Sannenzaka
Stone-paved pilgrim slope of old wooden shopfronts, said to curse anyone who stumbles on its steps.
Location
About this audio guide
This guide to Sannenzaka in Kyoto opens with a warning about the worn stone steps underfoot: stumble here, tradition says, and you have three years left to live. It traces the slope's two rival names and legends, from a burial ground called Toribeno believed to sit at the edge of this world to a pilgrim path tied to Empress Komyo and prayers for safe childbirth. Halfway up, shopkeepers still sell gourds said to break the curse for anyone who trips and buys one on the spot.
This audio guide was created using AI.
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