Kamafuta Shrine
Entertainers and athletes flock to Kamafuta Shrine in the city of Minamikyushu to pray for good luck in their endeavors. The shrine has an unusual theme: pot lids (kamafuta). According to local legend, if a visitor can balance a pot lid on his or her head and walk from the torii gate at the entrance to the worship hall without dropping it, their wish will be granted. Shrine visitors can also throw small clay lids into a pot out at sea. It’s said that the gods will grant the prayers of those who manage to get the lid into the pot.
Right next to the shrine there is a spectacular vantage point called the “Cape of Hope.” Overlooking the open sea and Mt. Kaimon in the distance, it is a relaxing place to enjoy the view while sitting on a bench shaped like a Japanese pot lid.