ushijima tenmanguu

Ushijima Tenmangu is a shrine in Higashisaga-machi, Saga City, Saga Prefecture, dedicated to Sugawara no Michizane, the revered deity of learning and scholarship. The shrine is also known as Ushima Tenmangu or Ushima Jinja. Michizane was a distinguished scholar and minister of the right during the Heian period who, after being unjustly exiled to Dazaifu, was deified and enshrined in Tenmangu shrines across Japan. Today the shrine draws many students and their families, especially during exam season, who come to pray for academic success. The spirit of Michizane, inseparable from the plum blossom, continues to be cherished by the local community.