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What Makes the Dazaifu Tenmangu Experience Extraordinary
Dazaifu Tenmangu is an open, vibrant shrine with a rich history and forward-thinking outlook. Learn about the shrine’s architecture and functionality, the customs and traditions of the Shinto faith, and the role of amulets in seeking good fortune. Engage with centuries-old artworks and cutting-edge contemporary art installations. Get to know the people who operate and maintain the shrine, and find out how nature and the seasons provide an ever-changing backdrop for Dazaifu Tenmangu and its grounds.
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Experience the Shinto faith and discover 1,100 years of history at one of Japan's most important and impressive shrines. Learn about the legacy of Sugawara Michizane, who is enshrined at Dazaifu Tenmangu, and explore the shrine as a site of worship and a sanctuary for learning, culture, and the arts.
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Experience
Vibrant, open, and inviting, Dazaifu Tenmangu welcomes you to experience everything from Shinto rituals and colorful festivals to traditional snacks and the beautifully kept grounds. Enjoy full access to one of Japan's most exciting shrines.
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An Introduction to Amulets
Colorful amulets are one of the many attractions for visitors to Shinto shrines. They come in a range of different shapes and sizes, and bring good fortune. As Tenjin is the deity of learning, amulets for academic success are one of the most popular items to take home from Dazaifu Tenmangu.
Learn MoreExplore the Grounds
The grounds of Dazaifu Tenmangu are extensive, dotted with thousands of plum trees and a hundred huge camphor trees, creating an urban oasis perfect for strolling. Besides the impressive honden, or main sanctuary, there are museums, smaller shrines, statues, contemporary artworks, and teashops selling the famous local umegaemochi sweets.
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Encounter Art
Art has been celebrated at Dazaifu Tenmangu since its founding in the early tenth century. The shrine continues this heritage today with a cutting-edge art program that attracts talented artists from around the world. Their works dot the grounds and invite discussion on a range of topics from faith and belief, the boundaries between imagination and reality, and ecosystems and the transitory nature of life.
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Meet the People
Dazaifu Tenmangu is vibrant and full of activity. From cleaning the shrine and its grounds, maintaining the gardens, and curating the art to performing sacred ceremonies, the people who work at Dazaifu Tenmangu bring warmth, energy and faith to the shrine every day. Meet five of the friendly faces that devote themselves to welcoming visitors and preserving the legacy of Sugawara Michizane.
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Nature and the Seasons
The seasons are an intrinsic part of life at Dazaifu Tenmangu. At the end of winter, 6,000 plum blossoms burst into bloom, and their subtle scent drifts around the shrine. Spring brings clouds of cherry blossoms, followed by wisteria and azalea blooms, then fresh green leaves unfurl on the camphor trees, bathing the grounds in soft green light. The gardens provide cool shade in summer, accented by vivid purple irises. Bold displays of chrysanthemum flowers mark the start of autumn, as dragonflies dart around the ponds, under red and yellow leaves.
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