Dazaifu Tenmangu

Shrine · Fukuoka

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In short

The shrine stands over Sugawara no Michizane’s grave, on the spot where the ox drawing his funeral cart lay down and would not move; prayers here begin with passing an entrance examination.

The main hall of Dazaifu Tenmangu. — Drivephotographer / Wikimedia Commons (CC0)

Quick facts

Address: 4-7-1 Saifu, Dazaifu, Fukuoka
Spiritual entities: Tenjin (天神, Sugawara no Michizane)

About this place

Dazaifu Tenmangu is in Dazaifu, Fukuoka, and its deity is Sugawara no Michizane. In 901 Michizane was demoted to Dazaifu through the scheming of the Fujiwara. On the twenty-fifth day of the second month of 903 he ended his fifty-nine years at the south hall of the Dazaifu government office, now Enoki-sha. By his testament his remains were to be buried in the land of Dazaifu; and as the funeral procession went northeast with the body borne on an ox cart, the ox suddenly lay down and would not move. His disciple Umasake no Yasuyuki buried him on that spot and raised a shrine hall there. In 919 a shrine building was raised by imperial command, and imperial messengers were sent many times afterwards, so that the shrine gathered the devotion of the imperial house. Prayers offered here include passing an entrance examination, progress in study, success in examinations and in finding employment, safety in traffic, warding off misfortune, warding off ill fortune from all directions, safe childbirth and first shrine visits, the seven-five-three, and the flying-plum prayer.

Origin and history

In 901 Michizane was demoted to the post of provisional governor-general of Dazaifu through the scheming of the Fujiwara.

On the twenty-fifth day of the second month of 903 he ended his fifty-nine years at the south hall of the Dazaifu government office, now Enoki-sha. By his testament his remains were to be buried in the land of Dazaifu; and as the funeral procession went northeast with the body borne on an ox cart, the ox suddenly lay down and would not move. His disciple Umasake no Yasuyuki buried him on that spot and raised a shrine hall there.

In 919 a shrine building was raised by imperial command, and imperial messengers were sent many times afterwards, so that the shrine gathered the devotion of the imperial house.

What it is locally associated with

Origin
The spot where the ox lay down
As the funeral procession went with the body on an ox cart, the ox suddenly lay down and would not move; his disciple buried him there and raised a hall.
folk tradition
Power spotExams & StudyCareer & WorkProtection & SafetyFertility & Children
Examinations come first
Prayers here include passing an entrance examination, progress in study, success in examinations and employment, safety in traffic, warding off misfortune and safe childbirth.
documented history
Origin
Two years from the demotion
Demoted in 901, he ended his fifty-nine years at the south hall of the Dazaifu government office on the twenty-fifth day of the second month of 903.
documented history

An ox decided where this shrine stands. The procession was going northeast with the body on an ox cart when the animal suddenly lay down and would not move; his disciple Umasake no Yasuyuki buried him on that spot and raised a hall there. The destination was not fixed in advance — an animal that stopped on the way settled it. Elsewhere on this list the deity of Kasuga Taisha arrives riding a white deer, and Kurama-dera’s founder is led up the mountain by a white horse. Animals choosing a place or a path recur here.

This shrine is also the end of a road. Osaka Tenmangu is where Michizane prayed for a safe journey; Hattori Tenjingu is where his legs failed him and he prayed to be healed; Domyoji Tenmangu is his aunt Kakujuni’s house, where he stayed. Three places carry stages of the way to Dazaifu. This is where the way ended, and where he is buried.

The list of prayers begins with passing an entrance examination, then progress in study, success in examinations and in finding employment, safety in traffic, warding off misfortune, warding off ill fortune from all directions, safe childbirth and first visits, the seven-five-three, and the flying-plum prayer. Of Michizane as the deity of learning, the shrine writes that he raised study for his own sake into learning for the sake of society.

Two years passed between the demotion and the death: demoted in 901, and dead on the twenty-fifth day of the second month of 903, at fifty-nine. The shrine building came sixteen years after that, in 919.

Claims and evidence levels 3

Michizane was demoted to Dazaifu in 901 and died there on the twenty-fifth day of the second month of 903, aged fifty-nine. documented history
The ox drawing his funeral cart lay down and would not move, and he was buried on that spot, where a shrine hall was raised. folk tradition
A shrine building was raised by imperial command in 919, and prayers here begin with passing an entrance examination. documented history

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