Kanazawa Shrine, the god of learning, has many attractions including the “Nippai shinji” and a monument to “Hojo Tokitaka” 【Kanazawa Topics】

Kanazawa Shrine is the Shinto shrine of Kenrokuen, one of the three most famous gardens in Japan.Kanazawa Shrine is known as a god of learning to which local students come to pray for success in entrance examinations, but there are many other places of interest as well. Why not take a stroll after visiting the shrine on your first visit to Hatsumode?

Connection with Sugawara Michizane

Shrines dedicated to Sugawara Michizane, the 「god of learning」, are called 「Tenjin-sama,」 「Tenjinsha」, or 「Tenmangu」, the most famous of which is Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine in Fukuoka.

When Harunobu Maeda, the 11th lord of the Kaga domain, built the shrine in 1794, he enshrined Sugawara Michizane, an ancestor of the Maeda family, to protect the Kaga domain school called Meirindo. The shrine was originally named Takezawa Goten Goshinmangu Shrine, but was renamed Kanazawa Shrine in 1876 (9th year of Meiji).

At Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine and other Tenmangu shrines around the country, people worship plum trees, Japanese bullfinches, and cows associated with Sugawara no Michizane, and Kanazawa Shrine also has a 「dream cow」. It is said that petting and worshipping the cow will make your dreams come true, and is popular among students who come to Kanazawa Shrine to pray for success in entrance exams.

Other tweets related to prayers for success were also found.

Kanazawa Shrine 「Nippai shinji」

The spring called 「Kanagireizawa」 near Kanazawa Shrine is said to be the origin of the name 「Kanazawa」.Legend has it that a man named Imohori Togoro washed potatoes in the spring water and found a lot of gold sand.

The 「Kanazawa Shrine Nippai shinji」 was already held on December 22, 2022 (Thursday).

A great educator, Hojo Tokitaka

There is a monument to Hojo Tokitaka at Kanazawa Shrine.

It is said that he taught the future philosopher Kitaro Nishida when he was a teacher at the Ishikawa Vocational College, and that he was revered as his mentor.

The astronomer Kimura Sakae was also a student of his.

When Hojo Tokitaka was president of Tohoku Imperial University, he is known to have granted admission to three girls in an entrance examination in 1913, making them the first female university students in Japan. August 21, the day the admission was published in the official gazette, is considered 「Women’s College Student Day」.

Kanazawa Shrine Information

☆Kanazawa Information

・Ishiura Shrine, where you can look enthusiastically at amulets in the color of your choice and get the blessing of a marriage 【Kanazawa Topics】

・Santa Claus will also come to cheer you up! Over 60 stores at the Christmas Market 【Kanazawa Event】