Patrick Vierthaler
Kitano Tenman-gū
北野天満宮
Kitano Tenman-gū is one of the major Shintō shrines of Kyōto. It is dedicated to Sugawara no Michizane 菅原道真 (845–903), a scholar, poet, and politician of the Heian period (794–1185). As the main shrine of over 12,000 shrines dedicated to Sugawara, Kitano Tenman-gū is popular with students to pray for good exams.
As with other Tenman shrines in Japan, Kitano Tenman-gū is famous for the hundreds of plum trees on its grounds, blooming in February–March. Recently, a newly constructed plum garden has opened, in addition to an older maple garden along a small stream. Several artifacts can be viewed within the shrine’s treasure house.
Admission: shrine grounds open year-round, garden opening in spring and autumn
Nearby places of interest: Hirano Shrine, Tōji-in, Kinkaku-ji
Plum season at Kitano Tenman-gū, a shrine famous for its hundreds of plum trees.