Dazaifu Tenman-gū

November 27, 2012 - Day 8

       
Today was our first day in Fukuoka. We rented a taxi and drove to the beautiful Dazaifu Tenman-gū in an attempt to have a nice picnic and enjoy the scenery. The park features a Shinto shrine for the god of literature; the most famous shrine is Honden (right). It is also well known for beautiful plum blossoms (lower right). Legend has it that Tobiume (the tree next to Honden) flew from Kyoto to Fukuoka to be near a poet who had cared for it.  According to what Rick has read, there are about 6,000 plum trees in total in the entire park, varying from about 197 types!

       The historical touch to this area didn't stop Russell and Laiken's shenanigans. They went at it once again and nearly catapulted all of our ham  sandwiches into the koi pond. Luckily, Rick caught our beloved sandwiches right before they splashed into the water, keeping our lunch from becoming fish food! After we had settled down from the near death experience of our lunch, we found a nice spot under an old cherry blossom tree. For the first time on our trip, things were actually pretty quiet and peaceful. Of course, the peace didn't last long once someone ate the last potato chip. I'm pretty sure Russell's cry of anguish could wake up my parents all the way back in United States.


                               

     We also all stumbled across these pretty amazing bridges! They called the Taikobashi, the bridge, and Shinjiike, the pond. The first bridge that was arched represented the past, the flat bridge represented the present, and the second arched bridge represented the future.

I can't wait to see what else Japan has to offer!

~EmmaLi