Hida Tenmangu Shrine is a direct descendant of Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine and is dedicated to Sugawara no Michizane, the god of learning.
In a quiet atmosphere, we prayed for our child to pass his exams and get into his desired school.
When we visited on April 14, 2025, the weather was nice and the plum blossoms were very beautiful.
I visited to pray and receive a goshuin (stamp).
It is apparently a prestigious shrine that is a direct descendant of Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine.
There is a municipal parking lot across the road from Hida Tenmangu Shrine, but I was told that you can also park within the shrine grounds if you are just praying.
There are not as many tourists as the shrines in Takayama City, and the grounds are compact, so I was able to pray in peace.
You can have the goshuin written directly in your goshuin notebook, but the pre-written goshuin are also wonderful.
The mount is apparently made from cedar wood.
They were very courteous. Thank you very much.
The best time to visit is during early spring when approximately 50 plum trees on the grounds bloom beautifully, typically in late February through March. This timing honors Sugawara no Michizane's legendary love for plum blossoms. Autumn also offers attractive foliage. For those interested in traditional culture, visiting during the annual festival on April 14th and 15th allows you to witness the lion dance performance, which is registered as a Folk Cultural Property. The shrine maintains a peaceful atmosphere year-round with fewer crowds compared to central Takayama attractions.
No, there is no admission fee to enter the shrine grounds. Visitors can freely explore the shrine complex, pray at the main hall, and interact with features like the wishing stroke cow statue. The shrine office offers special goshuin stamps for purchase, including unique versions made on thin cypress wood that can be pasted into stamp books, but general admission remains free for all visitors.
The shrine is located approximately 12 minutes on foot from JR Takayama Station on the JR Takayama Main Line. The exact address is 2-30 Tenman-cho, Takayama City. For those driving, parking is available within the shrine grounds for worshippers, and a municipal parking lot is also located across the road. The walking route from the station is straightforward and allows visitors to explore the surrounding neighborhood.
The shrine enshrines Sugawara no Michizane, who is celebrated as the god of learning. His reputation as a brilliant scholar and poet during the Heian period has made this shrine particularly popular among students preparing for entrance examinations and those seeking academic achievement. The shrine is considered a direct descendant of Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine, one of Japan's most important Tenmangu shrines, adding spiritual prestige to prayers offered here for educational success.
