Shrine with 10th-century origins featuring annual festivals to mark natural & historical events.

Universal Studios Japan

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Kitano Tenmangu Shrine

Kitano Tenmangu Shrine, dedicated to Sugawara no Michizane, a Heian period scholar and poet deified as Tenjin, the god of learning, distinguishes itself through its unique connection to oxen. Numerous statues of reclining oxen populate the grounds, believed to possess healing powers; rubbing a statue is said to alleviate ailments in the corresponding body part. Unlike many shrines, Kitano Tenmangu's main hall showcases a distinct architectural style, reflecting its historical significance and the veneration of Michizane as a scholar. Plum blossoms, Michizane's favorite flower, are a prominent feature, with the shrine's plum garden boasting hundreds of trees that bloom vibrantly in late winter, attracting visitors seeking academic success and artistic inspiration. The monthly antique market held on the shrine grounds offers a glimpse into Kyoto's rich cultural heritage, providing a unique opportunity to acquire historical artifacts and traditional crafts.

Introduction

Kitano Tenmangu Shrine hosts the "Tenjin-san" flea market on the 25th of every month, transforming the shrine precincts and surrounding area into a bustling marketplace. Up to 1,000 stalls offer a diverse array of goods, with a significant portion dedicated to clothing, including second-hand kimonos. Antiques are also a major draw, featuring pottery, tools, curios, and various collectibles. Beyond shopping, the market provides numerous food options, from food carts to stalls selling fresh produce like fruits and vegetables.

The market is a treasure trove of uniquely Japanese items, with vendors emptying attics and storage rooms to display special artifacts alongside everyday objects. Visitors can find antique dolls, racks of pre-owned kimonos sold by the bagful, power cords, and hand-made pottery. Held only one day a month, vendors arrive early, hoping to make sales. Visiting during the spring offers the added attraction of viewing beautiful prune flowers, which bloom before the peach and cherry blossoms. The market provides a deep dive into Japanese culture and commerce, offering both the special and the mundane for sale.

Monthly Flea Market

Kitano Tenmangu Shrine's historical significance is deeply rooted in its unique origin as the first shrine to deify an actual person, Sugawara no Michizane, a scholar and politician of the Heian period. Constructed in 947 to appease Michizane's spirit after his unjust exile and subsequent calamities in Kyoto, the shrine marks a pivotal moment in Japanese religious history. The unprecedented deification of Michizane as Tenjin, the god of learning, set Kitano Tenmangu apart, transforming it into a center for academic aspirations.

Imperial patronage significantly shaped the shrine's historical trajectory. Emperor Ichijo officially conferred the title of Tenjin upon Michizane in 986, solidifying the shrine's importance. Later, influential figures like Toyotomi Hideyoshi contributed to its architectural grandeur in the 16th and 17th centuries. The main hall and gates, dating back to 1607 in the Momoyama period style, are now designated as National Treasures, reflecting the shrine's enduring legacy.

The shrine's cultural importance extends to its collection of artworks gifted by emperors and shoguns, showcasing the evolution of Japanese artistic styles. The Kitano Tenjin Engi Emaki, a National Treasure, illustrates Michizane's life and the shrine's history, providing insights into medieval Japanese society. The Baikasai festival, with its outdoor tea ceremony, exemplifies the shrine's role in preserving traditional Japanese arts and customs, further cementing its historical and cultural significance.

Historical Significance

Kitano Tenmangu Shrine's significance is deeply rooted in the Tenjin faith, centered on the deification of Sugawara no Michizane, a Heian-era scholar and politician. Established in 947 to appease Michizane's spirit after his unjust exile and death, the shrine marks the beginning of his transformation into Tenjin, the god of learning, scholarship, and calligraphy. In 986, Emperor Ichijo officially conferred upon Michizane the title of Tenman Tenjin, elevating him to deity status, an unprecedented act that distinguishes Kitano Tenmangu from other Shinto shrines.

As the head shrine of over 12,000 Tenmangu shrines nationwide, Kitano Tenmangu is the epicenter of the Tenjin faith. Michizane's association with oxen, considered Tenjin's sacred messengers, is prominently displayed throughout the shrine grounds with numerous ox statues that visitors rub for good luck, stemming from the legend of an ox refusing to move during Michizane's funeral procession, thus indicating his chosen burial site.

