One of the most important shrines in Kyushu, consecrated to the guardian deity of scholarship
Dazaifu Tenmangu shrine is one of the Tenmangu shrines consecrated to the deified spirit of Sugawara no Michizane, or guardian deity of studies. It is the birthplace of worship of Tenjin (deified Michizane) and, along with Kitano Tenmangu shrine in Kyoto City in Kyoto Prefecture, it is worshiped as one of the two main shrines among 12,000 shrines dedicated to Tenjin. Dazaifu Tenmangu is regarded as the most important Tenmangu shrine in Japan and it is one of the best-known shrines in the country. About two million worshipers visit the shrine in the first three days of the New Year. The shrine is especially beautiful in early spring (late February to early March) of all seasons, when plum trees in the precincts are in full bloom, which Michizane is said to have loved.
