Thank you for visiting our website. This is Yoko from iTWS japan.
One day in early summer, I visited Yushima Tenmangu. (Some call it Yushima Tenjin.) It’s located near Ueno, the central part of Tokyo, and it enshrines Sugawara Michizane who is well known as a god of learning. This is why the shrine is popular among students preparing for an exam. The shrine is also famous for its plum blossoms. A lot of people visit there during the season.
By the way, there are many shrines related to Sugawara Michizane in Japan, a god of learning. And many people visit those shrines before taking an exam. He was actually familiar with poetry or books, and an excellent scholar. Do you know why he came to be worshiped as a god of learning?
Sugawara michizane was a scholar and a competent civil servant in the late 10th century. But he was unfairly exiled by his political rival, and demoted to Dazaifu in Kyusyu where he died. After that, the epidemic disease was spreading in the capital, the drought occurred. Furthermore, thunderstorms and earthquakes… People feared and thought that those disasters were due to Sugawara Michizane. Then the shrine was built to console his soul. Later, Sugawara Michizane who showed a great academic talent during his life was worshipped as a god of learning.
There are many people who visit the shrine to make a wish for success or enjoy flowers. To tell the truth, I did visit there when I was a candidate. So did my daughter. We really appreciate it. You can buy not only a good luck charm but also good luck pencils. It is said if you use the pencil when you take a exam, you will pass the exam. I found a fortune paper machine shaped dancing lion. I should have taken a video instead of a photo while it was moving.
If you have a plan to take an exam, why don’t you visit Yushima Tenmangu? Of course, I will guide you!
Thank you for reading. Have a nice week!
Yoko Yoshida, a member of iTWS japan LLP
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