Plum Blossom Festival - Ume Matsuri Yushima Tenjin Shrine
Ume Matsuri is Plum Blossom Festival in Japan and from early February to early March, Japanese celebrate these harbingers of Spring. Before the madness of Sakura (cherry blossom) and hanami (cherry blossom viewing party) it was the Plum Blossom that the Japanese adored, a tradition coming from China.
From the Nara Period (710-794) to the first half of the Heian Period (794-1185) the Plum Blossom reigned until it gave way to the Cherry Blossom. But even today many places have plum blossom festivals most notably shrines related to the God of Education, Tenjin. In life, Tenjin was Sugawara no Michizane, a scholar and statesman. As a scholar of Chinese, Sugawara loved the plum blossom.
Sugawara suffered political misfortune and was promoted-exiled to Kyushu where he died in 903. Some believed his ghost haunted the land and eventually to placate his angry spirit he was promoted in rank and later deified as the god of education.
Yushima Tenjin Shrine (also called Yushima Tenmangu) in Ueno, Tokyo has plum blossoms to view from February through March along with various entertainment on the weekend from tea ceremonies, folk dance, taiko drumming, biwa playing, and bringing a mikoshi (portable shrine) to the main shrine.
Plum Blossom Festival at Kitano Tenmangū Shrine
Kitano Tenmangu Shrine is one of the most important shrines across Japan that are dedicated to Sugawara Michizane, a scholar and politician. He was unfairly exiled by his political rivals to Kyushu. Michizane loved plum trees. Flying plum tree is said to have followed him from Kyoto to his exile in Kyushu. Because of this, a plum tree can always be found standing in front of the offering hall of Tenmangu shrines. The shrine hosts a special tea ceremony called Baikasai every February 25th, attended by maiko and geiko of the nearby Kamishichiken geiko district.
Japan Trip: Kitano Tenmangu Shrine god of education popular with students, Kyoto084 Moopon
Kitano Tenmangu Shrine is one of the most important of several hundred shrines across Japan that are dedicated to Sugawara Michizane, a scholar, politician and poet who was unfairly exiled by his political rivals in the Fujiwara clan. A number of disasters were attributed to Michizane's vengeful spirit after his death in exile, and these shrines were built to appease his angry spirit.
Sugawara Michizane is associated with Tenjin, which is a title conferred on him., the kami (Shinto god) of education. Today, many students pay a visit to Kitano Tenmangu to pray for success in their studies. The shrine becomes especially crowded with students during exam times and school trip seasons. As well as the tobiume tree, Kitano Tenmangu features an entire grove of almost 2000 trees that are in bloom from February to March. The shrine hosts a special tea ceremony, called Baikasai, in this plum grove every February 25th, attended by maiko and geiko from the nearby Kamishichiken geiko district.
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