Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine Kyokusui no Utage

A Shinto purification ritual called Misogi-harae conducted by Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine, long revered as a shrine dedicated to scholarship and learning. This elegant event attracts a great number of spectators each year. Recreating a traditional Heian period party, participants dress in traditional robes, headdresses, and 12-layer kimono; sitting before a man-made stream in the shrine's garden, cups of sake are floated down the stream, and those who successfully compose and recite a poem before the cup passes their position may drink the sake. Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine is also renowned for its beautiful Japanese apricots, and these beautiful trees and the shrine's garden are an additional must-see. Stands for spectators are provided the day of the festival; non-reservable, it is best to arrive early to secure yourself a seat.