
Celebrity news, beauty, fashion advice, and fascinating features, delivered straight to your inbox!
Thank you for signing up to Marie Claire. You will receive a verification email shortly.
There was a problem. Please refresh the page and try again.
Want to wash your hands of a guy who's no good? Then why not go a step further and flush him down the toilet? This is what hundreds of women are doing at an ancient Buddhist temple in Japan. Known as the "divorce temple," Mantokuji Temple in the town of Ojimamachi helps women get rid of bad-relationship karma with the aid of a sacred latrine. Women write down their wish to sever their marriage ties on a piece of paper, then flush it to have their prayers answered.
Thanks to Japan's rising divorce rate (up fourfold in the past 50 years), Mantokuji has become a pilgrimage site for unhappy wives. The Japanese believe that spiritual gods exist in everything — even the john — so the idea is to get the blessing of Kawaya No Kami, a toilet deity believed to live at the temple. Until a century ago, the temple served as a refuge for Japanese women who wanted to leave bad marriages but couldn't because only husbands could initiate divorce. Swishing their love woes down the pan today may be merely symbolic, but it's got to feel good.
Marie Claire Newsletter
Celebrity news, beauty, fashion advice, and fascinating features, delivered straight to your inbox!
-
Dolce & Gabbana Beauty Has a New Face: Katy Perry
She was tapped to promote the brand's new perfume, Devotion.
By Sophia Rivka Vilensky
-
Jennifer Hudson Crashing a Couple’s Wedding and Performing for Them is the Moment of Joy You Need Today
“The moment left them speechless.”
By Rachel Burchfield
-
Even Jennifer Lopez Has Felt “Insecure and Uncertain” About Her Body—and She Shares How She Got Past It
A pivotal connection helped Lopez “realize that I could be stronger than I ever had before.”
By Rachel Burchfield
-
30 Female-Friendly Porn Websites for Any Mood
All the best websites, right this way.
By Kayleigh Roberts
-
The 82 Best Cheap Date Ideas for Couples on a Budget
"Love don't cost a thing." —J.Lo
By The Editors
-
Diary of a Non-Monogamist
Rachel Krantz, author of the new book 'Open,' shares the ups and downs of her journey into the world of open relationships.
By Abigail Pesta
-
COVID Forced My Polyamorous Marriage to Become Monogamous
For Melanie LaForce, pandemic-induced social distancing guidelines meant she could no longer see men outside of her marriage. But monogamy didn't just change her relationship with her husband—it changed her relationship with herself.
By Melanie LaForce
-
COVID Uncoupling
How the pandemic has mutated our most personal disunions.
By Gretchen Voss
-
16 At-Home Date Ideas When You're Stuck Indoors
Staying in doesn't have to be boring.
By Katherine J. Igoe
-
Long Distance Relationship Gift Ideas for Couples Who've Made It This Far
Alexa, play "A Thousand Miles."
By Jaimie Potters
-
15 Couples on How 2020 Rocked Their Relationship
Couples confessed to Marie Claire how this year's many multi-stressors tested the limits of their love.
By Sherry Amatenstein, LCSW