Nagaokatenmangu

Nagaoka Tenmangu enshrines Sugawara no Michizane, who is said to have stopped here on his way into exile at Dazaifu and lingered, reluctant to leave — which is why he is also called the Tenjin who looked back. The grounds are a noted scenic spot, spreading around the Hachijo pond, and the approach that crosses the middle of it runs between kirishima azaleas about 170 years old, grown into a tunnel. At their peak in late April, they are among the finest sights in Kyoto. The evening illumination of the cherry and maple gardens is a quieter pleasure that fewer people know about.