Before you head to the main sanctuary, please wash your hands and rinse your mouth in Temizuya, the purification font. The purification steps are said to be a simplified version of the ritual of "Misogi”, which involved immersing oneself in the river or sea to cleanse the body and mind.
Now, after washing your hands and passing through the two-story gate (Romon), you will have arrived at the holiest of main sanctuaries.
Right until he was demoted and sent away, Michizane had been working on a history book. He was dedicated to the development of Japan’s unique culture, and eventually became a part of its foundation. He thought that to create the Japanese identity, you need to take into account both domestic and foreign ideas. His secret weapon was his unparalleled skill in Kanshi.
But one day, he was accused of a crime and sent off to Dazaifu, leaving his family behind in Kyoto. In Dazaifu, he was forced to live without any food or clothing, but still his loyalty to the Emperor persisted as he wished for peace for the imperial family and the nation. He also prayed for his innocence and perseverance. But he died in Dazaifu, at age 59.
He was proved innocent by the Imperial Court after his death, and as time went on, more and more people worshipped Michizane's outstanding talent and sincere personality. Even today, when more than a thousand years have passed, believers gather here for Michizane, calling him the "deity learning," the "deity of culture," and the "deity of sincerity and devotion."
