The Dynasty in Japan located the Dazaifu Government Office in the late seventh century in Dazaifu, Fukuoka, in order to govern Kyushu Area and to manage military and diplomacy activities to China and countries in the Korean Peninsula.

In the seventh century, other government offices were also located in other western areas, like in Shikoku Island and in the west part of the Japan Main Island. However, the Dazaifu Government Office is officially recognized as the only government office in Japan by Taiho Code issued in 701.

If you go up the stone steps, you will be at the site of the government office. The government office had 222 meters (728 feet) long to the north and south, 111 meters (364 feet) width to the east and the west.

The "Nandaimon" Gate, the main gate of the Dazaifu government office, the middle gate and the "Seiden", the main building, are located on the central axis of the government office. The corridor is surrounded on the periphery of the office through the middle gate and the main building.

On the site of the main building, there are three stone monuments against Mt. Iwao.

Ohnojyo Castle was built on Mt. Shiouji, located behind Mt. Iwao in 664 to protect the Dazaifu Government Office.

You will see the foundation stones of the rear building, located behind the main building. Only, these foundation stones handed down the Dazaifu government office, which once existed thirteen hundred years ago.

At the north-west corner of the Dazaifu Government Office, there is a monument engraved with a "Waka", a 31 syllable Japanese poem. The engraved "Waka" was made in 790 to celebrate new year and also beautiful Japanese apricot flowers.

Near the Dazaifu Government Office, a couple of branch offices and other related facilities were located. To the east of the Dazaifu Government Office, there was the site of government office buildings. Nine dug-standing pillar buildings were excavated out and pillars of a building were partially rebuilt, as shown in the below left picture.

In the late of twelfth century, the Dazaifu Government Office was abandoned and the site of the office became rice field.

Kaidanin Temple was built in 761 by monk Ganjin (Jianzhen) in 759, who also built Toshodaiji Temple in Nara. Kaidanin Temple was one of three temples, which were allowed to hand down the precepts.

A large camphor tree was very impressive at Kaidanin Temple.

The atmosphere of Kanzeonji Temple and Kaidanin Temple is the same as that of temples in Nara.

How to get there
From Tokyo or Osaka, take a "Nozomi" bound for Hakata. From, Hakata, take a bus directly to Dazaifu. Or, take a JR local train to Futsukaichi and walk to Murasaki Station. From Murasaki Station, take a train to Nishitetsu-Futsukaichi and change to Dazaifu on the Dazaifu Line. It will take approximately one hour from Hakata to Dazaifu on both ways.

Other Historical Sites near by:
Ruins of Fukuoka Castle
Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine
Komyo-Zenji Temple in Dazaifu
Ruins of Mizuki
Ruins of Ohno Castle