Hofu Tenmangu and the Mohri Garden: A Quiet Day from Hofu Station

This guide covers how to reach Hofu Tenmangu from Hofu, the shrine buildings, the plum and cherry seasons, the Mohri Garden, lunch and the practical details for a day out.

The main hall of Hofu Tenmangu has a copper-plate hip-and-gable roof in the Heian-period style of delicate elegance. The sections below follow the route from Hofu, the buildings and seasons of the shrine, the Mohri Garden and the practical details.

Getting to Hofu Tenmangu

From JR Sanyo Line Hofu Station, Hofu Tenmangu can be reached on foot. Those who would rather ride can take the Bocho Bus bound for Amidaji from the north exit of Hofu Station, which stops at Hofu Tenmangu. The same Bocho Bus route from the north exit also serves the Mohri residence bus stop, with a walk at the end.

The table below gives the time on foot, the ride from the north exit, the walk from the stop and the times of the information counter.

From	Route or operator	Time
Hofu Station to Hofu Tenmangu	On foot from the JR Sanyo Line station	About 15 minutes
Hofu Station to Hofu Tenmangu	Bocho Bus from the north exit, then on foot	About 5 minutes by bus, then 3 minutes on foot
Hofu Station to the Mohri residence bus stop	Bocho Bus from the north exit, then on foot	About 6 minutes on foot from the stop
Hofu Station to the former Mohri residence	By car	About 8 minutes
Tourist information counter in Umeterrace	Machi-no-Eki Umeterrace	9:00 to 18:00

Seasons and Buildings at Hofu Tenmangu

The Shunpuro took its present tower form after the plan for a pagoda was changed. The stone torii at the main approach is a prefecture-designated tangible cultural property. During Shiawase-masu Week, candles are lit at night on the stone lanterns along the main approach.

In their season, the grounds of Hofu Tenmangu are filled with the fragrance of plum blossoms. The plum trees at Hofu Tenmangu are of many varieties. The plum festival is held from mid-February to early March. Cherry trees also grow in the shrine grounds. The cherry blossom festival is held from mid-March to early April.

The Mohri Garden and the Former Residence

The Mohri Garden is a pond-centered stroll garden in the inner garden area. Entering the inner garden from the Chujakumon gate, a gourd-shaped pond filled with water lies to the south. A wide lawn plaza lies at the back right after entering from the same gate.

A huge lantern, grown yamamomo trees and satsuki azaleas are arranged in front of the entrance porch of the former Mohri residence. The residence was built with high-quality timber including Hinoki cypress from imperial forests, Yakushima Jindai cedar, and Taiwanese zelkova. Inside, the great hall follows the Edo-period large shoin style with a coffered ceiling.

Lunch Near the Shrine

For a meal at the shrine itself, Koubaiden at Hofu Tenmangu is a directly operated dining and souvenir shop. The table below lists the times of the places for a meal.

Place	Times
Koubaiden, opening hours	10:00 to 15:00, with changes at the New Year and during festivals
Umeterrace restaurant, weekdays	11:00 to 15:00
Umeterrace restaurant, weekends and holidays	11:00 to 16:00

Umeterrace can be reached from Hofu Station by car or by rental bicycle. Umeterrace can also be reached on foot from Hofu Station. The restaurant at Umeterrace has no regular closing day.

Hours and Fees, and Planning the Day

It helps to settle the order of the stops before the day begins, using the tables below. Check the times before you travel.

Part of the day	Stop or leg	Duration or hours
Arrive	Hofu Station to Hofu Tenmangu, on foot	About 15 minutes
Visit	Hofu Tenmangu gate, opening hours	6:00 to 20:00
Visit	Hoshoan tea room, opening hours	9:30 to 16:00
Visit	Mohri residence bus stop to the former Mohri residence, on foot	About 6 minutes
Visit	Mohri Garden, opening hours	9:00 to 17:30 from April to September, 9:00 to 17:00 from October to March
Lunch	Koubaiden, opening hours	10:00 to 15:00
Lunch	Hofu Station to Umeterrace, on foot	About 15 minutes
Head back	Mohri Garden, last entry	30 minutes before closing
Head back	Hofu Tenmangu gate, closing time	20:00

Item	Price
Mohri Garden, adults	500 yen
Mohri Garden, elementary and junior high school students	250 yen
Hofu Tenmangu History Museum, adults	800 yen
Hoshoan tea room, with matcha tea and a sweet	800 yen
Rental bicycle at Umeterrace, regular, per day	500 yen
Rental bicycle at Umeterrace, electric-assist, per day	700 yen

Place	Hours and closed days
Hofu Tenmangu History Museum, opening hours	9:00 to 16:30
Hofu Tenmangu History Museum, closed days	Mondays and Tuesdays
Mohri Museum, closed period	December 22 to December 31
Hoshoan tea room, closed days	No closing days

If you are planning an overnight stay, see places to stay in Yamaguchi city.