The most beautiful religious buildings Kyūshū

The name of this temple appears in The Tale of Genji, a famous work of Japanese literature written by Murasaki Shikibu, a court lady of the Heian period. Kanzeon-ji was built in memory of Empress Saimei by her son, Emperor Tenji. It became the most important Buddhist temple in Kyushu, exerting great influence on all other temples in the region. A bronze Bonsho bell, the oldest in Japan, can be seen here.

Bathed by the Iwato River, the pretty shrine comprises a number of buildings, the main one, the Nishi hongū, being on the western bank. The Higashi hongū, as its name suggests, is on the east. It is exactly there, a fifteen-minute walk away, that the goddess Amaterasu Ōmikami, a mythical deity of the Shintō, took refuge. The environment of the shrine is truly wild, which gives the place a very appreciable mystical touch.

Located 1 km from the center, this shrine stands in the middle of an environment where cryptomerias, the Japanese cedars, reign supreme. Established over 12 centuries ago, the shrine is highly respected and revered as it is located on the land where the sun goddess descended to earth. The Iwato kagura is danced there every night at 8pm. If you are staying at a hotel in the village, you can usually book a shuttle bus and the session to participate in the dance.