Kyoto in mid-February was hit by a cold wave. Hearing the news of plum blossoms, I visited Kitano Tenmangu Shrine in search of plum blossoms and wonders.

The shrine's deity...Sugawara no MichizaneSpeaking of which, it is nowgod of learningIt is renowned as a But on the other hand,Representative of the grudge spirits that shook the capital of KyotoBut there was.

During the Heian period (794-1185), Michizane was sent to Dazaifu in Kyushu due to the false charges against him by Tokihei Fujiwara, and died with a heavy heart. After his death, strange things began to happen one after another in the capital. Fujiwara no Tokihira died unexpectedly, lightning struck Seiryouden and caused deaths, and the shocked Emperor Daigo fell ill. The capital, which was supposed to be a place of peace and tranquility, was struck by a succession of disasters, including floods, droughts, epidemics, and famines. The people of the capital at the time believed that all of these strange events were the work of Michizane's grudge spirit, and their awe was combined with the belief in the god of thunder and the god of heaven, and spread throughout the country.

Now, as you walk through the precincts of the temple, you will seeUme" and "CowPlum trees are said to have been a favorite of Michizane. Michizane is said to have loved plum blossoms.

Plum blossoms said to have been loved by Sugawara no Michizane

Shrine and plum tree (taken last year)

The legend of the flying plum tree, which was planted in Michizane's Kyoto residence, is well-known for its flight to Dazaifu, the place where Michizane left his master, who wrote a poem, "If the east wind blows, let it blow, and the plum blossoms will not forget the spring. The plum trees on the shrine grounds and the guardian dogs at the Ichino-torii (the first torii) are all well-known:Introduced by KomainuThe pedestal of the "Ume" (plum tree) is also carved with a plum tree, and the crest of a plum bowl can be seen here and there. The city people of that time also,The fragrance of the plum tree is what appeases the spirit of Michizane.He thought it was a good idea.

Ichino-torii (first torii), pedestal of komainu (guardian dogs)

Also, "cows" are,The oxen in the car carrying Michizane's remains got stuck in the middle of the road, and they decided to use that as the grave site.It is said that the reason why the statue of a cow in the temple grounds is a reclining cow is derived from this legend.

By the way, it is said that there is only one standing cow among the statues of reclining cows everywhere. I tried to find it because it was said to nourish my luck if I could find it, but I could not find it. Since I had come all this way, I went to the shrine to pray and looked up at ...... and, ah, I found it!

One of the Seven Wonders, the only standing bull in the precinct

The bull's hind legs are standing, but its front legs appear to be folded, which may represent the state of the bull in the process of lying down. This cow is the same palace'sOne of the Seven WondersThere is also.

Speaking of the Seven Wonders,style of temple gate featuring three supporting pillars and a gabled roofis well known. It is the middle gate in front of the main shrine, so named because it is decorated with carvings of the moon, sun, and stars. In reality, however, there are no stars carved on it, so it is also called "Hoshikakumon" (starless gate). It is said that during the Heian period (794-1185), when the emperor of the Imperial Palace prayed toward Kitano Tenmangu Shrine, he saw the North Star directly above the Sankomon Gate, and that "star" refers to the North Star shining in the sky.

One of the Seven Wonders, the "moon" at the three light gates of the starless gate.

On the contrary, most worshippers pass by it unnoticed, and it seemed surprisingly unknown to me,Daikokuten LanternIt is the only one of the many lanterns with Daikokuten carved on it. Of the many lanterns, this is the only one with Daikokuten carved on it, and it is said that if you place a pebble in Daikokuten's mouth and the pebble that does not fall out is put in your wallet, you will never have to worry about money again.

Daikokuten lantern, one of the Seven Wonders of the World

I would like to introduce one other interesting wonder. In front of the shrine, a group of young worshippers were excitedly saying, "Wow! I heard that they were excited. I overheard them saying,Reflect your image in the mirror above the hall of worship before worshipping to make your wish come true.This is the "Seven Wonders of the Palace". Since this has not been added to the Seven Wonders of the Palace, it may slowly permeate the area as an extra edition in the future.

By the way, the ume garden in the precinct was just opened to the public. There were still many buds and a few flowers here and there... On the anniversary of Sugawara Michizane's death on February 25 this month, geiko and maiko from Kamishichichiken, one of the five Hanamachi districts, add flowers to the annualPlum Blossom Festivalwill be held at the same time. The ume blossoms will be at their best by then. I left the precincts of the shrine under the cold weather, feeling spring with the plum blossoms that were in full bloom for three minutes.

Collaboration of plum blossoms and cows in the precinct (photo taken in February 2017).