Shinto shrine
A is a structure whose main purpose is to house ("enshrine") one or more ''kami'', the deities of the Shinto religion.
Overview
Structurally, a Shinto shrine typically comprises several buildings.
The '' honden''Also called (本殿, meani ...
Tokyo
Tokyo (; ja, 東京, , ), officially the Tokyo Metropolis ( ja, 東京都, label=none, ), is the capital and largest city of Japan. Formerly known as Edo, its metropolitan area () is the most populous in the world, with an estimated 37.468 ...
,
Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
.
Established in 458, it is now devoted to Tenjin, the
kami
are the deities, divinities, spirits, phenomena or "holy powers", that are venerated in the Shinto religion. They can be elements of the landscape, forces of nature, or beings and the qualities that these beings express; they can also be the sp ...
of Learning. For this reason, it is also called Yushima Tenjin.
It is located very close to Ueno Park, and not far from the University of Tokyo. It is frequently sited by prospective students hoping to pass the entrance exams, particularly in April. At this time, the temple receives many offerings of '' ema'', votive tablets to petition the kami for success.
One of the most famous features of the shrine are the blossoms of his plum trees (''ume'') in the spring. In February and March, the annual festival ''Ume
Matsuri
Japanese festivals are traditional festive occasions often celebrated with dance and music in Japan. Many festivals have their roots in Traditional Chinese holidays, traditional Chinese festivals, but have undergone extensive changes over time ...
'' is held, attracting many visitors.
History
''Yushima Tenman-gū'' was originally established for the worship of , a
kami
are the deities, divinities, spirits, phenomena or "holy powers", that are venerated in the Shinto religion. They can be elements of the landscape, forces of nature, or beings and the qualities that these beings express; they can also be the sp ...
associated with sports and physical power found in
Japanese mythology
Japanese mythology is a collection of traditional stories, folktales, and beliefs that emerged in the islands of the Japanese archipelago. Shinto and Buddhist traditions are the cornerstones of Japanese mythology. The history of thousands of year ...
(most famously in the ''
Kojiki
The , also sometimes read as or , is an early Japanese chronicle of myths, legends, hymns, genealogies, oral traditions, and semi-historical accounts down to 641 concerning the origin of the Japanese archipelago, the , and the Japanese imperia ...
'' and '' Nihon Shoki'').
In February 1355 the shrine was expanded to enshrine the kami as well. ''Tenjin'' is the deification of Sugawara no Michizane (845–903), a famous scholar, poet and politician from the
Heian period
The is the last division of classical Japanese history, running from 794 to 1185. It followed the Nara period, beginning when the 50th emperor, Emperor Kanmu, moved the capital of Japan to Heian-kyō (modern Kyoto). means "peace" in Japanese. ...
. As a kami he is associated to scholarship and learning. Currently both kami are enshrined in ''Yushima Tenman-gū''.
The shrine was later rebuilt in October 1455 at the behest of local warlord
Ota Dokan OTA or ota may stand for:
Art, entertainment, and media
* ''Off the Air'', an Adult Swim television series
* Otakon, an annual anime convention in Baltimore, Maryland
Electronics, science, and technology
* Ochratoxin A (also termed OTA), a mycoto ...
(1432–1486), and enjoyed greater popularity during the
Edo period
The or is the period between 1603 and 1867 in the history of Japan, when Japan was under the rule of the Tokugawa shogunate and the country's 300 regional '' daimyo''. Emerging from the chaos of the Sengoku period, the Edo period was characteriz ...
when it was visited by such Confucian scholars as Hayashi Doshun (1583–1657) and Arai Hakuseki (1657–1725).
The current structures of ''Yushima Tenman-gū'' were rebuilt in 1995. They were made using only cypress, and following closely the tradition of Shinto architecture.
Gallery
File:Yushima tenmangu shrine.jpg, Main hall
File:Yushima tenmangu ema.jpg, Ema offered at Yushima Tenmangu
File:Yushima tenmangu inari.jpg,
Inari
Inari may refer to:
Shinto
* Inari Ōkami, a Shinto spirit
** Mount Inari in Japan, site of Fushimi Inari-taisha, the main Shinto shrine to Inari
** Inari Shrine, shrines to the Shinto god Inari
* Inari-zushi, a type of sushi
Places
* Inari, ...
no Kami sub-shrine
File:Reitaisai -Yushima 07.jpg, Reitaisai
File:100 views edo 117.jpg, Hiroshige
Annual events
The yearly events and festival at ''Yushima Tenman-gū'' are:
*
Hatsumōde
is the first Buddhist temple or Shinto shrine visit of the Japanese New Year. Many visit on the first, second, or third day of the year as most are off work on those days. Generally, wishes for the new year are made, new ''omamori'' (charms or ...
(New Year's visit) 1 – 7 January
* Ume Matsuri (Plum trees festival) 7 February – 7 March
* Tenjin-sai (The grand festival) 25 May
* Kiku Matsuri (The chrysanthemums flowers festival) 1 – 23 November
Access
There is no admission fee for visitors to enter the shrine precincts. It is open from 6 am to 8 pm (the shop from 8:30 am to 7 pm).
The entrances is at a 2-minute walk from Exit 3 of Yushima Station on the
Chiyoda Line
The is a subway line owned and operated by Tokyo Metro in Tokyo, Japan. On average, the line carries 1,447,730 passengers daily (2017), the second highest of the Tokyo Metro network, behind the Tozai Line (1,642,378).
There is a branch of Yushima Tenmangū located in the Wakahowatauchi district of
Nagano (city)
is the capital and largest city of Nagano Prefecture, located in the Nagano Basin (Zenkoji Daira) in the central Chūbu region of Japan. Nagano is categorized as a core city of Japan. Nagano City is the highest prefectural capital in Japan, with ...