The elegant drum bridge, gorgeous pond, and beautiful Wisteria flowers are hallmarks of the famed Kameido Tenjin Shrine in Tokyo. Many Japanese artists are inspired by this beautiful scene including Katsushika Houkusai from the Edo period.

One of Katsushika Houkusai’s works, the Kameido Tenjin Taiko-Bashi, features the famous drum bridge at the shrine. The woodblock depiction of the drum bridge is quite different from the version you would see in Tokyo today. In 1945, the original wooden structure was destroyed by the Allied fire-bombings during World War II. It was later rebuilt with stone and concrete and painted red as depicted in the photo on the right.

The original shrine was erected in 1662 to honor Sugawara no Michizane who was a scholar, poet, and politician in the 9th century. After he was dishonorably banished, his spirit came to haunt those who had wronged him. To appease his spirit, he was posthumously promoted to the rank of Tenjin – or “heavenly deity”. Many shrines were built to honor him such as the Kameido Tenjin Shrine. Now known as Tenjin, the deity of literature and learning, many students visit the shrine before their exams to pray for success.

As exam season is rolling by for many McMaster students, good luck on all of your exams as well!

– Annie Zhu
McMaster Museum of Art Work/Study student and Health Sciences student at McMaster University