Near downtown Gion, Kyoto. There is a place visited by people from all over Japan who are troubled by their relationships. It is Yasui Konpira-gu Shrine, known as a "shrine for severing relationships. People who wish to break off bad relationships and take a new step forward write their thoughts on ema (votive picture tablet) and o-fuda (votive card). These include relationships between men and women, between parents and children, between siblings and other family members, and between people in the community, at work, and at school. From illness, injury, accidents, and disasters to computer and alcohol addiction, there are a wide variety of issues that confront us in our modern lives. What is the future that those who are confronted with bad relationships hope for?
