Over the course of more than eleven centuries, Dazaifu Tenmangu has carefully preserved and handed down countless treasures. From the cherished personal belongings of the enshrined deity, Sugawara Michizane (Tenjin), to works by contemporary artists, the collection of over ten thousand items embodies the history and faith of the shrine. These treasures have been shared with the public in diff erent ways throughout the ages. In the 17th century, hereditary Shinto priests at the shrine would occasionally allow worshippers to view the treasures upon request. During the late 19th century and early 20th century, the shrine took pioneering steps to open its treasures to the public through the three Dazaifu Expositions and the Grand Ceremony commemorating the 1,000th anniversary of Michizane’s deification. Today, through the on going Dazaifu Tenmangu Art Program, the shrine c ontinues to
commission, exhibit, and preserve new works for future generations.
This exhibition introduces a selection of the shrine’s most revered treasures associated with Tenjin, along with objects once displayed at the Dazaifu Expositions, tracing the history of public exhibitions of sacred artifacts at Dazaifu Tenmangu. On the 150th anniversary of the Dazaifu Exposition, we hope visitors will experience the enduring beauty of these treasures̶objects entrusted to the future by our predecessors here in Dazaifu, a sacred site of Tenjin and a historic center of cultural exchange across Asia.