{"id":29117,"date":"2026-11-09T15:49:21","date_gmt":"2026-11-09T06:49:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kamakuraguide.com\/?page_id=29117"},"modified":"2026-11-11T23:28:31","modified_gmt":"2026-11-11T14:28:31","slug":"egara-tenjinsha-hatsutenjin-fudekuyo","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/kamakuraguide.com\/en\/kanazawa-kaido\/egara-tenjinsha-kamakura\/egara-tenjinsha-hatsutenjin-fudekuyo\/","title":{"rendered":"Hatsu-Tenjin Festival and Fude Kuyo Brush Memorial at Egara Tenjin Shrine (\u834f\u67c4\u5929\u795e\u793e)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"The
The worship hall of Egara Tenjin Shrine with the kankobai red plum in bloom<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

What Are the Hatsu-Tenjin Festival and Fude Kuyo at Egara Tenjin Shrine?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The Hatsu-Tenjin Festival (\u521d\u5929\u795e\u796d) at Egara Tenjin Shrine (\u834f\u67c4\u5929\u795e\u793e)<\/a> is held every year on January 25. At shrines dedicated to Sugawara no Michizane (\u83c5\u539f\u9053\u771f), the deity of learning, the 25th of each month is a festival day, and the first 25th of the year is called Hatsu-Tenjin. On this day, Egara Tenjin Shrine follows the ceremony with Fude Kuyo (\u7b46\u4f9b\u990a), a memorial service in which worn-out brushes and pencils are burned to thank them and to pray for progress in study and calligraphy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Infographic
The illustration is for reference only<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Date and Time<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The ceremony usually starts at 10:30. It is held on January 25 every year, whatever the day of the week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Highlights: Burning Brushes in the Plum-Shaped Bowl<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The ceremony first takes place inside the shrine building, and people gathered in the grounds bow together with the priests. When the priests come out, Fude Kuyo begins in the middle of the approach. A ritual area is enclosed with shimenawa (\u6ce8\u9023\u7e04), a sacred straw rope, and brushes and pencils are piled high in a bronze umebachi (\u6885\u9262), a bowl shaped like a plum blossom. When the chief priest lights the pile, the flames spread across the whole bowl, and more brushes are added as they burn. Visitors can also be seen placing the brushes they brought into the fire.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Around this time of year, the kankobai (\u5bd2\u7d05\u6885) red plum tree to the right of the worship hall usually begins to bloom. See Plum Blossoms at Egara Tenjin Shrine<\/a> for the shrine’s plum trees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to Offer Your Old Brushes<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The shrine accepts old brushes all year round, not only on the day. Bring them to the old-brush box to the left of the shrine building or to the amulet office. There is no limit on the number, and pencils are accepted too. There is no set offering fee (hatsuho, \u521d\u7a42); give what you feel is right. The shrine also holds a brush memorial at the Efudezuka Festival (\u7d75\u7b46\u585a\u796d) in October.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

About Egara Tenjin Shrine<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The grounds of Egara Tenjin Shrine hold the Kappa Fudezuka (\u304b\u3063\u3071\u7b46\u585a), a brush monument linked to the cartoonist Shimizu Kon (\u6e05\u6c34\u5d11), and the Efudezuka (\u7d75\u7b46\u585a), built by cartoonists including Yokoyama Ryuichi (\u6a2a\u5c71\u9686\u4e00) who carried on his wishes. It is a shrine with deep ties to the brush. For the shrine in autumn, see Autumn Leaves at Egara Tenjin Shrine<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Access: Getting There from Toshi’s Place<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

From the east exit of JR Kamakura Station (\u938c\u5009\u99c5), take a Keikyu bus bound for Daitonomiya (\u5927\u5854\u5bae), get off at Tenjin-mae (\u5929\u795e\u524d), and walk about 3 minutes. From Toshi’s Place, take the Enoden (\u6c5f\u30ce\u96fb) from Hase Station (\u9577\u8c37\u99c5) or Wadazuka Station (\u548c\u7530\u585a\u99c5) to Kamakura Station and change to the bus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Staying in Kamakura lets you reach the 10:30 ceremony without rushing. Toshi’s Place, an unstaffed smart hotel with a full kitchen (room only), lets you enjoy Kamakura at your own pace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Summary<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The Hatsu-Tenjin Festival and Fude Kuyo at Egara Tenjin Shrine burn worn-out brushes and pencils in a plum-shaped bowl to pray for progress in study and calligraphy. For the shrine’s year-round highlights, see Egara Tenjin Shrine<\/a>. On the same day, Jorakuji Temple (\u5e38\u697d\u5bfa)<\/a> in Ofuna unveils its hidden statue of Monju Bosatsu at the Monju Festival<\/a>. On February 8, the shrine holds Hari Kuyo<\/a>, where worn-out needles are pushed into tofu to thank them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Basic Information<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Item<\/th>Details<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Name<\/td>Hatsu-Tenjin Festival and Fude Kuyo (\u521d\u5929\u795e\u796d\u30fb\u7b46\u4f9b\u990a)<\/td><\/tr>
Date<\/td>January 25 every year<\/td><\/tr>
Time<\/td>Usually from 10:30<\/td><\/tr>
Venue<\/td>Egara Tenjin Shrine (shrine building and approach)<\/td><\/tr>
Address<\/td>74 Nikaido, Kamakura, Kanagawa<\/td><\/tr>
Program<\/td>Ceremony, Fude Kuyo (burning of old brushes and pencils)<\/td><\/tr>
Offering brushes<\/td>All year round at the old-brush box to the left of the shrine building or the amulet office. No limit; pencils accepted. Offering at your discretion<\/td><\/tr>
Access<\/td>Keikyu bus bound for Daitonomiya from JR Kamakura Station east exit, get off at Tenjin-mae, about 3 minutes’ walk<\/td><\/tr>
Contact<\/td>Egara Tenjin Shrine +81-467-25-1772<\/td><\/tr>
Official website<\/td>Hatsu-Tenjin Festival and Fude Kuyo (Egara Tenjin Shrine, Japanese)<\/a><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Google Map<\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n<\/iframe>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

What Are the Hatsu-Tenjin Festival and Fude Kuyo at Egara Tenjin Shrine? The Hatsu-Tenjin Festival (\u521d\u5929\u795e\u796d) at Egara Tenjin Shrine (\u834f\u67c4\u5929\u795e\u793e) is held every year on January 25. At shrines dedicated to Sugawara no Michizane (\u83c5\u539f\u9053\u771f), the deity of learning, the 25th of each month is a festival day, and the first 25th of the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":29181,"parent":2980,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"page__event.php","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"kamakura_cuisine":[],"class_list":["post-29117","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t