Yasui Konpiragu

Yasui Konpiragu, located in Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto City, is a power spot nationally renowned for blessings of severing bad ties and forging good ones. Its enshrined deities are three: Emperor Sutoku, Omononushi-no-Kami, and Minamoto no Yorimasa. Most famous of all is the "stone monument for cutting and forging ties," covered pure white with countless paper slips. A steady stream of worshippers come from across the country wishing to sever bad bonds and forge good ones.

Highlights

• Stone Monument for Cutting and Forging Ties: A large stone about 1.5 meters high and about 3 meters wide; you make your wish by crawling through the round hole where the divine power flows through the central crack. Crawling through from the front cuts bad ties, and crawling back from the rear forges good ones.
• Katashiro (Paper Figures): The proper practice is to write your wish on a katashiro paper and stick it to the monument. The densely pasted slips speak to people's earnest wishes.
• Votive Plaques: Many votive plaques bearing thoughts about relationships are dedicated, creating a distinctive atmosphere.

Enjoying the Seasons

Being in the city, it is easy to visit year-round, and many come regardless of the season. In spring, strolling along with the cherry blossoms of the nearby Gion and Higashiyama areas is recommended, and in autumn with the foliage. On weekends and in the tourist season, lines may form before the monument, so weekdays or mornings allow for more relaxed worship.

Access and Basic Information

• Location: 70 Shimo-bentencho, Higashioji Matsubara-agaru, Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture
• Access: About a 1-minute walk from the Higashiyama-Yasui city bus or Keihan bus stop, or about a 15-minute walk from Gion-shijo Station on the Keihan line or Kyoto-Kawaramachi Station on the Hankyu Kyoto line
• Hours: The grounds, the monument, and the katashiro office are open all day (the office for amulets and votive plaques is open 9:00 to 17:30)
• Admission: Free

Practical Travel Notes

• The correct order of worship: First pay respects at the main hall, then receive a katashiro at the katashiro office. Holding the katashiro on which you have written your wish, crawl through the monument from front to back while praying to cut bad ties, then continue from back to front to forge good ties, and finally paste the katashiro onto the monument. This order matters.
• Getting a katashiro: The katashiro is available all day at the katashiro office. Amulets and votive plaques are received at the office open 9:00 to 17:30, so a daytime visit is sure if you want these as well.
• Crowd patterns: Lines often form to crawl through the monument, and the wait tends to grow long, especially on weekends and in the tourist season. For relaxed worship, weekday mornings are the best bet.
• What ties can be cut: Cutting ties is said to work not only on relationships but also on bad habits you want to break, such as illness, alcohol, or tobacco.
• Nearby sights: Gion, Yasaka Shrine, Yasaka Koshindo, and Kiyomizu-dera are all within walking distance. The location is easy to drop by during a stroll through Gion.

A Quick Tip

Cutting ties is said to work not only on relationships but also on bad habits you want to break, such as illness, alcohol, or tobacco. First write your wish on a katashiro paper, then crawl through the monument with heartfelt sincerity. The order matters: cut bad ties first, then forge good ties. The office for amulets and votive plaques is open until 17:30, but the monument and katashiro are available all day. The location is easy to drop by during a stroll through Gion.

📚 Sources

This article is based on publicly available sources such as the official website of Yasui Konpiragu, tourism information published by the Kyoto City Tourism Association, and on-site history boards and signage. The bond-cutting and bond-tying stone, the katashiro paper effigies, and the proper manner of worship are described according to such public information. Reception hours at the office for amulets and votive plaques may change, so please confirm with the official information from Yasui Konpiragu before you set out.

Visitor Checklist

• Estimated time: From worship at the main hall to making a wish at the bond-cutting and bond-tying stone, allow about 20 to 30 minutes when it is not crowded. A queue to pass through the stone adds more time.
• What to bring: The katashiro effigies are available all day at the katashiro office. Amulets and votive plaques are received at the office open from 9:00 to 17:30, so a daytime visit is surest if you want those too.
• If you want an unhurried visit: Queues to pass through the stone form easily, and waits grow long on weekends and in season, so a weekday morning is best.
• Suggested route: The order matters: worship at the main hall first, receive a katashiro at the katashiro office, write your wish, pass through the stone from front to back to cut bad bonds, then back to front to tie good bonds, and finally paste the katashiro onto the stone.
• Nearby: Gion, Yasaka Shrine, Yasaka Koshindo, and Kiyomizu-dera are within walking distance, making it easy to drop by during a stroll through Gion.