At the end of 2019, I paid a visit to Nishiki Tenmangu (錦天満宮) shrine.
Though we have a lot of Tenmangu (天満宮) shrine in Japan, such as the most famous Kitano tenmangu (北野天満宮), I especially like this small one located at the end of the Nishiki (錦市場) market street. The unique thing about this particular shrine is its Torii (鳥居) gate sticking into the adjacent building, and it has made the shrine very famous.
I offered my prayer to thank the god for the prosperity of the passing year, and wished for the improvement in my Tea ceremony practice this year. They say that your prayer will be answered by rubbing the statue of the guardian cow in the premises. So, I did!
As same as the cows at Kitano tenmangu shrine, the cow's head is extraordinarily shiny and sleek because so many people has rubbed it. The cow is waiting for you!
Access:
5 mins. on foot from Shijo-Kawaramachi, kyoto city bus
1 min. on foot from Kyoto-Kwaramachi, Hankyu line
10 mins. on foot from Gion-Shijo, Keihan line
11 mins. on foot from Shijo, Kyoto subway line
Akane Kibune
Kyoto Expert Certification 1st Grade
