Fuseshika no Temizusho Purification Fountain
This fountain is used for ritual purification before praying to the gods of Kasuga Taisha Shrine. The water comes from the Mizuya River, which originates on the sacred Mt. Mikasa.
Similar fountains can be found at the entrances to shrines throughout Japan and are an important part of Shinto worship. Visitors purify themselves by rinsing their hands and mouths at these fountains as preparation for offering a prayer and to show respect for the deities enshrined there. Shinto worship places special emphasis on purity, cleanliness, and renewal.
The running water used in the fountain is believed to be purer than stagnant water. Dippers are used to scoop up the water so people’s hands do not enter the fountain. Many purification fountains in shrines and temples have statues of dragons, which are associated with water in Japan. However, at this fountain the water flows from the mouth of one of the sacred Kasuga Taisha deer, which is holding a scroll in its mouth.