Hidden Gems Across Japan
13 spots found in Fukuoka · Temples & Shrines
Sakurai Futamigaura — Twin Rocks at Sunset
At Sakurai Beach in western Itoshima, two granite rocks rise from the shallow water 150 meters offshore — connected by a…
Nanzoin Temple — Japan's Largest Bronze Reclining Buddha
Deep in the cedar forests of Sasaguri, 20 minutes by train from Hakata, Nanzoin Temple houses a bronze reclining Buddha…
Dazaifu Tenmangu — Scholar Shrine in Plum Forest
Dazaifu Tenmangu was built in 905 to enshrine the spirit of Sugawara Michizane, a Heian-period scholar and court officia…
Komyozenji Temple — The Moss Garden Secret
One hundred meters from the crowds of Dazaifu Tenmangu, through a gate that most visitors walk past, lies Komyozenji — a…
Kushida Shrine — Guardian of Hakata and Gion Festival
Kushida Shrine, tucked behind the Hakata Station shopping district, is the spiritual center of Hakata's merchant culture…
Tochoji Temple — Tallest Wooden Buddha in Japan
Tochoji, founded in 806 by the monk Kukai (Kobo Daishi) on his return from Tang Dynasty China, is Fukuoka's oldest Shing…
Mizuma Temple — Hilltop Buddha Overlooking Kyushu
Perched on a 221-meter hilltop above the Chikugo River plain, Mizuma-dera (水分寺) offers an extraordinary panoramic view t…
Raizan Sennyoji Temple — Ancient Mountain Monastery
On the upper slopes of Mt. Raizan, behind a cedar forest that filters almost all direct sunlight, Sennyoji Temple has be…
Sumiyoshi Shrine — Silent Hakata Wedding Shrine
Sumiyoshi Shrine predates written Japanese history — established, according to shrine records, in 211 AD to honor the go…
Shofukuji Temple — First Zen Temple in Japan
Shofukuji, founded in 1195 by the monk Eisai after returning from Chinese Song Dynasty, is the first Zen Buddhist temple…
Homan-zan Jinguji — Mountain Shrine-Temple Hybrid
Homan-zan (829m) has been sacred simultaneously to both Buddhism and Shinto since the 8th century — a mountain deity-hab…
Hakozaki Shrine — Ancient Protector Against Foreign Invasion
Hakozaki Shrine, established in 923, is one of Japan's three great Hachiman shrines and holds the unique distinction of…
Atago Shrine — Hilltop Sunset Over Hakata Bay
Atago Shrine sits on Atago Hill (68m) in the Nishi-ku district of Fukuoka City, overlooking the full arc of Hakata Bay f…