Homangu Kamado Shrine
licensed photographKoda6029 / CC BY-SA 4.0

Fukuoka · DazaifuNo.1305★★Open in map →

Homangu Kamado Shrine

historyOff the trail — and worth it

A shrine for good matches at the foot of Mt Homan in Dazaifu, with its upper shrine on the summit. The lower grounds pair an old site of mountain worship with a modern amulet office, and the mountain's main trail starts here.

  1. FromNishitetsu Dazaifu Station
  2. ~10 minMahoroba bus from Dazaifu Stn
  3. Get off atUchiyama (Kamado Jinja-mae) bus stop (Mahoroba bus)
  4. On foot
  5. Homangu Kamado Shrine
Directions ↗

The sweet spot

This is a well-known shrine in Dazaifu, not a hidden one, and it draws worshippers and hikers alike. What sets it apart is its position. It sits at the foot of the mountain, a bus ride from Dazaifu Station, so it works best as a planned trip of its own rather than a quick detour.

Where it is

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What to look for

Upper shrine, Mt Homan summitKoda6029 / CC BY-SA 4.0
  1. Main hallthe lower shrine's hall, where Tamayorihime is prayed to for good matches
  2. Aikei no Iwatwo rocks set apart; reach one from the other with eyes closed and love is said to follow
  3. Reunion treea sacred saikachi tree where visitors pray to meet someone dear again
  4. Amulet office and viewing terraceMasamichi Katayama's interior of pale pink marble and cherry motifs, with Jasper Morrison furniture on the terrace
  5. Upper shrine on the summitthe shrine on top of the 829 m peak, at the end of the main trail's long stone steps

How to actually get there

  1. Nishitetsu Fukuoka (Tenjin) Station → Nishitetsu Futsukaichi (Tenjin-Omuta Line), then change to the Dazaifu Line for Dazaifu Station.
  2. Dazaifu Station → Uchiyama (Kamado Jinja-mae), the last stop (Mahoroba bus, Uchiyama line, about 10 min).
  3. Uchiyama stop → the shrine grounds, a short walk.
  4. For the upper shrine, take the main trail from the shrine to the summit (about 2 hours up for an average walker).
Mahoroba community bus from Dazaifu Station
From Nishitetsu Dazaifu Station, take Dazaifu City's Mahoroba community bus on the Uchiyama line, bound for Kamado Shrine. Ride to the last stop, Uchiyama (Kamado Jinja-mae). The ride takes about 10 minutes.
Bus back from Uchiyama
Board at the same Uchiyama stop for Dazaifu Station. The last departure differs between weekdays and weekends or holidays, so check the city's timetable before setting out, especially if you plan to climb. The city suspends all buses for the first days of the New Year.
Directions from my location (Google Maps) ↗

About the place

Homangu Kamado Shrine stands at the foot of Mt Homan in Dazaifu. The shrine has two seats: a lower shrine at the foot and an upper shrine on the summit. Its goddess, Tamayorihime, is prayed to for good matches. The city notes that people come for every kind of tie, from love to family, friends and work. Around 300 ginkgo and maple trees colour the lower grounds in autumn, and cherry trees fill them in spring. The mountain behind is the most climbed in Fukuoka Prefecture, and its main trail starts at the shrine.

How to enjoy it

Pray at the lower shrine first, then decide on the mountain. The city puts the climb to the upper shrine at about 2 hours for an average walker and advises setting out early in the day. The shrine gives mid to late November as the usual time for its autumn colour, but it shifts with each year's weather.

Background & history

Mt Homan rises northeast of the old Dazaifu government office, the direction of the unlucky 'demon gate', and rites to guard that gate began on the mountain. Tradition holds that in 673 the goddess appeared to the monk Shinren as he trained here, and an upper shrine was raised on the summit. In 803 the monk Saicho prayed here for a safe crossing to Tang China. Mountain ascetics later made Mt Homan a centre of Shugendo, with some 370 lodgings at its height, until the Meiji reforms ended it. The amulet office was completed in 2012, and in 2013 the mountain became a national historic site.

Before you go

Cash
Visiting the grounds is free. The Mahoroba bus is a flat 100 yen, paid when you get off, in cash or with a transit IC card such as nimoca. The shrine's car park holds about 100 cars and charged 400 yen per visit when checked.
Before you go
The amulet office keeps daytime hours, listed as 8:30 to 18:00 when checked. The trail to the upper shrine is a real mountain path. The city advises proper gear and clothing, water and rain gear, and an early start so you are down before dark.
Another way
You can also walk from Dazaifu Station. The shrine and the city both put it at about 40 minutes on foot.
After you get off
The Uchiyama stop is the end of the line, and the shrine grounds are a short walk from it.