Nagaoka Tenmangu is a shrine in Nagaokakyo City, Kyoto Prefecture, not far from Kyoto City and close to Uji—the region of Kyoto famous for matcha green tea—and the famous Otokuni Bamboo grove. Nagaoka-Tenmangu is also known as "Mikaeri-tenjin" (a shrine that's "hard-to-leave"), and was dedicated to Sugawara-no Michizane, a Japanese scholar, poet, and politician of the Heian era (794–1185). It is said that Michizane was posted to Dazaifu City (the military and administrative centre of Kyushu at the time), on his way to which he visited the location where the shrine currently stands, and was reluctant to leave. The entrance path to the main hall is lined with hedges of approximately 150-year-old Kirishima azalea trees, which bear distinctive dark red flowers which will be in full bloom beginning in late April, when they create an azalea tunnel. The Kirishima azaleas are also designated by Nagaokakyo City as a protected species. At Nagaoka Tenmangu Shrine there is beautiful scenery to be enjoyed all year round, from cherry blossoms in the spring, lotus flowers in the summer, and Autumn foliage light-up events illuminating Nagaoka Tenmangu Shrine's Japanese garden, Kinkei-en. Next to the Hachijoga-ike Pond there is also a restaurant, Kinsuitei, where you can enjoy the beautiful scenery together with cuisine made using freshly picked young bamboo shoots in the springtime, or other traditional Kyoto cuisine during other times of the year
- Address
- 15-13 2-chome Tenjin, Nagaokakyo City, Kyoto Prefecture
- Access
- Train: Approx. 20 minutes walk from the west exit of Nagaokakyo Station on the JR Tokaido Line. Approx. 10 minutes walk from the west exit of Nagaoka Tenjin Station on the Hankyu Kyoto Line.
Car: 5 minutes north of Nagaokakyo exit (Nagaokakyo IC) - Business Hours
- 9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. (April - September), 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. (October - March)
Water Bridge Gate Opening Hours: 7:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. (April - September), 7:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. (October - March)
No regular closing days - Parking
- Parking Lot 1: Free for the first 40 minutes, 100 yen for every 30 minutes thereafter
Parking Lot 2: 100 yen for every 30 minutes, maximum 600 yen per day)
* Notes:
- For prayers, up to 2 hours free parking.
- Special prices apply for the spring tourism season and New Year.
- If the Tenmangu parking lot is full, please use the public parking in front of the JR Nagaokakyo Station.
