Yabo Tenmangū — 谷保天満宮

Yabo Tenmangū in Kunitachi, just west of central Tokyo, claims the distinction of being the oldest Tenman shrine in the Kantō region — established in 903 CE, the same year Sugawara no Michizane died in exile. But its most curious modern identity emerged in the 1920s, when it became known as Japan’s first “automobile shrine.” In 1918, the shrine’s chief priest purchased one of Japan’s earliest private automobiles and conducted the nation’s first traffic safety blessing ritual. Today it receives thousands of drivers annually seeking kōtsū anzen (traffic safety) amulets, while students still come for its original purpose: prayers for academic success.

Yabo Tenmangū was founded in 903 CE by Sugawara no Michizane’s third son, Michizane no Sukemasa, immediately following his father’s death in exile on Kyushu. According to shrine records, Sukemasa enshrined his father’s spirit here while serving as a local official in Musashi Province. The shrine’s original name was simply “Tenjin-sha,” and it predates the more famous Kameido Tenjin (1661) and Yushima Tenjin (1478) by centuries. During the Edo period, it served as the tutelary shrine for six villages in the area. The current main hall was reconstructed in 1659 after a fire, making it one of the oldest surviving Tenman shrine structures in the Kantō region. The shrine grounds preserve an ancient plum grove — Michizane’s signature tree — including specimens believed to be over 300 years old.

Sugawara no Michizane (845-903 CE) is the primary deity, enshrined here as Tenjin-sama, the deified form of this Heian period scholar, poet, and statesman. Michizane served as a brilliant court official until political rivals falsely accused him of treason, resulting in his exile to Dazaifu in Kyushu, where he died in bitterness. After his death, a series of disasters struck the capital — lightning, fires, plague, deaths of his accusers — which were attributed to his vengeful spirit. To appease him, he was posthumously pardoned and deified as the patron of learning, calligraphy, and scholarship. His messengers are ushi (oxen), represented in stone statues throughout the grounds. The shrine also enshrines Ame-no-Uzume-no-Mikoto, goddess of dawn and revelry, in a subsidiary shrine.

The Plum Trees That Bloomed in Exile

When Michizane was forced to leave Kyoto for exile in 903, he composed a famous poem to his beloved plum tree: “When the east wind blows, let it send your fragrance, plum blossoms. Even though your master is gone, do not forget the spring.” According to legend, the plum tree was so devoted that it flew overnight from Kyoto to Dazaifu to be with him — this tree became known as tobiume (flying plum). At Yabo Tenmangū, a different tradition holds: Sukemasa brought plum seeds from his father’s Kyushu grave and planted them here, so the trees in this grove carry Michizane’s spirit directly. Visitors touch the trunks during exam season, believing the transferred essence of scholarship enters through the hands. The shrine’s oldest plum, a 300-year-old white-flowering specimen called Shirayuki (White Snow), is said to bloom precisely on February 25th — the anniversary of Michizane’s death — regardless of weather.

The main hall (honden) dates to 1659 and displays classic Edo-period shrine architecture with a cypress bark roof and vermilion pillars. The approach passes through a distinctive stone torii gate erected in 1821, followed by a grove of approximately 350 plum trees that bloom in white, pink, and red from late January through March. Near the main hall stands a bronze ox statue whose head has been polished smooth by generations of students rubbing it for academic fortune. The shrine’s most unusual feature is its Kōtsū Anzen Inari-sha (Traffic Safety Inari Shrine), established in 1963 with a collection of vintage automobile photographs and retired license plates donated by grateful drivers. A small museum displays the shrine’s early 20th-century traffic safety amulets, which show primitive illustrations of Model-T style vehicles. The grounds also contain a traditional Noh stage used during autumn festivals.

• Ume Matsuri (Plum Blossom Festival, late February – early March) — Traditional music and tea ceremony performances among blooming plum trees, with special academic success amulets available
• Reitaisai (Annual Grand Festival, September 25) — Commemorates Michizane’s birth with Noh performances, shrine music (gagaku), and a mikoshi procession through Kunitachi
• Hatsu-Tenjin (First Tenjin of the Year, January 25) — New Year’s academic blessing ceremony attracting exam-season students and families
• Kōtsū Anzen Gokitō-sai (Traffic Safety Prayer Ceremony, monthly) — Group blessings conducted for new vehicle owners and professional drivers

Late February through early March for the plum blossom season, when the 350-tree grove transforms into a canopy of white and pink. The peak usually occurs around February 25th (Michizane’s death anniversary), when the shrine holds special ceremonies and the trees are most fragrant. For students, January and early March are the most spiritually charged times — the shrine fills with exam-takers making final prayers before entrance examinations. Autumn (late September) offers the grand festival with traditional performances. Weekday mornings year-round provide quiet contemplation among the oxen statues, with the fewest crowds. Avoid weekends during exam season (December-March) when school groups create hours-long waits for amulets.