This shrine in Japan invites you to hit and kick its god of poverty statue for good luck [Photos]

Instead of praying to the binbogami, you’re supposed to fight him off .

When visiting a shrine in Japan, the standard custom is to put a coin in the offering box, bow twice, clap your hand twice, say a quick, silent prayer, and then bow once more.

So we were very surprised when we discovered a shrine in Nagano Prefecture where instead of bowing and clapping, you’re supposed to strike and kick the statue of its god instead .

The shrine, located in the town of Chino , can’t be seen from the street.

Instead, you’ll need to look for Hakko Park (“Fermentation Park”), a sort of local products and museum managed by miso maker Marui Ito Shoten .

Inside the facility you can see the giant wooden barrels used for the traditional miso-making process.

They are impressive-looking, but the real sight to see is at the back of the building, where you’ll find signs directing you towards the passageway to Binbogami Shrine . ▼ Binbogami Shrine would usually be written in Japanese as 貧乏神神社, but since the language can also be read from right to left, the signs here render it as 社神神乏貧.

Even on a sunny afternoon, the shrine is shadowy, making it feel like you’ve wandered into a mysterious parallel world .

But where things get really strange is the shrine’s statue of a binbogami , or “god of poverty.” An one-horned creature with a gaunt physique and eyes shaped like gold coins, binbogami have appeared in Japanese legends and folklore since the 13th century.

They’re said to be particularly fond of the smell of miso, using their tattered fans to waft the aroma of the staple food towards themselves to better savor the scent .

Of course, no one wants a god of poverty hanging around, especially since they’re said to not only trigger financial losses, but general unhappiness and lack of success .

One way of getting rid of binbogami is supposed to be to prepare a tray of baked miso, carry it through your home, and then toss it into a river, so that the spirit will follow it into the waterway and drift away from your dwelling.

But at Binbogami Shrine, they have a different, more visceral method.

First you put a 100-yen coin in the collection pot… …then you pick up a “poverty stick” … …and then you give the god of poverty three sturdy whacks! No more than three, though.