Sakurai Shrine stands in a grove of tall trees in the north of the peninsula, about two kilometres inland from Futamigaura. It was founded in 1632 by Kuroda Tadayuki, the second lord of the Fukuoka domain, and its main hall, worship hall and two-storey gate survive from that period; they are designated cultural properties of Fukuoka Prefecture.
After the bright torii and cafés of the coast, the shrine is a surprise: unpainted timber darkened by nearly four centuries of weather, dense and delicate carving under the eaves, moss, and very few people. The married rocks at Futamigaura are part of this shrine, which is why a white torii stands on the beach.
Top things to do: Sakurai Shrine
Walk the approach
A path leads from the road under a stone torii and over a small arched bridge to the two-storey romon gate. Pause to look up at the carving before you go through.
Look closely at the halls
The worship hall and the main hall behind it are joined in one composition, and the main hall is sheltered by an outer roof to protect its carvings. Walk around the side to see the detail.
Continue to Sakurai Daijingu
A few minutes’ walk through the woods brings you to a second, even quieter sanctuary — Sakurai Daijingu — built in the plain, thatched style of the Ise shrines.
How to get there
- By car: about five minutes from Futamigaura and 25 minutes from Chikuzen-Maebaru Station. There is a free car park.
- By bicycle: an easy add-on to a ride to Futamigaura, with one hill.
- By bus: local services pass through Sakurai, but they are infrequent. Check the timetable or take a taxi from the station.
Insider tips
- Visit before Futamigaura, then go down to the coast for sunset.
- Bow at the torii, rinse your hands at the basin, and keep to the side of the path — the usual shrine etiquette applies.
- The grounds are shaded and can be damp; mosquito repellent helps in summer.
Best tours & tickets: Sakurai Shrine
These top-rated experiences are the easiest way to see Sakurai Shrine and the rest of Itoshima:
Private tour from US$95 Customized Itoshima Photogenic Tour
A six-hour private tour that you shape with the guide: choose the coast, nature spots or local food and skip what does not interest you. With pickup available and one of the highest ratings of any Itoshima product, it is the flexible alternative to the fixed coach routes.
- A private guide and a route built around your interests
- Nature spots and local food stops
- Pickup available
Bus day trip from US$44 Fukuoka: Itoshima Shiraito Falls, Meoto Iwa & Fukuoka Tower
The best-value way to see Itoshima without a car. A coach leaves Fukuoka in the morning, climbs to the 24-metre Shiraito Falls and Raizan Sennyoji temple, then drops to the coast for the palm-tree swing and the white torii and married rocks of Sakurai Futamigaura, finishing at Fukuoka Tower.
- Shiraito Falls and Raizan Sennyoji temple in the hills
- The white torii and married rocks at Sakurai Futamigaura
- The palm-tree swing on the coast, then Fukuoka Tower
Private tour from US$614 Fukuoka: Itoshima, Karatsu Castle & Shrines Private Tour
A private, customizable day with pickup that continues west along the coast from Itoshima to Karatsu in Saga Prefecture, linking Itoshima’s beaches with Karatsu Castle and shrines along the way.
- Itoshima’s beaches
- Karatsu Castle
- Shrines along a scenic coastal drive
