Nishiki Tenmangu Shrine

Nishiki Tenmangu Shrine sits squeezed between two storefronts, its stone torii gate pushing deep into the walls of the adjacent buildings. The ends of the crossbar are actually embedded into the neighboring architecture because the street widened long after the shrine was built. It honors Sugawara no Michizane, a ninth-century scholar and politician who was exiled for his influence. People leave their umbrellas at the entrance to pray for success in school or business, surrounded by the narrow, persistent bustle of the market.