shrines

03/01/2018 / Last updated : 03/01/2018 kaori Central Tokyo

 Yushima Tenmangu shrine & Plum Festival

Yushima Tenmangu is commonly called Yushima Ten-jin. “Ten-jin” means God of Thunder. This shrine is famous for God of Academics, attracting many students who pray for passing the entrance examinations. It is believed that any part of bull statue which people touched will be cured. So many touch its head.  Enshrines a first actual person to be worshipped as a deity. Yushima-Tenmangu enshrines Sugawara no Michizane.  He is a historical figure who was a talented scholar serving for the Emperor in the middle Heian period (794 AD–1185 AD). He was demoted and dispelled through a conspiracy by his rival of the Fujiwara Clan but never developed the hatred for those who […]
02/28/2018 / Last updated : 04/29/2018 kaori FAQ

What is Ema, or picture tablet?

Ema are wooden votive picture tablets which are found in shrines or temples in Japan. People write their wishes and dreams on the back of “Ema” and hang them in the designated area in the precincts of shrines or temples. People originally donated living horses.        Front of Ema has picture.           Back of Ema.   Ema literally means “picture of horse” and many Ema have horse pictures on them. This is because people originally donated living horses in the old days, but later it became so difficult that people started donating wooden stable-shaped tablets on which the horse pictures were written. Horses have […]