Dazaifu Tenmangū, Shinto shrine in Dazaifu, Japan
Dazaifu Tenmangū is a nagare-zukuri style Shinto shrine in the city of Dazaifu in Japan. The vermillion buildings stand among ancient camphor trees in a sprawling garden planted with several thousand plum trees.
Fujiwara no Nakahira founded the shrine in nine hundred nineteen at the burial site of Heian-period scholar Sugawara no Michizane. Over the centuries, the site became the head shrine of a nationwide network of temples honoring Michizane.
The site is known throughout Japan as a key destination for students who leave wooden prayer tablets asking for help with their exams. The more than six thousand plum trees bloom in February, drawing crowds who celebrate the traditional flower viewing season.
The shrine is thirty minutes by train from Fukuoka city and opens daily without an entrance fee. Visitors who arrive early in the morning find quieter grounds and can view the buildings before larger groups arrive.
A plum tree called Tobi-ume stands to the right of the main hall and is said to have flown from Kyoto to follow Michizane to Dazaifu. Visitors also find a large bronze bull on the grounds that they touch to ask for wisdom and healing.
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