Kyushu 2023 - Dazaifu Temple and Ruins Walk

Finally, we reached the main Dazaifu temple. It was lovely, no doubt. I just don't know why I wasn't more impress with it as I did other things I saw that day. It felt like just a 'need to do' item on my travel list somehow.... Was I getting jaded of Japanese temple? 

We also saw the famous red bridge here. It was made even lovelier by the water, the tress and the blue sky on that day. But it was also quite crowded. Those nice photos you see in these blog, was either edited with the people cut out, or a lot of time was spend waiting for the place to be empty out.

After completing the shrine, it was still early afternoon, so we decided to go explore the ruins! Above is the map we found along the way. Lol. Seriously, this day trip was not very well planned out! We spend the next few hours walking in hot sun, in deserted village roads, in fields of ruins etc! What an adventure!

Ya, I was expecting something like Rome when I see the word "ruins". It wasn't anything like that at all! In fact, there was hardly anything to see except maybe building foundation of the ruins, and maybe some stairs. But they did kept the area empty, so it was fun running around the field of nothingness.

The path also covers some grave of famous monks of the area, and we decided to go pay our respect. I don't know what is it with me and graveyard, but I am always fascinated by them. The famous wasn't like those family grave. It was in fact rather simple looking, and quite wild, in some desert part of the village...

There were also quiet temples you could visit where the ray of heaven shines through....

And some of the temple (actually only one) even has a sand art in the compound area.

It wasn't anything elaborated, just simple designs on the ground. Nobody even got mad if you walk through them. Were you allowed to walk through them? I wasn't sure. I try not to.

There was even a lady that looked Christian near a pond in one of the temple ground.... It was really quite a unique walk with many unique things we saw.

The one good thing about wandering lost is coming across beautiful sceneries like this one above. Sceneries that you won't see if you follow some tour group. Sceneries that you dream of seeing since you grow up and live in South East Asia where the weather is forever hot and humid or monsoon rain. 

To see such vast green field with slopes, and a sole pink sakura tree there! What a dream come true!

Thank you to all the small gods and big ones we encounter here in Japan. Of all the places I've been to, I always find myself coming back to this country. It was kinda like my spiritual home :)

Our walk lead us one station away from Dazaifu main station. We took a local train back to Dazaifu since our ticket gave us the power to take any train or bus in the area! Haha. The power you feel when you own such a ticket. I love Kyushu so far, and I've only been here 2 days!

Around 4pm or 5pm, we took the train back to the one we started from, and then a short bus ride to Hakata City again.

Here's a selfie of us with all the crowd on the famous red bridge of Dazaifu. Crossing the bridge means crossing over to heavenly realm :)