Asia Mega Tour II - Dazaifu Pictures

The story behind the shrine of Dazaifu is that a very powerful and intelligent lord serving the court in Kyoto during the 10th century, lost favor in the court and was banished to Dazaifu. He reestablished himself and built a major shrine that is now a place that is considered a good place to go when you want to get blessings for things like examinations.

You are welcome in Dazaifu too...just not as much as in Yanagawa

That may be because there were a bizillion people there.

Our guide told us that this might be because it was plum tree blooming season and the plum tree has special significance for this shrine. 

The story goes that when the lord was exiled he mourned that he would be leaving one beloved plum tree back at his home in Kyoto. He wrote a poem about that separation which has become famous.  The story is that this plum tree uprooted itself and flew to be with the lord...now becoming the flying plum tree.

The alleged flying tree

There were no shortage of other trees as well

And to my eye exceedingly interesting architecture.

I love in particular the feeling of textures that I've mentioned in prior posts.

Beauty is of course wherever you find it.

Inside the shrine and places to offer prayers

In addition to the Shrine we went to the Kyushu National Museum

And we will finish with 'Signs of the World'

I think this means you can use the toilet if you are ancient Japanese nobility or you are wearing a gliding suit.