Kitano Tenjin Shrine is about three-minutes-walk away eastward from
Meitetsu, Konan Station. The shrine had been holding "the Brush
Festival" on Sunday around February 25, the anniversary of Michizane
sukawara's death since 1964, however, the date of the festival changed
to the end of January few years ago. On the day of the festival, there
are a parade to dedicate a big brush to the shrine, prayer for new students,
and a memorial service for brushes. A lot of people visit the shrine
during the festival times.
Kitano Tenjin Shrine enshrines Michizane Sugawara and regarded highly
as to have the god of study. Michizane was born in 845. He was really
diligent all through his life, and appointed as the Minister of the
Right. He was so smart that he became an object of envy to others. He
was demoted and sent to Kyushu. He was attacked by rebels but helped
by cows, which were pulling his cart. Since then, cow is treated as
a messenger of Tenjin, the heavenly god. Cow is also treated as a symbol
of good study since cow ruminate food to digest; good study manner is
the same, study again and again to digest.
Michizane died in February 25, 903, and the anniversary of his death
is called "the day of Tenjin (heavenly god)" and people visit
the shrine on that day. |
