I went to Gokusho (御供所) to see the cherry blossoms yesterday. This old neighborhood located in Fukuoka City's Hakata Ward has some of Japan's oldest temples including the nation's first zen temple (Shofukuji 聖福寺).

The gojū-no-tō, or five-storied pagoda at Tōchōji (東長寺)

Tōchō-ji (東長寺)

Tōchō-ji (東長寺)

Jōten-ji (承天寺) Completed in 1242, this temple is said to be where udon, soba, manjū and yōkan originated, all of which were introduced to Japan by Buddhist priests from the mainland.