Kubota-cho(Kutsunugi Tenman Shrine)

"It has been filled
with the smell of Ume blossoms
in the world"
(Kiseki Utsunomiya)

It had been said that when Michizane Sugawara was relegated to Dazaifu,Kyushu, he went by land from Imabari to Kutsunugi Tenman Shirine and then, went to Kyushu by ship. The year of 1902(Meiji 35) falled on the 1000th year since when he had died in Kyushu in 903(Engi 3). This monument was built to celebrate the 1000th anniversary of his death.
Kiseki was born at Takigawa-village, Taki county(present Nagahama-cho). He also named himself "Tansei", "Tankikaku" or "Mudai" as his own Haiku penname.
He lived the nothern side of Gudabutsu-an Hermitage connected to Shiki Masaoka and had personal acquitance with Shiki, forty-three years youger than him, to compose Haiku.