Kushida Jinja Shrine is known and loved by the locals as “Okushida-san” at their hometown in Hakata. The shrine, which is said to provide prosperous business and eternal youth and longevity have gathered the faith of the locals since ancient times. The shrine also hosts a variety of nationally famous festivals all year round, such as February’s Setsubun Festival with the scattering of the beans and having the biggest “Otafuku” mask in Japan displayed at the entrance. It’s a very distinctive mask, so you may have seen it somewhere else in the past! In July there is the Hakata Gion Yamakasa festival and in October, the Hakata Okunchi festival. In terms of things to see at the shrine, check out the “Reisentsuru Well” which is believed to have the water of eternal youth and longevity, or try out your strength with the “lifting stone”, or the spirit tree for happy marriage and marriage luck. The “lifting stone” area has a host of stones that had previously been lifted by mighty Sumo wrestlers, so if you think you can, try and lift the large stones and test your strength!

Photograph provided by Fukuoka City