[Aichi/Nagoya] 17 selections of shrines you want to visit for New Year's visit in 2024! 

God of learning "Ueno Tenmangu"｜Imaike

Next on the list is Ueno Tenmangu Shrine in Chikusa ward, Nagoya City. It is also called Nagoya Tenjin because it enshrines Sugawara no Michizane, the god of learning, and is said to bring blessings to prayers for passing various exams.

Also common to many of the Tenmangu shrines around the country, there is a statue of a cow on the shrine grounds called "Nade-ushi," which is said to make you smarter if you stroke its head, and better if you stroke its body where it is not feeling well.

The Ueno Tenmangu Shrine is visited by many students every year during the examination season to pray for success in entrance examinations! This is "Success Prayer Water (200 yen for a 500 ml bottle). It is natural water from the foothills of Mt. Takaga in Okumino, upstream of the clear Nagara River, and its soft water with a hardness of 29 is highly absorbable by the body.

Why don't you try drinking the auspicious water and take the exam?

Throughout the temple grounds, "Tenjin-kun," a Tenjin mikuji (a written oracle) with a cute mascot-like image of Sugawara no Michizane, is placed.

The omikuji can be drawn for 300 yen each, so please try drawing it for the New Year's omikuji! You can also take Tenjin-kun home as a lucky charm.

It is recommended to use public transportation, as it can get quite crowded during Hatsumode.

[Ueno Tenmangu Shrine]
4-89 Akasakacho Chikusa ward Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture 464-0094
http://www.tenman.or.jp

"Yamada Tenmangu'' where the god of learning is enshrined | Kita Ward

​Yamada Tenmangu Shrine, located a 7-minute walk from Ozone Station, is also known for enshrining the god of learning, but Mitake Shrine, located within the precincts, is said to have the blessing of cutting off bad relationships and bestowing good ones. 

It is also popular among women who visit Shiroyama Hachimangu Shrine and Takamu Shrine together with the “three shrines of love”.

[Ozone, Nagoya] "Yamada Tenmangu" where you can Visit with All Kinds of Purposes

"Yamada Tenmangu Shrine" is a 7-minute walk from "Ozone Station", the main terminal station in Kita Ward, Nagoya City. It is one of the three major Tenjin shrines in Nagoya, and many people visit it to pray for passing exams. It is also attractive that there are many shrines that can be visited for different prayers in one place. Yamada Temma this time...

2022.02.28

https://life-designs.jp

[Yamada Tenmangu Shrine]
3-2 Yamadacho, Kita Ward, Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture 462-0813
http://tenman.jp/

"Shiroyama Hachimangu'' for New Year's visits for good luck, warding off evil, and marriage | Motoyama

For those who want to avoid the crowds and visit Hatsumode, we recommend Shiroyama Hachimangu, a 6-minute walk from Exit 1 of Motoyama Station on the Higashiyama Subway Line. Despite being in the middle of Nagoya, the quiet shrine surrounded by forest is said to bring good luck, ward off evil, and bring good luck in marriage.

Among them, the old tree called Renriboku in the back of the precincts is said to be a power spot. This tree is an old wild sycamore, and it is the largest sycamore in Nagoya city.

It is worshiped as a sacred tree for marriage, good matchmaking, and marital harmony.

It is also known as a shrine of love, and if you go around the three shrines of Takamu Shrine, Yamada Tenmangu Shrine, and Shiroyama Hachimangu Shrine, you can increase your luck in love. and a hot topic among women.

In addition, Shiroyama Hachimangu Shrine accepts New Year's prayers from 0:00 a.m. every day. Please take advantage of this opportunity to benefit from it.

[Shiroyama Hachiman Shrine]
2-88 Shiroyamacho Chikusa ward, Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture 464-0045
http://www.shiroyama.or.jp/

"Nittaiji'' that connects Japan and Thailand｜Kakuozan

The next temple we will introduce is "Nittaiji Temple" located in Kakuozan. Actually, this temple was built to enshrine the "Buddha's relics" (the remains of Buddha) that were given to Japan by the Kingdom of Thailand, and is named "Nittaiji Temple" because it is a "Japan-Thailand (Tai) temple", which is somewhat unusual in Japan.

At the time of its founding, the temple was called Nissenji because it was in Siam, not Thailand, but when the name of the country was changed from Siam to Thailand in 1932, the temple name was changed to Nittaiji (日泰寺) in 1941.

The main hall enshrines the Thai National Treasure "Golden Bronze Shaka Nyorai Statue" presented by His Majesty King Chulalongkorn of Thailand. The precincts have a relaxed and calm atmosphere, so you might want to take a leisurely stroll and visit the shrine during the New Year! 

[Nittaiji Temple]
1-1 Hououcho Chikusa ward, Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture 464-0057
http://www.nittaiji.jp/

”Takamu Shrine” where the god of marriage is enshrined｜Imaike

Takamu Shrine is located in Imaike. Although small, it is a prestigious shrine that is mentioned in the Engishiki compiled in 972.

It is known as a power spot for prayers for victory, resumption of relationships, and marriage, as the god of military fortune is enshrined there.

There is a well on the temple grounds called "Koi (love) water," which is believed to be the water that brings forth love when drunk. The water is also loved by the locals because the water temperature does not change throughout the year and it is one of the few wells in the city.

Why don't you visit to increase your love luck in 2024?

