The main hall
Restored in 2026.
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A Shinto shrine in the city of Dazaifu near Fukuoka, built over the grave of Sugawara no Michizane (845-903), the scholar and poet revered in Shinto as Tenjin, patron of learning and letters, which is why students come here before their exams. It is one of Japan's leading Tenjin shrines. Legend says Michizane died in exile in Kyushu; the ox carrying his body stopped and would not move, so he was buried where it stood and the shrine was built there. Bronze ox statues fill the grounds, and visitors touch their heads for luck. Legend also says his beloved plum tree flew from Kyoto to join him, and that it is the first plum in Japan to bloom each year. The ornate Momoyama-style main hall dates from 1591 and is an Important Cultural Property; in May 2026 it completed its first full restoration in 124 years, with a new roof, fresh lacquer and seismic strengthening. The grounds have two ponds, an arched bridge and thousands of plum trees that bloom from February to March. Entry is free. Take the Nishitetsu line to Dazaifu Station and walk up a street of shops selling umegae-mochi, rice cakes filled with sweet bean paste. The Kyushu National Museum is next to the shrine.
Restored in 2026.
Bronze, in the grounds.
February and March.
Dazaifu, southeast of Fukuoka
Take the Nishitetsu line from Tenjin in Fukuoka to Dazaifu Station, then walk a few minutes; entry is free.