DAZAIFU TENMANGU SHRINE
Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine near Fukuoka, features a
Japanese garden. Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine treasure house holds a
National Treasure.
Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine (太宰府天満宮) is a Shinto shrine
located in Dazaifu, Fukuoka Prefecture,
Japan.
Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine is dedicated to Sugawara Michizane who is
known as the god of learning. In 901, Sugawara was abruptly exiled
from Kyoto
as the Dazaifu official by the Emperor’s court, and he died in two
years later.
Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine
The shrine was built over his grave, and the main shrine,
as Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine stands today, was constructed in 1591 and is
registered as an Important Cultural Property. It is busy all through the
year with a lot of visitors praying for success in exams and academic
achievement. 600 plum trees are planted on the site and they start to
decorate the shrine beautifully around early February to mid March. It is
said there are 197 kinds of plum trees, which were dedicated to the shrine
from temples all around Japan.
Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine Gate
The approach of the temple is always busy with many stalls
selling popular local specialties such as Umegae-mochi (sweet rice cake with
bean jam) which is associated with the plum trees, Gokaku Chikuwa (fish
sausage) with kanji characters meaning success burnt on the surface,
Usonomochi (sweet rice cake packed with a small bird of lucky charm) and
Onigawara Monaka (sweet bean jam sandwiched in mochi wafers) which was
produced after the archaeological discovery of Onigawara (ruin of old roof
decoration) at the site of an old defence ministry office.
Japanese Garden Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine
The grounds contain two ponds, a
bridge and a treasure house. This treasure house holds several Important
Cultural Properties as well as one National Treasure—a calligraphic work
known as the kanen (翰苑).
We have 39 unique pictures of the beautiful Dazaifu
Tenmangu Shrine and its Japanese garden.
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