Kitano Tenman-gū

Kitano Tenman-gū (北野天満宮) is a Shinto shrine in Kamigyō-ku, Kyoto, Japan.

History

It was built in 947, to appease the angry spirit of bureaucrat, scholar and poet Sugawara no Michizane, who had been exiled as a result of political maneuvers of his enemies in the Fujiwara clan.

The shrine became the object of Imperial patronage during the early Heian period. In 965, Emperor Murakami ordered that Imperial messengers were sent to report important events to the guardian kami of Japan. These heihaku were initially presented to 16 shrines; and in 991, Emperor Ichijō added three more shrines to Murakami's list — including Kitano.

From 1871 through 1946, the Kitano Tenman-gū was officially designated one of the Kanpei-chūsha (官幣中社), meaning that it stood in the second rank of government supported shrines.

Tenjin

The shrine was dedicated to Michizane; and in 986, the scholar-bureaucrat was deified and the title of Tenjin (Heavenly Deity) was conferred.

The grounds are filled with Michizane's favorite tree, the red and white ume or plum blossom, and when they blossom the shrine is often very crowded. The Plum Blossom Festival is held on February 25. Open-air tea ceremonies are hosted by geiko and apprentice maiko from the nearby Kamishichiken district. The plum festival has been held on the same day every year for about 900 years to mark the death of Michizane. The outdoor tea ceremony dates back to 1952. In that year, a big festival was held to mark the 1,050th anniversary of Michizane's death, based on the historic Kitano Ochakai tea ceremony hosted at the shrine by Toyotomi Hideyoshi.

Kitano Tenmangū is popular with students praying for success in exams because the deity was in his life a man of literature and knowledge. On the 25th of every month, the shrine hosts a flea market. Together with the similar festival at Tō-ji, a temple in the same city, they inspired the Kyoto proverb, "Fair weather at the Tōji market means rainy weather at the Tenjin market," calling to mind Kyoto's fickle weather.

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The Baladons
5 October 2016
250 maples spread around the whole area located in west of Kitano Tenman-gu Shrine. It is said that there are trees of 350-400 years among them. The light-up after the sunset should not be missed.
Eman
19 October 2015
A good walk around the temple. I visited it when they where renewing the place. Taxi services can be found at the main gate.
Koby Ofek
25 September 2010
Cute market held every 25th of the month. The central part as tons of food stalls. The interesting parts are on the sideways - Various Japanese antiques and bric-brac.
3+4=7
29 November 2012
もみじ苑のライトアップは素晴らしいです!紅葉のボリューム、ゆっくりと散策できる広さ、人の少なさは穴場スポットと言えましょう。拝観料だけでお茶とお菓子が頂けるのも嬉しい。最新の色づき情報は苑内に茶店を出されている老松さんのブログでも確認できるようですよ。
龍
26 November 2015
福岡の太宰府天満宮と共に天神信仰の中心であり、学問の神として信仰される北野天満宮の境内は梅・紅葉の名所であるほか、特に梅や牛との関係が深い。中門 (三光門)、西・東廻廊、東門、透塀、後門、日本書紀28冊等は国重要文化財、拝殿、本殿、石の間、楽の間、北野天神縁記8巻が国宝。
Massara Nati …
19 September 2013
【国宝】「本殿」「石の間」「拝殿」「楽の間」を1棟として登録されている。 現在の建物は慶長十二年(1606)豊臣秀賴が造営したもので、拝殿と本殿を石の間で連絡した権現造になる。 拝殿の東西に楽の間を、本殿の西に脇殿を附属している。 内部石の間の構架は雄大な手法をあらわし屋根も変化に富んでいて、所謂八棟造の形式になる。 近世初期神社建築の代表的な遺構である。
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0.1km from 931 Bakurocho, Kamigyo Ward, Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan Get directions
Mon-Sun 5:00 AM–6:00 PM

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