Arai Tenjin Kitano Shrine

Arai Tenjin Kitano Shrine

新井天神北野神社

Adress : 4 Chome-14-3 Arai, Nakano, Tokyo 165-0026
〒165-0026 東京都中野区新井4-14-3
Transportation : Araiyakushimae (Seibu Shinjuku Line) -
Numabukuro (Seibu Shinjuku Line) - Nakano (JR)
Web : http://araitenjin.com/

Entry fees : free

Event : Matsuri the 3rd week-end of September
Goshuin : Ok (from 10am to 5pm)

☆ The Arai Tenjin, usually named Kitano Shrine is a Shinto Shrine. The date of its foundation isn't clear. There is a mention of a wandering Bouddhist monk in the Tenshô era (1573-1592) who would be the founder of the temple. The temple was formally part of the Araiyakushi Baishoin. But when the temples were asked to separate the Shinto and Buddhist cult (400 years ago) they had to split the sanctuary into 2 distinct temples.

This temple is mostly dedicated to Sugawara no Michizane (菅原道真 845 - 26 mars 903), a writer and a poet who has been deified into a god of Bunburyodo (文武両道 : "The path of brush and sword"). He's praised for culture and letters. Those gods are called (Tenjin : 天神). Students can turn to him to ask success for their exams.
Ukemochi is also one of the deity of the temple. She provides food and prosperity to the village.

★ Araitenji is a small simple temple in the middle of the city. You can stop by to see the small but nice moss and treee flowerbeds and caress the cow to get some luck and health.
(The park next to the temple is a bit sad and mostly occupied by homeless people, you better go on the other side of the street to Araiyakushi Baishoin Temple and his bigger park)

★ 6/10 (I want to put a 7/10 because priest were nice but this wouldn't be very honest)