Kushida Shrine

Kushida Shrine (Kushida-jinja) is the most important and beloved Shinto shrine in the Hakata district of Fukuoka, a spiritual heart of the city, affectionately known to locals as 'O-Kushida-san.' Founded over a thousand years ago and dedicated to deities of prosperity and longevity, it's an atmospheric complex of traditional buildings, a sacred ginkgo tree, and a torii-marked entrance. Above all, it is the spiritual home of Fukuoka's spectacular Hakata Gion Yamakasa festival, held each July, and the shrine permanently displays one of the festival's towering, ornately decorated 'kazariyama' floats, a dazzling, many-metres-tall structure that's a sight in itself any time of year.

It's an easy, rewarding stop in central Fukuoka, free to enter, steeped in local tradition, and close to the Canal City shopping complex and Hakata's old streets. See the giant festival float, admire the traditional architecture, and soak up the atmosphere of the city's most cherished shrine.

Niet missen

• A permanently displayed giant 'kazariyama' festival float
• Over a thousand years of history
• Traditional Shinto architecture and a sacred ginkgo
• Its role in the Hakata Gion Yamakasa festival
• A central, free, atmospheric stop in Fukuoka

Tickets & tours

Manieren om Kushida Shrine te bezoeken

Geschikt voor

Hoe reizigers het beoordelen

Bereikbaarheid

Goed om te weten

• See the towering decorated festival float on permanent display.
• Entry is free, it's the spiritual heart of Hakata.
• Visit in July for the spectacular Hakata Gion Yamakasa festival.
• It's near Canal City and Hakata's old streets, easy to combine.

Een stukje geschiedenis

Kushida Shrine traces its origins to the 8th century and has long been the guardian shrine of the Hakata merchant district. It is the focal point of the Hakata Gion Yamakasa festival, a UNESCO-recognised tradition dating back centuries, in which teams race elaborate floats through the streets.