A shrine for hair growth? Why travellers are visiting this quiet Japanese shrine for better hair

Just a short walk from Kyoto’s endlessly photographed Arashiyama bamboo forest sits a shrine that the internet can’t seem to get enough of. And no, it’s not about romance, good fortune, or living forever. It’s about hair. Actual hair. Mikami Shrine has been doing the rounds on Instagram after travel creator Shervin Abdolhamidi, better known as shervin_travels, shared his visit. What makes it stand out is simple, this is the only shrine in Japan, and widely believed to be the only one in the world, dedicated entirely to hair. Hair growth, hair fall, bad hair days, and even the nerves of trainee hairstylists. All of it. The ritual here is a little unusual, and that’s part of the charm. Visitors buy a small prayer envelope, after which a priest carefully cuts a tiny strand of their hair and places it inside. You offer your prayers to the shrine’s deity, and then hand the envelope back to the priest, who prays for the health and well-being of your hair. Shervin, who shared the experience online, admitted he wasn’t fully convinced but figured it was worth trying anyway. Honestly, that’s probably how most people feel - curious, slightly sceptical, but oddly invested. The shrine’s backstory makes it even more interesting. Mikami Shrine is dedicated to Fujiwara Unemenosuke Masayuki, believed to be Japan’s first documented hairdresser. During the Kamakura period, he began cutting and styling hair to support his family, unknowingly starting what would become a recognised profession. His work earned so much respect that for generations, barbers and salons across Japan would close on the 17th of every month, the day he passed away, as a mark of honour. Today, the shrine attracts a crowd far beyond Kyoto’s hairstyling community. Local barbers still come to seek blessings, beauty students pray before their national exams, and travellers drop in hoping for thicker hair, healthier scalps, or maybe just some cosmic support. There are even wooden plaques shaped like combs and hair-themed charms, which feel exactly as delightful as they sound. What really makes Mikami Shrine special, though, is how low-key it feels. It sits right near one of Kyoto’s most crowded tourist spots, yet somehow stays peaceful and unassuming. No big signs, no flashy drama. Just a quiet place where people stop, snip a strand of hair, say a prayer, and hope for the best.