Leaf-Raking Event at Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine Commemorates Legendary Camphor Tree; ‘Sen-nen Kusu’ Died in 1994 but Lives on in Annual Art Project

DAZAIFU, Fukuoka — It was 7 a.m. On the shrine grounds, the chirping of birds mixed with the sound of bamboo rakes scratching the sandy earth. The scent of camphor trees wafted through a large open space where people were using fallen leaves to make a work of art.