Kyoto's end-of-year tradition, ''Shimai Tenjin'' (meaning the last Tenjin of the year), was held on December 25, 2023 at Kitano Tenmangu Shrine in Kamigyo Ward, Kyoto City. In addition to clothing and antiques, there were stalls selling New Year's supplies such as shimenawa decorations, and the area was crowded with tourists and people hurrying to prepare for Spring.
Since the 25th is the birthday and death anniversary of the enshrined deity Michizane Sugawara, stalls are lined up every month as a festival called ''Tenjin-san.'' In particular, Tenjin at the end of the year and the beginning of the year are lively with many worshipers.
On this day, about 1,000 stalls lined up along the approach to the shrine. In addition to food and daily necessities, items unique to this season such as habotan and dried persimmons were on sale, and customers were having fun browsing through them.
A 76-year-old woman from Kami City, Kochi Prefecture, who has come to Owari Tenjin many times, said, ''I was finally able to come after the coronavirus pandemic ended.I bought the base of a shimenawa decoration, so I wanted to try decorating it myself.'' I think so," he said with a smile.
