PLANGetting to Dazaifu Tenmangu
Enjoy Easy Access From Fukuoka
Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine is one of Fukuoka's top destinations. It is minutes from Dazaifu Station which is accessible easily, comfortably, and cost-effectively by bus or train from Fukuoka Airport, Hakata Station, and the downtown Tenjin area. Depending on your point of departure, you can reach the shrine in as little as 30 minutes.
Where Is Dazaifu Tenmangu
Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine is in the city of Dazaifu, Fukuoka Prefecture, on Japan's southern island of Kyushu. The shrine is about 15 kilometers from the prefectural capital, Fukuoka. Buses and trains connect Dazaifu Station with Hakata and Tenjin in downtown Fukuoka. Buses also run from Fukuoka Airport. The shrine grounds are an easy 5-minute walk from Dazaifu Station, where buses and trains terminate.
From Tokyo and Osaka to Dazaifu
Fukuoka is the most populated city in Kyushu, and is well-served by public transport, locally,
nationally, and internationally. Domestic and international flights arrive at Fukuoka Airport
just outside of the city center.
International and domestic flights are served by
separate terminals, which are connected by a free shuttle bus service. There are regular flights
from Haneda and Narita, the main airports serving Tokyo, Kansai International Airport in Osaka,
Chubu International Airport serving Nagoya, and New Chitose Airport in Sapporo.
Rail
travelers departing from Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto can use the JR Tokaido/Sanyo Shinkansen train,
which also serves destinations such as Nagoya, Kobe and Hiroshima. Shinkansen high-speed
services arrive at Hakata Station in Fukuoka, and JR rail passes can be used on most Shinkansen
trains.
Fukuoka can be reached by air from Sapporo in a little over two hours, from Tokyo
in less than two hours, and from Osaka in a little over an hour.
Rail journeys take five
hours from Tokyo, less than three hours from Kyoto, and a little over two hours from
Osaka.
Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine is easily accessible from Hakata Station and Fukuoka
Airport by bus. From the airport, the journey takes less than 30 minutes. From Hakata Station,
it is a little over 40 minutes.
From Hakata Station to Dazaifu
Hakata Station is a major transport hub. All Shinkansen high-speed rail services for Fukuoka stop
here. To get to Dazaifu Tenmangu from Hakata Station, the easiest option is to take a bus or
taxi. Taxis can be found at stands directly outside the station and take around 30 minutes
depending on traffic. Buses from Hakata Bus Terminal, directly adjacent the station, run
frequently and take around 40 minutes.
A regular subway-and-train service also connects
Hakata Station and Dazaifu Station. The journey takes around 50 minutes, including transfers.
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.
If traveling from
Hakata Station, consider purchasing the Fukuoka Tourist City Pass for Fukuoka and Dazaifu. It
includes unlimited bus and train travel on selected services and entitles the bearer to
discounted admission to attractions in Fukuoka and Dazaifu. At Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine, you can
use it for discounted admission to the Kanko Historical Museum and the Dazaifu Tenmangu Museum.
The pass is available at Hakata Bus Terminal and from the information center at Hakata Station.
From Fukuoka Airport
to Dazaifu
Visitors to Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine can use the frequent bus service that runs between Fukuoka
Airport and Dazaifu Station, taking around 25 minutes. The service is operated by Nishitetsu and
the bus departs from outside the international terminal. You can purchase tickets at the Bus
Information Counter in the arrivals area of the terminal.
Alternatively, you can take a
taxi. Taxis are available from outside both terminals. Expect the journey to take around 20
minutes.
If you decide to take the bus, you may like to consider purchasing the Fukuoka
Tourist City Pass for Fukuoka and Dazaifu, which includes unlimited bus and train travel on
selected services and grants discounted admission to attractions in Fukuoka and Dazaifu.
From Tenjin to Dazaifu
Nishitetsu Fukuoka (Tenjin) Station is in the central Tenjin area of Fukuoka. Subway lines
connect Tenjin to other areas, including the Hakata area where Hakata Station is
located.
Visitors to Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine departing from Tenjin can take a train from
Nishitetsu Fukuoka (Tenjin) Station. Ride the Nishitetsu-Tenjin-Omuta Line bound for Omuta or
Nishitetsu-Ogori and change at Nishitetsu-Futsukaichi Station to the Nishitetsu-Dazaifu Line for
Dazaifu Station. The total trip takes around 30 minutes. Taxis from the Tenjin area of the city
will take a similar amount of time.
Money-saving sightseeing travel passes are available
at Nishitetsu Fukuoka (Tenjin) Station. For visitors to Dazaifu Tenmangu, the Fukuoka Tourist
City Pass for Fukuoka includes unlimited bus and train travel on Nishitetsu services and grants
discounted admission to the shrine's on-site museums.
From Futsukaichi Station
to Dazaifu
Futsukaichi is a hot spring area near Dazaifu with several hot spring accommodation options. If
visiting Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine from Futsukaichi, take the Nishitetsu-Dazaifu Line from
Nishitetsu-Futsukaichi Station. The ride is two stops and takes five minutes.
Note that
there are two stations in Futsukaichi, so be careful not to confuse Nishitetsu-Futsukaichi
Station with JR Futsukaichi Station. The two stations are not adjacent, but can be reached on
foot from one another in under 15 minutes.
Cruise Ship Passengers from
Hakata Port
Cruise ships dock in Fukuoka at Hakata Port, at either Fukuoka Chuo Wharf, the main cruise ship
terminal, or Fukuoka Hakozaki Wharf. Taxis are available from either wharf. You can take a taxi
direct to Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine in around 30 minutes.
Alternatively, catch a taxi to
Hakata Bus Terminal and transfer to one of the regular Dazaifu-bound buses, or make your way to
Nishitetsu Fukuoka (Tenjin) Station and take the train from there. The journey from the port via
either Hakata Bus Terminal or Nishitetsu Fukuoka (Tenjin) Station will take around an hour.