Seimei-i well with pentagram motif at the Seimei shrine in Kyoto.
The Seimei Shrine was founded on the 4th year of the Kankō era (1007) by Emperor Ichijō, who ordered the shrine built in memory of the onmyōji Abe no Seimei, after his death in 1005. It was constructed on the site of Abe no Seimei’s house.A famous well (Seimei-i) is located on the shrine grounds, and the water drawn from it is considered somewhat magical. Tea master Sen no Rikyū was known to have brewed tea with the water from this well.
The pentacle, known locally as a Seimei-star, is an important symbol found on many parts of the shrine. Abe no Seimei reputedly came up with the arcane insignia in the 10th century, symbolizing the Five Chinese Elements. Japanese bellflower (Platycodon grandiflorus) ornamentation are found in decorative tiles and lanterns. The five petal tips of the flower are thought to represent the same ideal as the pentagram.
