Komamiya Shrine: “Reproductive Rock” and “Coin Stones” 駒宮神社：「陰陽石」と「銭石」

Official explanation

The cliffside behind the main sanctuary of Komamiya Shrine is believed to have been an object of worship since ancient times. With a little imagination, a part of its uneven surface can be seen to resemble male and female genitals, facing each other. In Japan, rocks that look like this have long been considered auspicious for childbirth, fertility, and a happy marriage. Excavation of the ground in front of this rock in 2018 turned up a large number of small stones shaped to resemble coins. These stones are thought to have been left behind centuries ago by devotees who came to pray for divine assistance in matters related to children, and offered “coins” to the deities to increase the chance of their wishes being heard. The 2018 find inspired Komamiya Shrine to create replicas of the stones, which visitors can now purchase and leave in front of the “reproductive rock.”

出典: 地域観光資源の多言語解説文データベース（観光庁） — www.mlit.go.jp/tagengo-db. この英語解説文は観光庁の地域観光資源の多言語解説整備支援事業で作成しました。
Source: Japan Tourism Agency, Multilingual Explanation Database. This English text was produced by the Japan Tourism Agency's multilingual explanation project and is shown unedited. Opening hours and services may have changed since it was written.