The only shrine in Japan dedicated to hairdressing and beauty

Mikami shrine is the only shrine in Japan dedicated to hairdressing and beauty (cosmetics, hair washes, hair growth products, wigs, etc.). The deity enshrined here is Fujiwara Unemenosuke Masayuki, who is said to be the founder of the hairdressing profession in Japan. An actual historical figure, he was a hair stylist who served the government during the Kamakura period (1185-1333). He was so revered by the hairdressing industry for his service and achievements, that until the beginning of the Showa period (1926-1989), barbers and hair stylists across Japan closed their offices on the 17th, the anniversary of his death, every month.
The method of worship at the Mikami shrine is different from the usual: visitors have their hair cut by a priest at the shrine office with special scissors, put the hair in a special bag and offer that bag as a “Mikami Offering”. The donated hair is then moved to a “hair mound” within the shrine grounds, where it is kept forever in a place where people continue to pray daily for the health of their hair.