Home to one of the best plum blossom spots in all of Japan, Kitano Tenmangu Shrine is located in northwestern Kyoto and is a popular spot for students to visit. At Kitano Tenmangu Shrine there is a flea market on the 25th of every month and you can enjoy beautiful views at night.
About Kitano Tenmangu Shrine
Known as the first shrine where an actual person was enshrined as a deity, Kitano Tenmangu dates back to 974 when it was built to appease the spirit of Sugawara no Michizane, who was known as a scholar and politician in the Heian period.
Though there are thousands of shrines around Japan that are dedicated to Sugawara no Michizane, Kitano Tenmangu Shrine is the origin and main shrine of them all. Best known as the “God of Academics”, many students visit the shrine to pray for success in their studies.
On the shrine grounds, you can find a unique form of architecture called “Yatsumune-Zukuri”, which consists of the main shrine, worship hall, and the Ishi-no-Ma halls having interconnected roofs.
In 1607, Toyotomi Hideyori constructed the current shrine and it is designated as a national treasure. Around the same time, the Ro-mon gate and the Sanko-mon gate were also built with beautifully detailed sculpting and bright colors.
Best of all, are the views of the gardens , including Bai-en, which is dedicated to the beautiful plum blossom trees. Also, you can visit during the autumn season to view the beautiful foliage that is lit up in the evenings.
Finally, there is the Kitano Tenmangu Treasure House that is only open on the 25th of every month. There are many treasures that are stored here, the most famous is the "Illustrated Scroll of the Origin of Kitano Tenjin”.
Kitano Tenmangu Flea Market
On the 25th of every month, Kitano Tenmangu holds a special street festival called the Tenjin-san’s Festival. It is held within the shrine precincts and it is basically a flea market where you can buy food, used items such as tools and clothes and more.
This event is particularly popular with the local residents and runs from 6:00 am until 9:00 pm. During this time, you can relax with local street food, check out the wares for sale, and even visit the treasure house!
Kitano Tenmangu Sunset and Night Illuminations
Visiting Kitano Tenmangu Shrine just after sunset is surely one of the most magical times to visit. During this time, many of the hundreds of stone and hanging lanterns throughout the shrine are lit up until 9:00 pm and create a fairytale-like atmosphere.
The Popular Kitano Tenmangu Flower Views
As Sugawara no Michizane’s favorite flowers were plum blossoms, it should come as no surprise that the grounds of Kitano Tenmangu have many plum trees with red and white blossoms. This is one of the most popular places in all of Japan to view plum blossoms.
During early spring when the plum blossom blooms, Bai-en is open to the public. On February 25th, the Ume Blossom Festival is held and there is a special tea ceremony, the Baikasai, where maiko and geiko (geishas) of Kyoto's Kamishichiken district participate and serve matcha.
Kitano Tenmangu Shrine Opening Hours and Admission
You will be happy to know that admission to the Kitano Tenmangu Shrine is free, so you can feel relaxed knowing that you can visit the temple as many times as you want during your visit without worrying about admission fees.
The hours at Kitano Tenmangu Shrine vary with the season: from 5:00 am until 6:00 pm from April until September, and from 5:30 am until 5:30 pm from October until March.
The festival that is held on each 25th of the month runs from 6:00 am until 9:00 pm and finally, the hours for the Momoji-en (maple tree garden) are from 9:00 am until 8:00 pm during the illumination period.
Opening hours for the Kitano Tenmangu Treasure House are from 10:00 am until 4:00 pm every 25th of the month and admission is 500 yen for adults, 300 yen for senior and junior high school students, and 250 yen for elementary school students.
information
- Name: Kitano Tenmangu Shrine
- Street address: Bakurocho, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto, Kyoto 602-8386
- Access: A 10-minute walk from Kitajohakubaicho Station on the Keifuku Dentetsu Kitano Line
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