The shrine's popularity among students praying for academic success underscores Tenjin's role as the god of learning. Kitano Tenmangu also reflects Tenjin's broader influence, encompassing agriculture, honesty, protection against false accusations, and the performing arts. The Plum Blossom Festival, coinciding with Michizane's death anniversary, further emphasizes the connection, as plum blossoms were his favorite. This festival includes an open-air tea ceremony hosted by geiko and maiko, serving as a living tradition that honors Michizane's legacy and the enduring Tenjin faith.

Tenjin Faith

Kitano Tenmangu Shrine is renowned for its Plum Blossom Festival (Baika-sai), a significant annual event held on February 25th to honor Sugawara no Michizane, the shrine's deity and a lover of plum blossoms. This festival, with a history spanning approximately 900 years, commemorates Michizane's virtues through special offerings at the main shrine, including "Kodote," arrangements of white and red plum blossom branches. Visitors can also receive "Yakuyoke Genmai," evil-averting brown rice used in the ceremony, as a charm.

A highlight of the festival is the outdoor tea ceremony (Nodate) in the shrine's plum garden, inspired by Toyotomi Hideyoshi's grand tea ceremony held at Kitano Tenmangu in 1587. Revived in 1952, this ceremony features geisha and maiko from the Kamishichiken district serving matcha green tea and traditional sweets to approximately 3,000 guests. Tickets for the tea ceremony, priced at 3,000 yen, include access to the Treasure Hall and an exchange ticket for offerings.

The festival coincides with the peak plum blossom season, showcasing around 1,500 plum trees of 50 varieties across the shrine's 2-hectare grounds. The plum garden is open to the public, with illuminated lanterns enhancing the viewing experience from sunset until 8:00 pm. The shrine is easily accessible by city bus from JR Kyoto Station or Demachiyanagi Station.

Plum Blossom Festival

Kitano Tenmangu Shrine in Kyoto, established in 947 AD, uniquely enshrines Sugawara no Michizane, a Heian period scholar and politician, marking it as the first shrine in Japanese history to deify an actual person. Michizane, now revered as Tenjin, the god of learning, honesty, sincerity, performing arts, dispelling false accusations, and agriculture, draws countless students seeking academic success. Legend states Michizane could compose poetry by age five, solidifying his association with education.

Following Michizane's exile and death, Kyoto faced calamities attributed to his spirit. To appease him, the imperial court ordered the construction of Kitano Tenmangu Shrine, initiating his deification. Emperor Ichijo later conferred upon Michizane the title of Tenman Tenjin in 986.

Kitano Tenmangu is considered the origin and main shrine of approximately 12,000 Tenmangu shrines dedicated to Sugawara no Michizane throughout Japan. The shrine's main hall, Ro-mon Gate, and Sanko-mon Gate, built in 1607, showcase Momoyama period design with golden decorations and detailed sculpting. The shrine is also famed for its ume trees, with the Bai-en (ume garden) open to the public during the bloom and a tea ceremony held on February 25th featuring geiko and maiko serving matcha and sweets.

Sugawara no Michizane

Kitano Tenmangu Shrine's designation as a repository of National Treasures underscores its profound cultural and historical significance. The main shrine, built in 1607 by Toyotomi Hideyori, stands as a National Treasure, exemplifying the Momoyama period's architectural style with its elaborate golden decorations. This yatsumune-zukuri style construction integrates the main shrine, the Ishi-no-Ma hall, and the worship hall under a single, expansive roof.

The shrine's Treasure Hall, also known as Houmotsuden, safeguards an array of historically significant artifacts. Among these is the Illustrated Scroll of the Origin of Kitano Tenjin, a National Treasure providing invaluable insights into the life of Sugawara no Michizane and the shrine's early history. The collection also includes swords, suits of armor, and other items donated by worshippers over centuries. The main shrine is a National Treasure, and the illustrated hand scroll of the history of Kitano Tenman-gu Shrine and the life of Michizane Sugawara is a National Treasure.

The cultural importance of Kitano Tenmangu is further highlighted by the artistic treasures gifted by emperors, shoguns, and other prominent figures throughout history. These pieces not only reflect the shrine's prestige but also chart the evolution of Japanese artistic expression across the ages. The shrine's role as a guardian of these National Treasures reinforces its status as a vital cultural landmark in Kyoto.

Kitano Tenmangu Shrine

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