Meshimori Onna, a name meaning waitress but actually the term given to prostitutes who serviced travelers along the Tokaido, began the Kanamara Festival in the Edo Period (1604-1868), when they offered prayers at the shrine for prosperous business and protection from sexually transmitted diseases, gonorrhea in particular.
Now, the shrine continues to attract worshippers for the same reasons, while operators say visitors can also pray for childbirth, healthy offspring, easy delivery and marital harmony.