Tenjin Sama

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. Sugawara Michizane Legends 天神菅原道真伝説 Legends about Tenjin .
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Tenjin Sama 天神さま

Sugawara Michizane　菅原道真
Tenman-Gu in Dazaifu 大宰府の天満宮

. Tenjin sama - INTRODUCTION .


He is the deity of learning and very important to students when they need to pass an examination.


The bullfinch (鷽 uso) is believed to be Tenjin-sama's messenger.

. usokae, uso kae うそ替え exchanging bullfinches
regional bullfinch amulets


There are many regional groups which support the Tenjin festivals, called

koosha 講社 "shrine group"
Here is a list of 32 of them:
ushi hi koo 丑日講（うしひこう）"day of the ox"
大阪書林御文庫講（おおさかしょりんおぶんここう）
大阪天満ライオンズクラブ奉仕講
...(おおさかてんまらいおんずくらぶほうしこう）
鳳講（おおとりこう）
御船講（おふねこう）
御羽車講（おはぐるまこう）
御神酒講（おみきこう）sacred sake group
篝講（かがりこう）
菅公会（かんこうかい） Kanko-Kai
北信友の講（ほくしんとものこう）
吉備講（きびこう）Kibi Ko
供船講（きょうせんこう）
敬神婦人会・采女講（けいしんふじんかい・うねめこう）
御鳳輦講（ごほうれんこう）
榊講（さかきこう）Sakakitree ko
太鼓中（たいこなか） drummers
玉神輿講（たまみこしこう） mikoshi
天神講獅子（てんじんこうしし）
どんどこ船講（どんどこふねこう） dondoko boat ko
西天満連合神鉾講（にしてんまれんごうかみほここう）
人形船講（にんぎょうふねこう）
baifuu koo 梅風講（ばいふうこう）"wind in the plums"
hanagasa koo 花傘講（はながさこう）
fuku ume koo 福梅講（ふくうめこう）
米穀商御錦蓋講（べいこくしょうおきんがいこう）
mihata koo 御旗講（みはたこう）
source : www.tenjinmatsuri.com


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dorei 土鈴 clay bells with Tenjin
. . . CLICK here for Photos !

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Tenjin from Yamanashi



hariko 張子 papermachee dolls with Tenjin
. . . CLICK here for Photos !



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tsuchi ningyoo 土人形 clay toys with Tenjin
. . . CLICK here for Photos !


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akaheko tenjin 赤へこ天神 / 赤兵子 天神 Tenjin sama with a red soldier's robe
an offering at the Usa Jinja 宇佐神社.
赤兵子天満宮 Akaheko Tenman Gu in 大分県玖珠郡九重町菅原

Legend knows this:
The killers sent by Fujiwara were still after Michizane and had come quite close. Thanks to the quick wit of an old woman he was saved. The woman hid him under her huge kitchen hearth. When the killers came, she told them she was just drying an old red soldier's coat (akaheko), so they searched elsewhere.
Some people now take the earth from the nearby Tenman Gu and put it around their home to prevent evil influences, fire and disaster.




from Beppu, Oita
twisted by hand from 小川秀太 Ogawa Shuta from Kusu village.

Sugawara no Oo kaya 菅原の大カヤ　the big Kaya tree of Sugawara
close to 菅原天満宮 Sugawara Tenman Gu / 大分県玖珠郡九重町菅原
source : hitozato-kyoboku.com


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. akamono, aka mono 赤もの red things (for good luck) .
Akamono from Fushimi, Kyoto 赤もの　伏見土人形


赤もの　天神 akamono Tenjin


赤もの　牛乗り天神

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doonai Tenjin 堂内天神 Tenjin in a hall


- CLICK for more images ! -
With two small Komainu guradian dogs at the side !

佐賀県神埼町 尾崎人形 Saga, Ozaki clay doll




. doro Tenjin 泥天神 "mud Tenjin"
from Tsuyama, Okayama

. doro Tenjin 泥天神 from Tottori .
and Izumo (Shimane)

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. Hiroshima 広島県 上下町 Joge Dolls .
Jooge Tenjin 上下人形 Tenjin from Joge town



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. kamenori ten 亀乗り天 Tenjin on a tortoise
Aichi, Nanao Tenjin Shrine, 七尾天神社



. Kesennuma tsuchi ningyoo 気仙沼土人形 Tenjin clay dolls from Kesennuma .


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Konosu Clay Dolls 鴻巣


aka Tenjin 赤天神 red Tenjin sama


kuro Tenjin 黒天神 black Tenjin sama

source :　asahi/narumi

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. kushi tenjin 串天神 Tenjin sama on a stick .
Nagano, Matsumoto

. Nakayama ningyoo 中山人形 Dolls from Nakayama 中山の天神 Nakayama Tenjin

. Nekkocho tsuchi ningyo Tenjin 根っ子町土人形
Fukushima

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ne ushi nori Tenjin 寝牛乗り天神 Tenjin on a lying-down cow
Miyoshi town 三次市, Hiroshima - neushi


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source : kyoudogangu.xii.jp/Tenjin

Noda Tenjin 野田天神 Tenjin from Noda village
from 愛媛県重信町 Ehime, Matsuyama, Shigenobu
These dolls are decorated for the Hina Doll festival on March 3.

