Usokae at Yamada Tenmangū
Most New Year rituals involve throwing something away—resolutions, mostly. At Yamada Tenmangū shrine on January 25, you trade last year's misfortune for a small wooden bullfinch and call it even.
The Usokae ritual (うそ替え) happens once a year at Tenjin shrines across Japan, and Yamada Tenmangū—one of Nagoya's three major Tenjin shrines—makes it straightforward: show up, receive a wooden bird charm called a ki-uso (木うそ), and the exchange stands in for replacing whatever went wrong in 2025 with whatever might go right in 2026. No elaborate ceremony you need to understand, no multi-hour commitment. Just a compact shrine visit with a clear premise.
Sunday, January 25 is Hatsutenjin, the first significant day on the Tenjin shrine calendar, which makes it a natural reset point. Tenjin shrines honor Sugawara no Michizane—scholar, poet, and the deity of learning—so there's already a feeling of fresh starts built into the date. Usokae turns that symbolic hinge into something you can hold: a palm-sized wooden bullfinch, hand-carved and painted, that costs ¥1,500 and comes with the understanding that you're swapping out last year's disasters for this year's good fortune.
The ritual itself starts at 10:00, but you don't need to attend the formal Shinto rite to participate. Wooden bullfinches are distributed after the ceremony until 16:30, while supplies last. The shrine doesn't take reservations, and there's a per-person limit (usually capped at three), so arriving earlier improves your odds. Late afternoon is quieter but riskier if you care about getting a charm.
The charm itself is simple—a small wooden bird, painted in soft colors, lightweight enough to tuck into a jacket pocket. Some people keep them on a shelf. Some people bring last year's charm back and trade it in. The ritual doesn't demand much beyond showing up and participating in the exchange. That's the point: you're symbolically offloading whatever didn't work and making room for what might.
Usokae is a way to mark the passage of the old year into the new one without the pressure of a fresh-start "performance." If you're newer to the city, it's a manageable introduction to shrine culture—one location, one object, one straightforward idea. Bring cash, expect a small crowd, and plan for a short visit. The whole thing takes maybe twenty minutes unless you want to linger.
The Details
Usokae Ritual
(うそ替え神事)
Venue:
Yamada Tenmangū
(山田天満宮)
Date:
Sun, Jan 25, 2026
Times:
10:00 ritual begins
Wooden bullfinch charms distributed after the ceremony until 16:30
(while supplies last)
Price:
Ritual attendance is free
Wooden bullfinch (ki-uso) are ¥1,500 each
(limited quantities, no reservations, per-person limit applies)
Address:
Yamada Tenmangū Shrine
3-4-25 Yamada,
Kita-ku, Nagoya
Website: tenman.jp
Access
Yamada Tenmangū is a short walk from Ōzone Station (大曽根駅)—served by the JR Chūō Line, Meijō Subway Line, Meitetsu Seto Line, and Yutorīto Line. From the station it’s about seven minutes on foot (Meijō Line Exit 5 if you’re coming by subway).
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