Interesting+facts+about+Dazaifu


 * Dazaifu was set up in the late 7th century and served as the administrative center of the entire island of Kyushu during the Nara and Heian Periods (710-1185)
 * Dazaifu was pivotal for Japan's diplomatic relations
 * The imperial court ruled the country from the Kansai Region
 * It organized the Japan's defenses
 * The city was built slightly inward from Hakata
 * Now it is a small, quiet city
 * It is on the outskirts of the large city of Fukuoka
 * There are a number of temples and shrines there
 * It is most known for the Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine
 * A massive Kyushu National Museum was opened to the public there
 * It is also home to Komyozenji, a Zen temple
 * It is home to beautiful Japanese gardens
 * There is a lot of Shrines dedicated to the spirit of Sugawara Michizane, a scholar and politician
 * After Sugawara Michizane died the country was ravaged by natural disasters, and at one point people in Dazaifu believed that the calamities were caused by the wrathful spirit
 * There are as many as 6000 plum trees planted in Dazaifu due to the fact that Sugawara Michizane was fond of them
 * There is a wide range of good luck charms in Dazaifu, The most popular ones are for education
 * Dazaifu was the site of a government office that dealt with diplomatic relations with mainland Asia
 * It is home to the oldest bell in the country, which dates back to the 7th century
 * It is home to a number of impressive wooden Buddhist statues, some of which are over five meters tall