Around 1888, a doll maker from Hakata, 東倉市太郎 begun the tradition. In Matsuyama they are made by the 両村家 Futamura Family.
The model is the Isho Tenjin from Kyoto, 京都の衣裳天神.

- - - - - 野田天神について
- reference : geocities.jp/ittunjp/rekisi2 -

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Shimosukebuchi Tenjin 下助淵人形 - 天神
Murakami, Niigata



Similar dolls are known from Echigo 越後大浜.
- reference source : www007.upp.so-net.ne.jp/kyoudoningyou... -


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Shizuoka Tenjin 静岡県の天神

Ooigawa no neri Tenjin 大井川の練天神 twisted clay doll
焼津市from Yaizu town



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Shida Tenjin 志太天神


Made by the Kitamura store 北村人形店 in Shida 志太郡大井川町 - Shizuoka


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suika Tenjin 西瓜天神 Tenjin like a watermelon slice

from Okamura Tenjin Shrine 岡村天神 in Yokohama
Okamura Tenmangu 岡村天満宮


source : popeye.sakura.ne.jp/kanagawa...


. . . CLICK here for Photos !


. Kanagawa Folk Toys .

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tachi ushi nori Tenjin 立ち牛乗り天神 Tenjin on a standing cow
Miyoshi town 三次市, Hiroshima - tachiushi

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Totoo Tenjin 渡唐天神 Tenjin crossing over to China
standing, in Chinese robes, holding sprig of plum blossom against his chest


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CLICK for more Japanese photos 渡唐天神 !

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Toyama Tenjin 富山天神人形 Tenjin from Toyama


source : toyama.jp/etc/minzokumingei

At the 富山市民俗民芸村 Museum it is sold with a small shrine 天神堂.
There is also a scroll available 天神掛軸.
Many people of Toyama city decorate a Tenjin for special occasions, like the birth of the first son, when seeing off a bride and from December 25 to January 25 during the New Year celebrations.

About 150 years ago, the local lord had brought some craftsmen from Nagoya to make clay dolls and support the local farming industry.
Nowadays stores selling Tenjin figures are rather rare.

- - - - - Some special Tenjin figures from Toyama
Totoo Tenjin 渡唐天神
Tsunashiki Tenjin 綱敷天神
Ushinori Tenjin 牛乗天神

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Tsunashiki Tenjin 綱敷天神



- quote -
Tenjin and Fukuoka Tenmangu shrine
The shrine was moved to its current location in 1612 because Nagamasa Kuroda, the first lord of the Fukuoka Domain, wanted it to protect the northeastern gate of Fukuoka Castle. That is when it became known as Suikyo Tenmangu. Today, Suikyo Tenmangu is a quiet oasis amid towering modern office buildings. Suikyo Tenmangu Yokocho, the narrow alley next to the shrine, maintains an old-time atmosphere with a jumble of tiny restaurants.
Not far from here are two other shrines dedicated to Michizane. Kagami Tenmangu, located next to Hakata Riverain, is said to be a spot where Michizane saw his reflection in a mirror upon arriving in Hakata.
Just down the road, in Tsunabamachi, is Tsunahiki Tenmangu.
It is built on the site where the newly arrived Michizane is said to have met some locals making rugs from rope. Originally called Tsunawa Tenjin, the shrine was later renamed Tsunahiki Tenmangu, and thus the neighborhood became known as Tsunabamachi.
- source : -

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Ueno Tenmangu 上野天満宮 - omikuji おみくじ　天神　sacred lots 　




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ushinori Tenjin ushi-nori  牛乗天神 / 牛乗り天神 Tenjin on a cow

The cow is believed to be the messenger of Michizane.


source : odakyu-voice.jp/feature
狩野洞雲作「牛乗天神」- from Yushiman Tenmangu 湯島天満宮

. . . . . And he died at this remote land in Dazaifu in 903.
After his death, people tried to send his body to Kyoto by cow carriage.
But the cow carrage was unable to move at the end of Dazaifu area.
People thought that the soul of Michizane hoped to stay in Dazaifu.
Then, his body was buried in Dazaifu and a mausoleum was built there in 905.
- source : travel-around-japan.com -




CLICK for more images !

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source : カラーブックス図書目録
Takinomiya no nenbutsu odori 滝宮の念仏踊り Nenbutsu dance from Takinomiya
From the Tenmangu Shrine at 綾歌山滝宮天満宮 / Takinomiya, Ayagawa, Ayauta District
The dance is held every year on August 25. The dolls are made in its honor, they are about 20 cm high, dancing under an umbrella. There are nine straw dolls hanging down, moving and turning around if the wind blows.
This dance started in 888, when a great drought happened in Sanuki and the local governor, Sugawara Michizane 菅原道真, ordered rain rituals and dances.

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