Taiko-bashi welcomes visitors at the entrance to the shrine.
And the shrine grounds are huge, with re are lots of subsidiary shrines, like Omotosha, which is devoted to the goddess of matchmaking.

Enshrined here are the first Shinto priest of Sumiyoshi Taisha and the matchmaking goddess. Shinto priests are go-betweens for humans and kami, so it follows that the priest would also be worshiped for filling the same role in human relationships.
Sumiyoshi Taisha is considered one of Osaka’s most important “power-spots,” which are full of good energy. And when you visit this lucky spot for love you’re getting double the good luck!
To make a prayer for love at Omoto-sha, first stop at the shrine office to get a pair of Omoto Dolls. They’re not very elaborate, but they are so cute!

Then head towards the south side of the shrine grounds towards the Omoto-sha Shrine.

Once inside the hall, you write your name on the back of the dolls and offer them up to the kami. You’ll see shelves to the right, which are completely full of little Omoto Dolls and people’s wishes. It’s amazing to be in a tiny room with so many wishes. It looks like the prayers must be answered.

Oh, by the way, this is what the entrance looks like. Don’t forget to take off your shoes!

■Revitalize your love-life with this sacred tree—Horikoshi Jinja Shrine

Horikoshi Jinja is famous for the kami enshrined there, who people believe is “the kami who will listen to only one prayer in your life.”
The shrine itself was built at the same time as Shitennoji Temple near the rear entrance at Chausuyama. It’s located on Tanimachisuji, a street that sees heavy traffic. But nevertheless, as soon as you enter the shrine grounds, the atmosphere is calm and relaxing. You can almost feel the energy change. This is another of Osaka’s “power-spots.”

Horikoshi Jinja has been covered in the media for its hitoyume nengan, an amulet that is supposed to make your one prayer be answered. But what I’ll be introducing today is the sacred tree, which is over 550 years old. The tree miraculously survived multiple lightning strikes and large fires.

The spirit that lives in the tree is considered to be exceptionally vivacious, so when you’re feeling tired, this is the place to visit and pray for more energy. And love takes energy. Passion is great, but it also requires endurance. So don’t forget to replenish your energy reserves.

I feel like I need a lot of energy so I literally hugged the tree. Maybe that’s going overboard… Who knows? Anyways, I wish you all good luck in your love conquests!

■Meet the koi fish of love—Namba Yasaka Jinja Shrine

Next up is Namba Yasaka Jinja Shrine. Located between Namba Station and Daikokucho Station on the Osaka Metro, the shrine is also within walking distance of JR Namba Station and Osaka-Namba Station on the Nankai Railway.

The deities Susa no Onomikoto and Kushi’inada Hime no Mikoto are enshrined here. The story goes, that Susa no Onomikoto drove out Yamata no Orochi, but while under attack was saved by Kushi’inada Hime no Mikoto whom he later married.
This romantic story of heroism and love is what drew me to the shrine to see if there were any symbols of love or luck spots…

Here’s the lion! It’s even more impressive in person. Trust me.

It measures in at 12 meters tall and 7 meters in width. Inside the lion’s mouth is a stage. At New Years and during the summer festival, there is traditional music and the lion-dance is performed.
Fun fact: there are lights in the eyes and speakers in the nostrils.
This giant mouth will swallow misfortune and bring forth good luck. It’s a popular spot for anyone looking for a little extra luck with exams, job-hunting, and especially with entrepreneurs. It’s amazing to look at, but just when I was starting to think there are no love connections here, I found them…

The koi amulets!
The word koi also means love, so these are called koi-koi-mikuji, fish love fortunes.
They’re shaped like the fish and it’s actually a love charm and fortune wrapped into one.

They’re so incredibly cute and have a good reputation for being spot on in the fortunes. They come in so many colors, red, blue, white, green, and orange. I couldn’t get the red one because they’re so popular, but I’m happy with my mini rainbow.
Oh, and there is also a tai-mikuji, a fortune and amulet set that is shaped like sea breams (tai).

■Make your love last forever with a Heart Lock—Umeda Sky Building

Let’s take a trip up Umeda Sky Building!

The sleek design of Umeda Sky Building is reminiscent of a modern-style Arc de Triomphe. And the open-air observatory on the top floor is a very popular tourist destination.

Here’s what it looks like at the top.

Once you’ve attached a Heart Lock it will stay forever. They’re available for purchase at Sky Building and when you buy one, they will engrave dates and names at your request for free. Of course you can take yours home with you if you don’t want to part with it.

There’s a rainbow of colors here too—red, pink, gold, green, orange, yellow, and blue. Choose your favorite of the 8 colors. They’re very popular, so make sure you reserve a ticket online that includes a Heart Lock, otherwise you won’t be able to get yours!
It’s so romantic to vow your love with a Heart Lock that lasts forever! Someday, when I’m ready, I will come back.

■Kishiwada’s “power spot” puts prayers on a string—Kishiki Jinja Shrine

The final spot I want to show you is in the southern part of the prefecture, all the way down in Kishiwada. Kishiwada Castle is visible from the train and the spot I’m taking you to is nearby, at Kishiki Jinja Shrine.

This shrine has a unique tradition of using strings to make a wish. If you’re praying for a connection at Kishiki Shrine, you’ll want a special strand of thread called chigiri no ito. Sewing the white thread into a woman’s clothing or red thread into a man’s will deepen your love connection. If you’re single, you need to tie your string on this stand to make an offering and it is said that you’ll be tied up in a good relationship.

It would be nice if the string you’ve wished on, ties up a love connection for you!

Well, that’s it for Part 2. I hope you found a place that interests you. Even if you’re waiting for love to find you, it wouldn’t hurt to get a little extra luck. And if you’ve found someone special already, go deepen your love fortunes together. I know I will!

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Maybe all you need is a little luck! 6 spots to improve your love life♡