Though there are numerous shrines whose enshrined deity is Sugawara no Michizane, the god of learning, this is the only place that can claim to be ” the first in Japan”!

Tenjin-sama or Tenmangu Shrine, to where students come from all over Japan hoping to receive the god’s blessings and pray that they pass their exams, is located in Yamaguchi prefecture.
Along with Kitano Tenmangu Shrine of Kyoto, and Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine of Fukuoka, Hofu Tenmangu Shrine is one of the Three Great Tenjin Shrines.

The first thing that will surprise you is the layers and layers of wooden votive tablets.

It’s not like I checked them one by one, but as far as I could see, they all had wishes for some kind of success in studies written on them. Sugawara no Michizane, the deity, must be having a hard time, too!
I don’t know if they are there to help ease his fatigue, but within the shrine grounds there are over 1100 plum trees, a species that Sugawara no Michizane loved! In February, all the plum trees bloom at the same time, and a plum festival is held at the shrine.

After paying a visit to the shrine, do take a walk around the grounds. Here is a place that we’d like you to visit!

A great viewing spot that has a view over Hofu, Shunpuro is a town where the leading spirits of Japan’s restoration roamed.
As spring comes to town, the scent of plums drift along in the breeze allowing one to enjoy moments of elegance…
If you prefer sweets to flowers, please rest assured!

Tenjin mochi (sticky rice cakes) are sold within the shrine grounds. They are a delicacy we recommend to those who prefer flowers to sweets. To be frank, I didn’t expect much, but these mochi are delicious enough to make you say that “they are the best mochi you’ve ever had!”

Sold only in spring, I had the umemochi (‘ume’ = plum).
It was freshly fried, so the surface was crispy, and the inside chewy! Inside the rice dough there was a plum, shiso, and refined, slightly sweet red bean paste. After one bite, spring spreads around your mouth in an instance. The price is JPY110 for one – Needless to say, I bought a 10-piece pack as a souvenir to take home!

The fortune slip I pulled out was daikichi (excellent luck).
From the first god of learning in Japan, the column entitled “learning” that I was the most curious about had the words “rest assured and study”. It’s truly frightening how much power a place can have; I can feel the will to study rapidly welling up inside.

Along the road leading to the shrine there are a myriad of eateries and shops starting at Hofu city’s shopping and resting facility Umeterasu. Among them, we recommend Hoshoan, a teahouse where you can enjoy matcha tea while admiring the Japanese style garden.
Even here you can find plums…