Kitano Tenmangu shrine is one of the most famous shrines in Japan. Kitano Tenmangu shrine is a shrine sacred a god of education, and many students come here to pray for success in their studies and examinations. Kitano Tenmangu shrine is the comprehensive head shrine of Japan’s Tenmangu shrines in which Sugawara Michizane, patron deity of learning, is enshrined. Kitano Tenmangu is really famous for beautiful plum blossom viewing as well.
Opening Hours :
9:00 – 17:00
How to go to Kitano Tenmangu shrine – I went there from Osaka(Hankyu Umeda Station). Take a train at 1, 2 or 3.
Get off at Sain Station. If you go there from Kawaramachi or Kyoto Station, you take Hankyu trains and also get off at Sain Station.
The road in front of Hankyu Sain Station.
Hankyu Sain Station.
Going to East about 200m to take a train at Keifuku Sain Station.
Keifuku Sain Station.
The map of Keifuku.
There is no ticket counter. You need to pay money into the box which is behind the conductor.
Adult : 200 yen. Child : 100 yen.
You always buy a ticket before you take a train but not in Keifuku trains.
Keifuku train is one of the most historical local train. They started their business 10 decades ago.
Just 1 car.
Keifuku train is famous for a streetcar. There is few streetcars in Japan.
He looks serious.
The train on the other side.
This is the station(Katabira no tsuji) that you have to get off to change the train for Kitano Tenmangu Shrine, Ryoanji Temple, Ninnaji Temple or Myoshinji Temple.
If you go to Arashiyama, no need to get off here.
Katabira no tsuji station.
Go to platform 3 or 4 for Kitano Tenmangu Shrine.
Going down this stairs.
And going up.
Wait for the train at platform 3 or 4.
Just wait for a couple minutes.
The last station is Kitano Hakubaicho which is 5 mins away from Kitano Tenmangu shrine.
This is Omuro Ninnaji Station for Ninnaji Temple.
Myoshinji Station for Myoshinji temple.
Ryoanji station for Ryoanji Temple.
We got to the last station(Kitano Hakubaicho Station). Adult(200 yen) and Child(100 yen). You put money into the box in front of the conductor.
Usually you pay money before you get off at any keifuku station but not at the last stations. At only last stations, you pay money before you get out of the station.
It’s kind of complicated,eh?
Usually you put money in this box.
Ok. Finally I got at Kitano Hakubaicho Station. It takes 5 mins away from here to Kitano Tenmangu station. Just going straight right in front of Kitano Hakubai cho.
You can see this sign.
There we are.
There are several street stalls.
The gate of Kitano Tenmangu shrine.
People are taking a picture in front of beautiful plum blossom.
Before entering the shrine, you wash your hands and mouth to purify yourself.
Some women in Kimono.
The main gate.
Looks good.
They have a store to sell any kinds of charms for having an easy birth, traffic safety, success in studies and much more.
A maiden in the service of a Shinto shrine.
There are a lot of charms with nice designs.
A list showing the unlucky years. If you are male and are 25, 42 or 61, you are going to be hounded by evil spirits and bad luck.
If you are a woman and are 19, 33, 37 or 61, you will also be followed by evil and bad luck.
But luckily, Kitano Tenmangu shrine sells items which will protect you from these spirits in the form of parchments or charms.
The previous year and next year of these ages will also be bad years(not as bad as the ages that I mentioned though) so that I need to buy some charms to avoid.
They have some paper which are shapes of a human. Apparently, this is also good to avoid the bad year for those ages.
Put your name and your age on this paper.
Put it into the box. It says “人形(Ningyo)” means dolls. Maybe it means the paper’s shape?
Pray to god.
Put some money into the box and ring the bell. This is how to pray to god in Japan. Bow 2 times, clap 2 times and bow 1 more time and pray to god. God bless you.
The place to write “Ema”. Ema is the plate to pray for success in examinations.
Write your wishes on the plate here.
The example. It says “Success in the entrance”, name and age.
A small shrine.
There are tons of “Ema” to display.
Ema, Ema and Ema.
Now you know how many students come here to pray for success in examinations, don’t you?
There are many plum trees.
The plum trees are not in full bloom now but it’s beautiful.
The shrine with plum trees.
I bought this charm. Hopefully, this year will be good.
[...] new year, everyone.I went to Kitano Tenmangu Shrine for “Hatsumode” which is the first shrine visit of the New Year to pray for comfort and [...]
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