Hyotanyama Inari Shrine is located next to the Higashi-Koya Highway, which connects Kyoto to Mt. Koya.
During the Edo Period, the shrine became a popular stop for travelers on pilgrimage. An old woman known for her fortune-telling skills began to attract many visitors who wanted their fortunes read.

She would observe the clothing and conversations of passersby to predict their fortunes, often saying things like, “If the next person turning the corner is a woman, your love will come true,” or, “If two people sitting in a teahouse are discussing making money, your business will thrive.” Gradually, the number of fortune tellers in the area increased. The chief priest eventually formalized these fortune-telling methods into “tsujiura,” a practice that continues to this day. Its reputation expanded beyond Osaka and gained wide recognition.

A notable story that brought Hyotanyama’s fortune-telling into the spotlight involves a masterless samurai from Noto at the end of the Edo Period. He visited the shrine to seek guidance on opening a shop after giving up his samurai status. The chief priest advised him to set up his shop in a busy area to the west, suggesting a fish shop in Osaka and recommending that he name it “Maruman.” The shop prospered, and in gratitude, the “ronin” donated a sacred torii gate and a “tamagaki” fence to the Inari shrine. Today, the crest of the shop is still engraved on the torii and fence located within the shrine’s grounds.

This success attracted many merchants from the Senba district to come to Hyotanyama. The chief priest began creating fortune-telling slips for those unable to visit in person, and his slogan, “Fortune Telling at the Crossroads of Love,” gained popularity. Customers traveled from all over Japan, and even Taiwan, to purchase these fortune slips.

By the end of the Meiji Period, the area was filled with teahouses and inns, making it a vibrant town. Frequent visitors included speculators from the Senba district, who arrived in lines of rickshaws. However, not everyone could have their fortunes read by the renowned chief priest.

One merchant from the Senba district hired a rickshaw to go to Hyotanyama and shared his concerns about his nephew with the driver. The driver suggested visiting a fortune-teller to find relief from his troubles, while secretly planning to profit from the information he learned by sharing it with the fortune-teller.

However, as time went on and railways were introduced, everything changed. With trains passing through Hyotanyama, it became a popular day trip destination. The number of inns and teahouses diminished, and shady fortune-telling became less common.

Today, Hyotanyama Inari Shrine still provides fortune-telling, as it has for generations, with reservations available for readings. The shrine office also offers fortune-telling slips featuring three types: one that you burn to reveal your fortune, one that you heat with fire to reveal hidden letters of your fortune, and one inserted in a mochi cake, reminiscent of fortune cookies. This last item is a well-known product treasured by those in the know.

Why don’t you conclude your visit by having your fortune told?