I had heard of the “Koi no Mizu Jinja” (Love Water Shrine) and its sacred waters said to invite good connections. I was skeptical, but my attitude was “it costs nothing to try.”
I drank the water as the tradition instructs, then went back to my normal life. I didn’t think about it again.
A short time later, a friend invited me to a barbecue. There I met the man who would become my husband. At the time, I never imagined we would marry. But for someone like me — who had not had many opportunities to meet anyone — this kind of connection felt like more than coincidence. I’m certain the water of Koi no Mizu Jinja called him into my life.