Kiryu Tenmangu enshrines Sugawara no Michizane as the god of learning. After his death in exile at Dazaifu in 903, Tenmangu shrines were founded across Japan to appease his spirit, and one took root in Kiryu. The plum blossoms in the grounds recall his famous farewell poem composed on leaving Kyoto. Edo-period weavers revered him as patron of craft and scholarship, commissioning the intricately carved shrine hall that stands today.