Dazaifu Tenmangū Shrine

Dazaifu Tenmangū is the head shrine in a network of more than 10,000 across Japan dedicated to Tenjin, the deified spirit of the scholar Sugawara Michizane who was exiled to Dazaifu from the Kyoto imperial court and died there in 903 CE. The shrine was established at the site of his grave in 919. Its most recognizable feature is the approximately 6,000 plum trees of over 200 varieties that bloom in red and white between late January and early March. The tree standing directly to the right of the main sanctuary is said to be the one from Michizane's Kyoto garden that flew here after his exile to be near him. The main sanctuary, designated an Important Cultural Property, has stood for over 400 years. More than 10 million visitors come annually, many of them students praying before exams.