Zeniarai means coin washing. People come here to wash money as it is believed that money washed in a cave water spring multiplies. For this reason this is a very popular shrine in Kamakura. Everybody wants to have money and people wash money here all the time. The water, called Zeniarai-mizu = Money washing water, is one of Kamakura´s five famous waters.
The founder of this shrine is Minamoto Yoritomo, who was the founder of the Kamakura goverment, too. He had a dream in which the god told him to have a shrine built in order to bring peace to the country: “Use the water here to offer prayers to god, and all the world will be at peace.” This dream occured on the day of the snake, in the month of the snake of the year of the snake. For this reason the shrine was later also dedicated to Benten = Benzaiten, as this Buddhist goddess is associated with snakes.
Hojo Tokiyori washed money with this water praying for the prosperity of his family. Since then the water has become famous as water for washing money and getting financial success.
Of course, I have washed my coins, too, and now I just will be waiting, if my money multiplies… 🙂 Keep your fingers crossed for me!