Mikane Shrine

Mikane Shrine is a shrine in Nakagyo Ward, Kyoto City, famous as a spot for good fortune in money matters. It enshrines Kanayama-hiko-no-Mikoto as the main deity, along with Amaterasu Omikami and Tsukuyomi-no-Mikoto, and is believed to protect gold, silver, copper, all metals, minerals, and gemstones. Many visitors come to pray for financial luck, prosperity, asset management, business growth, commercial success, real estate luck, lotteries, and gambling-related wishes. The torii gate shines in a golden color, and the sacred ginkgo tree also turns gold in autumn. Ginkgo is seen as a symbol of prosperity, growth, and longevity; the shrine also offers ginkgo-leaf-shaped amulets, and many ginkgo-shaped ema (votive plaques) are dedicated there. In the Edo period the surrounding area included a “Kinza” (gold mint) and “Ginza” (silver mint) and was home to many metal artisans; nearby is also Ryogae-machi-dori (“money-changing town” street), underscoring the area’s historical association with finance. The shrine is a small one in a residential neighborhood roughly midway between Karasuma Oike Station and Nijojo-mae Station, about a 5-minute walk from either.