2011年10月20日木曜日

Flea market and Kitano shrine


Do you like visiting a flea market? Looking around in the market and negociating the prices with the sellers are a lot of fun. In Kyoto we have two big flea markets every month. One is Ko-bo-san in Toji temple on the 21st, and the other is Tenjin-san on the 25th. On the 25th every month, the precinct and surrounding area of Kitano shrine is filled with so many open booths, selling food, old kimonos, cloth, antiques and so on.
The tours with tourists happened to be on the 25th. I decided to take them there.

Sugawarano Michizane is enshrined in Kitano shrine. He was a very talented man. He is said to have started writing poems at the age of 5, and writing Kanshi, or Chinese poem, when he was 11. He promoted so fast and gained the important position in the political world. However, due to his promt promotion, he was entrapped and exiled from Kyoto to Kyushu Island.
After his death, harsh disasters struck the capital. The rumor that it was steming from Michizane's sad destiny spread in the old city. The Emperor restored his status and built the shrine for him.
Since he was a man of wisdom, the people who wish an academic achievement often visit here and pray for their success in their learning or examinations.

In Fukuoka city( in Kyushu lsland), we have Dazaifu Tenmangu, another shrinie related to Michizane. We can see a plum tree in both temples. The legend says that the plum tree in Kyoto missed Michizane so badly and flew to Dazaifu in a night.

Cows is regarded as a messenger of the God in this shrine. Many people touch the stone cows here wishing for a good luck and their health.


Date : July 25th
Tourist ; a woman from France
Tour : Nijo castle, Fleamarket in Kitano shrine, Golden pavillion, Bamboo forest

Photo ; in Nijo castle





Date ; August 25th
Tour ; Fleamarket in Kitano Shrine, Orinasu-kan( nishijin texile factory), Golden pavillion

Photo ; in noodle restaurant in Machiya
They tried on the kimonos they bought in the market after lunch.