The Kitano Tenmangu Shrine is a shrine built in Kyoto over 1000 years ago.
The shrine was built by the emperor of the time in honour of Sugawara no Michizane, a scholar and politician of the late 9th century, and for the peace of the nation.
Kitano Tenmangu Shrine is the first shrine in Japanese history to enshrine an actual person as a deity.
He is known as the ‘God of Agriculture’, ‘God of Honesty and Sincerity’, ‘God of Dispelling False Accusations’ and ‘God of the Performing Arts’.
However, he is best known as the “god of academics”.
He is a historical figure who read poetry at the age of five.
Moreover, he wrote Chinese poetry at the age of 11.
His superior talent led to the spread of the “Tenjin faith” throughout Japan.
There are as many as 12,000 shrines dedicated to Sugawara no Michizane in Japan.
However, the Kitano Tenmangu Shrine is the origin and main shrine.
To this day, many students who pray for passing exams and people who wish to improve their abilities come here to visit.
Plum Grove
In addition, the Kitano Tenmangu Shrine is famous for its plum grove.
Michizane loved the plum tree. And the plum tree loved Michizane.
The tree, called tobiume, which literally means flying plum, is said to have followed him from Kyoto to his exile in Kyushu.
For this reason, the shrine crest of Tenmangu Shrine is a plum flower.
Also, a plum tree can always be found in front of the offering hall of Tenmangu Shrine.
In addition to the tobiume tree, Kitano Tenmangu has an entire grove of nearly 2,000 plum trees that bloom in February and March. The shrine holds a special tea ceremony called Baikasai in this plum grove every 25th of February.
