Jan 27, 2015 - 1 min read

Sugawara Shrine in Machida

Dedicated to Tenjin, Shinto god of scholarship

By Cathy Cawood

Community writer

Fortune papers tied to a battered looking lamp

Mass of fortune telling papers

Ema boards with wishes (or do I mean prayers?)

Main hall of Sugawara Shrine

This striking roof shape pre-dates Buddhism in Japan

Plum blossoms carved onto the eaves of the main hall

Plum blossom motif on a lantern

A stone torii standing over a path into the trees

Beautifully carved crane

A mythical shishi peeking around the end of a straw rope

Shrines have collection points for used New Year decorations and other sacred items like last year's good luck charms

Michizane Sugawara was a Heian Era scholar who was deified after his death, to become the god Tenjin. There are many Tenjin shrines throughout Japan where students - and parents of students - request Sugawara's help for success in their studies. Besides praying, they often buy o-mamori (good luck charms) to carry into exams with them. It would seem that good luck expires after a year, because there was a tent piled with New Year decorations, old charms and other sacred debris. You can't throw that holy stuff away in the rubbish bag, you know!

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Cathy Cawood

By Cathy Cawood

Community writer

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Iain Stanley

Iain Stanley 10 years ago

Does luck go by the regular calendar, or the Lunar?

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Cathy Cawood

Cathy Cawood Photographer 10 years ago

I'd guess Lunar :-)

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