Aug 4, 2013 - 1 min read

Tetori Tenman Shrine

A hidden shrine in downtown Kumamoto

By Mandy Bartok

Community writer

Tetori Tenman Shrine in downtown Kumamoto

An "ema" or prayer plaque at the shrine

The main torii gate to the shrine as seen from the main street

More prayer plaques

Fortunes tied to the shrine's cement torii gate

The hand washing basin

Tucked away in the backstreets of Kumamoto, just steps from the Nikko Hotel and the Suidocho tram stop, the Tetori Tenman Shrine is a haven of tranquility in an otherwise busy downtown area. Wash your hands at the stone basin and admire the colorful "ema" (prayer plaques) before making your appeal to the shrine's deity at the tiny main hall. Tetori Temangu is an offshoot of the larger Tenmangu Shrine in Dazaifu (Fukuoka Prefecture) which honors the great Heian-era scholar Sugawara no Michizane.

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Mandy Bartok

By Mandy Bartok

Community writer

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