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Ryukyuan sailors prayed to Tenpi for safe travels at sea, often carrying statues of the goddess onboard their ships, and offering the statues to the shrine upon their safe return.

Ryukyuan sailors prayed to Tenpi for safe travels at sea, often carrying statues of the goddess onboard their ships, and offering the statues to the shrine upon their safe return.

The stone gate of Kami Tenpi Shrine survives today, attached to the Tenpi Elementary School built on the former site of the shrine. The construction style of the gate indicates a transition at that time (in the early 15th century) from the ''aikata-zumi'' style of stone construction to the ''nuno-zumi'' style.

The Upper Shrine was the center of elite education in the kingdom until the establishment in [[1718]] of the Meirindô at the [[Shiseibyo|Shiseibyô]].<ref>Gallery labels, "Kuninda - Ryûkyû to Chûgoku no kakehashi," special exhibit, Okinawa Prefectural Museum, Sept 2014.</ref> The stone gate of Kami Tenpi Shrine survives today, attached to the Tenpi Elementary School built on the former site of the shrine. The construction style of the gate indicates a transition at that time (in the early 15th century) from the ''aikata-zumi'' style of stone construction to the ''nuno-zumi'' style.

The shrine was the center of elite education in the kingdom until the establishment in [[1718]] of the Meirindô at the [[Shiseibyo|Shiseibyô]].<ref>Gallery labels, "Kuninda - Ryûkyû to Chûgoku no kakehashi," special exhibit, Okinawa Prefectural Museum, Sept 2014.</ref>

The grounds of the Lower Shrine became the site of the first Okinawa Prefectural Normal School (''Okinawa kenritsu shihan gakkô'') in [[1880]], and later a post office. When Tenpi Elementary School was established on the grounds of the Upper Shrine in [[1889]], the images of Tenpi which had been the objects of worship at both shrines were moved to the Tensonbyô, a different Taoist shrine in the area, which was later incorporated into Kumemura's [[Shiseibyo|Confucian Shrine]].<ref>Plaques on-site in Kume district, Naha.[https://www.flickr.com/photos/toranosuke/9526940777/sizes/k/]</ref>

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==References==