＜2009/02＞

■　「谷中七福神めぐり」- The Yanaka Seven Lucky Gods Itinerary

　Travel search club’s 2009’s first activity.

　Ebisu, Daikokuten, Bishamonten, Benzaiten, Fukurokuju, Hotei, Jurojin are the Seven Lucky Gods 「七福神」, refer to the seven gods of good fortune in Japanese mythology and folklore. Many anciens ways to celebrate gods are popular. For exemple, put a picture of the tresure ship “Takarabune” with depicted seven gods under the the pillow to have a first good dream; to wish a nice year, pay a visit to the seven pillars 「七福神めぐり」.

　People said that this credo starts at the end of Heian period or Muromachi period. In any way, in the beginning of Edo period, this credo was completely established and Shitifukijin festival was also spreaded in this same period. Nowadays, more than 100 sites of Shitifukujin exists in japanese territory.

　This time, we visit the oldest seven gods route 「江戸最古の七福神めぐり」. This route starts around 250 years ago and differently of others “Shitifukujin” sites, composed with shrines, the Yanaka Shitifukujin 「谷中七福神」is composed with temples.
Around 2 hours are necessary to visit this 7 temples’s route 「東覚寺」- Toukakuji, Fukurokuju’ s temple、「青雲寺」- Seiunji, Ebisu’s temple、「修性院」- Shuseiin, Hotei’s temple 、「長安寺」- Tyuanji, Jurojin’s temple, 、「天王寺」- Tennouji, Bishamonten’s temple、「護国院」- Gokokuin, Daikokuten’s temple、「下忍池天堂」- Shinobazuikebentendou, Benzaiten’s temple.

　This was the activity made with students of the 2009’s first school term, at the first Saturday after school’s starts. We wished for a wonderfull new year going visit temples and gotting hot eating 「もんじゃ焼き」- a traditional japanese food.

Entering!	A well?!	Tennouji Temple (Bishamonten’s temple)

Hey people, follow me!	Shinobazuikebentendou (Benzaiten’s temple)	Let’s cover on the head!

Hungry…	Getting lunch	Making “monja”

Grandfather and grandchild?	Gokokuin (Daikokuten’s temple)	Good pilgrimage

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