Shrine Two: Nankun-sha
Nankun-sha is the second stop in the Hattatsu Mairi. The towering 1,000-year-old camphor tree next to the shrine is believed to be a manifestation of the enshrined Uka no Mitama no Mikoto, who is identified with the rice god Inari. Two other camphor trees nearby form a spiritual “couple” and are believed to be protectors of families and business partnerships. Visitors to the shrine pray for prosperity as well as for the safety and stability of their families.
Nankun-sha offers lucky cat figurines called shōfuku neko. The clay figurines come in two types: one with the left paw raised and one with the right paw raised. Cats with the left paw raised are said to attract customers to businesses that display them, while those with a right paw raised are believed to bring financial wealth. The two types are available during alternating months of the year—odd-numbered months for the left-pawed figures, even-numbered months for the right-pawed ones.
Visitors who collect 48 shōfuku neko of a single type can exchange them for one larger cat. A pair of the larger left-pawed and right-pawed figurines, along with 48 more of the smaller figurines, can be traded for an even bigger cat. Obtaining a pair of left-pawed and right-pawed shōfuku neko in the largest size is no small feat: it requires performing the Hattatsu Mairi every month for 24 years.
Nankun-sha is open to Hattatsu Mairi practitioners from 6:00 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. The minimum offering for the rite is 1,500 yen. Minori Mairi practitioners can exchange the rice seed obtained at Tanekashi-sha for a stalk of rice here.