Wakaura Tenmangu Shrine is a shrine located in Wakaura Nishi, Wakayama City. Situated on the hillside of Mt. Tenjin (93m) in Wakaura, it enshrines Sugawara no Michizane and is revered as the guardian deity of the entire Wakaura area. It is said that Sugawara no Michizane stopped by this place in 901 AD on his way to Dazaifu. Michizane anchored his ship in Wakaura to avoid the wind and waves at sea. At that time, he looked out over Waka no Ura from Mt. Tenjin, where the shrine is located, and is said to have composed two poems. Later, during the Kobo era (964-968) of Emperor Murakami, Sangi Tachibana no Naomoto stopped by Wakaura on his way back to Kyoto from Dazaifu and is said to have started by building a shrine here and enshrining the spirit of Michizane. The following three items are provided: 1. Goshuin (temple stamp) 2. Yuisyo-sho (historical document) 3. Sugawara no Michizane's hasami-gami (paper inserted in a book) It enshrines Sugawara no Michizane, the god of learning, and is said to be one of the three major Tenmangu shrines in Japan, along with Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine and Kitano Tenmangu Shrine. During the exam season, it is crowded with people praying for success. The main hall (an important cultural property designated by the state), with its irimoya-zukuri (hip-and-gable) roof and chidori-hafu (gable decoration), is decorated with gorgeous polychrome both inside and out, and the murals are by painters of the Kano and Tosa schools.