[Takamu Shrine]
1-4-18 Imaike Chikusa ward, Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture 464-0850
http://www.jinja-net.jp/takamujinja/

Hechima Yakushi Temple | Higashi Ward

Tojuji Temple in Higashi-ku, Nagoya City is called "Hechima Yakushi" and has been worshiped since ancient times as a temple for recovery from illness.

Even though the area is surrounded by buildings, the precincts are lined with wooden buildings, creating a calm atmosphere.

Immediately after entering the gate, there is a huge amount of hechima (loofah) hanging from the water basin. According to the origin of Tojoji,

Onku Shonin, the abbot of the temple, was on his way to beg for alms when he suddenly developed a severe colic pain and collapsed on the spot. When he prayed for the blessings of the Yakushi Nyorai, a monk appeared to him and said, "Now, I will give you the secret method to cure your illness," teaching the secret of loofah blessing prayer to the shonin.

The priest immediately performed the secret method of the Loofah prayer, and by morning he was completely cured. It is said that the Shonin, who was grateful for this secret method, used it to relieve the suffering of the people of the world. Due to this origin, this temple came to be called Hechima Yakushi. ”

It is said that For this reason, it is believed that if you rub the affected area with a loofah and receive a prayer in front of Yakushi Nyorai, your illness will be cured.

On the 8th and 12th of each month, "hechima sealing prayer" is available without reservation.

[Tojoji Temple (Hechima Yakushi)]
2-8-15 Higashisakura, Higashi Ward, Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture 461-0005
http://www.toujyuji.com/

"Kyukokuji'' with a temple bell designed by Taro Okamoto | Kita Ward

Kyukokuji is a temple of the Soto sect of Buddhism that stands quietly in Kita Ward, Nagoya City. It is one of the temples of the Dai-Nagoya Zodiac, and is also a sacred place for Kanzeon Bodhisattva, the principal image of protection for the year of the rat.

We hope you will be blessed here in the year of the rat as well.

Also, what makes this temple amazing is that the temple bell "Kanki no Kane", which was made by the artist Taro Okamoto in 1965 (Showa 40), is installed. It looks like it has horns growing on it, but if you look closely, you can see that it represents a human hand. At the bottom are figures of meditating Buddhas, animals, and other monsters.

It's a work that was created before the Tower of the Sun was built, so it has something in common with the later Tower of the Sun. The bell can be rung on New Year's Eve, and it is said that the horn-like shape of the bell leaves a unique echo.

[Kyukokuji Temple]
3-2-28 Osugi, Kita Ward, Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture 462-0837
http://www.city.nagoya.jp/kita/page/0000000853.html

Inu Shrine has a history of more than 1330 years

Inu Shrine is located in Ino-cho, Nishi Ward, Nagoya City. One of the main enshrined deities, from which the name of the shrine is derived, is Inuhime no Kami, who is the wife of Otoshi no Kami. With a history of over 1330 years, it is one of the oldest shrines in the region. It is said that you can receive benefits such as child-bearing, easy delivery, marital harmony, and family safety.

[Inu Shrine]
2-12 Inocho, Nishi Ward, Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture
https://inu-jinjya.or.jp/

God of Victory! "Gokiso Hachimangu Shrine''｜Showa Ward

Source image: Wikipedia

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It is said that Ieyasu Tokugawa prayed for victory here during the Battle of Nagakute! This can be expected to be very profitable. It is said that when you make a wish on the heavy pumice stone of Hakuryu Shrine on the grounds and lift it, if it is light, your wish will come true. Please give this a try as well.

[Gokiso Hachiman Shrine]
4-4-24 Gokiso Showa Ward, Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture 466-0051
http://www.gokiso.info/pc.php

Ieyasu Tokugawa is enshrined
"Nagoya Toshogu Shrine''｜Marunouchi

A five-minute walk from Marunouchi Station on Nagoya Municipal Subway Sakuradori Line is Nagoya Toshogu Shrine, where Ieyasu Tokugawa is enshrined. There are about 130 Toshogu Shrines in Japan, and Nagoya Toshogu Shrine is one of them.

When you think of Toshogu Shrine, you may have an image of a gorgeous and luxurious shrine like Nikko Toshogu Shrine, but Nagoya Toshogu Shrine has a calm atmosphere that makes it hard to believe that it is located in the middle of the city.

[Nagoya Toshogu Shrine]
Address: 2-3-37 Marunouchi, Naka Ward, Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture 460-0002
http://nagoyatoshogu.com/

"Nagoya Shrine'' in the middle of Nagoya｜Marunouchi

Since it is next to Nagoya Toshogu Shrine, we also visited Nagoya Shrine! The deities enshrined here are Susanoo no Kami, a Japanese mythological deity, and Kushinada Hime no Kami, a goddess who is associated with Susanoo no Kami.

In the Edo period, the annual Tenno Festival was said to be one of the three major festivals in Nagoya, along with the Toshogu Festival at Nagoya Toshogu Shrine and the Wakamiya Festival at Wakamiya Hachiman Shrine.

[Nagoya Shrine]
Address: 2-3-17 Marunouchi, Naka Ward, Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture 460-0002
https://www.nagoya-info.jp/spot/detail/118/

In this issue, we have introduced some classic spots as well as local Hatsumode spots. Please keep them as a reference for your Hatsumode (New Year's visit to a shrine). Please come out warmly.

We wish you all good health and happiness in 2024.