Okayama: White Snakes on Display to Mark Year of the Snake

The Yomiuri Shimbun

13:11 JST, January 19, 2025

MANIWA, Okayama — Kiyama Temple in Maniwa, Okayama Prefecture, has started exhibiting two white snakes in a cage of kumiko lattice made of Japanese cypress and other wood to mark the Year of the Snake in the Chinese zodiac.

As white snakes are considered lucky animals, the temple, which is said to be founded in 815, hopes worshippers will have good fortune by visiting the temple.

The two albino Japanese rat snakes measure about 90 centimeters long. They were donated to the temple’s chief priest, Shuko Takamine, 43, in 2019. The priest raised them in his living quarters in the temple and displayed them only during the warm seasons.

However, thanks to cooperation from a local furniture and fitting manufacturer, the temple was able to introduce the new cage, which is equipped with a warming device, so the priest decided to display the snakes throughout the year.

A legend has it that a white snake has inhabited the Bentendo hall in the temple’s pond since ancient times.

“I hope many people will be blessed by the white snakes,” Takamine said.

The snakes are on display next to the main hall from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.