Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine
Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine is located in Dazaifu City, Fukuoka Prefecture, and has a history of 1,100 years. It is a shrine dedicated to Sugawara no Michizane, an important politician and scholar in Japan’s Heian Period (794-1192). Known as the God of Scholarship and Calligraphy in Japanese culture, Sugawara no Michizane is often prayed to by students seeking success in exams.There are a total of 12,000 shrines throughout Japan dedicated to Sugawara no Michizane. The Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine in Fukuoka and the Kitano Shrines in Kyoto are both considered the head shrines of the kind, and the Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine is also the location of Sugawara no Michizane’s tomb.
Visiting Route & What to Do in Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine
1. Before Entry - Taste the Special Food and Appreciate Japanese Architecture
In front of the Tenmangu Shrine, there is a commercial street lined with many stores on both sides, including shops selling ume-no-eda-mochi. This is a traditional Japanese sweet made from rice flour and filled with red bean paste. Tourists can also appreciate the Japanese style architecture along the street. There is a popular Starbucks with a modern and artistic design, featuring a unique exterior made of strips.2. Upon Entry - Touch the Bronzed Sacred Cow Statue.
After passing through the commercial street and the front gate, you will see a bronze statue of a divine cow standing quietly by the roadside. People believe that touching the head of the cow will strengthen wisdom.3. Move on to Walk across Three Bridges
Continue walking forward, there are three bridges, namely the Bridge of the Past, the Bridge of the Present and the Bridge of the future. This unique design connecting the past, future and present aims to remind people to cherish time.
Kind Reminder: When walking across the Bridge of the Past, one should not turn around but keep looking straight ahead, meaning letting go of the past.
4. Main Hall - Pray to Sugawara no Michizane
The next stop is the main hall of Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine. Many Japanese come here with the primary purpose of praying, hoping for their exams to pass. Here are some prayer steps for your reference:
a. Come to the main hall of the Tenmangu Shrine, worshippers pay homage in front of the statue of the Sugawara no Michizane with the Japanese bowing ritual.
b. After paying homage, worshippers can proceed to the side room on the right to draw an academic fortune slip, in order to understand their recent luck and diving guidance.
c. Then you can purchase Ema - a special wooden plaque. Ema is a Japanese way of making wishes. The wish-maker writes down their wishes, such as academic progress or success in exams, on a small wooden plague, and then hangs it on with a red rope in a designated place - the ema shrine.
5. Treasure Hall - View Japanese Cultural Relics
To the right of the main hall is the Treasure Hall of Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine. Here are displayed approximately 50,000 precious historical relics and artworks, through which visitors can know more about the history of Sugawara no Michizane and Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine.6. Plum Blossom Appreciation
Nowadays, the shrine is planted with approximately 6,000 plum trees of around 200 varieties, attracting numerous tourists to visit during February and March.Best Time to Visit
It is best to visit in February and March because plums trees begin to bloom in late January and last until late March. You can see the little buds and sprouting flowers in the same time. And the flea market is held on the 25th of every mouth, when there are hundreds of shops selling foods, antiques and groceries.Visit Tips
1. Hand washing is an important ceremony before visiting a Japanese Shrine to show respect to the gods. After entering Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine, worshippers need to find the hand-washing basins in front of the Main Hall, which are usually located at the entrance or on both sides of the path.
Hand-washing etiquette:
Use your right hand to pick up the long handled ladle.
Scoop up an appropriate amount of water.
Gently pour the water from the ladle onto the palm of your left hand and wash your left hand.
Switch the long-handled ladle to your left hand and continue to use the water in the ladle to wash your right hand.
Once again, switch the long ladle back to your right hand and scoop up a small amount of water.
Hold the water in your mouth, rinse gently, and then spit it out.
2. On the way to the main hall, avoid walking in the middle of the path as much as possible, which is said to be reserved for the deity.
3. The Bowing Etiquette is like this: bow twice first, clap twice and then bow once again.
Ticket
It is free to visit Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine, except the Treasure Hall inside, which requires a ticket costing JPY 400.Opening Time
December - March 06:30-18:30April - May 06:30-19:00
June - August 06:30-19:30
September - November 06:30-19:00
The Treasure Hall of Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine: 9:00 - 16:30, last entry at 16:00
How to Get to Dazaifu Tenmangong Shrine
From Fukuoka Airport
1. Take the airport bus: You could purchase bus tickets at the bus customer service center at the arrival hall of the terminal building. The departure point is outside the international terminal buildings and it takes about 25 minutes to reach Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine.2. Take a taxi: You could take a taxi outside the terminal buildings to reach Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine. It will take in 20 minutes.
From Fukuoka JR Hakata Station
1. Take the Kuko subway line to Tenjin, then walk to Nishitetsu Fukuoka (Tenjin) Station and connect with the Nishitetsu-Tenjin-Omuta-Line to Dazaifu Station. The journey takes around 50 minutes, including transfers.2. Take the Bus directly heading to Dazaifu at Hakata bus terminal (1F), which is located right next to FUKUOKA JR Hakata Station. The buses depart frequently and the journey takes about 40 minutes.
3. You can find a taxi at the parking lot outside the station. The journey will take about 30 minutes.
From Futsukaichi Station
Take the Nishitetsu-Dazaifu Line from Nishitetsu-Futsukaichi Station. Then get off at Dazaifu Station.Note: There are two stations in Futsukaichi, do not confuse Nishitetsu-Futsukaichi Station with JR Futsukaichi Station