In 901 AD Michizane Sugawara the U-dai-jin (the Right Side Minister) was demoted to Dazai-fu because of a false report circulated by Tokihira Fujiwara the Sa-daijin (the Left Side Minister) .
When Michizane Sugawara walked to Chikushi from Heian-kyo, it was a lovely spring day.
Many of his subordinates gathered to say good bye to him and some asked him to take them with him.
His party left Heian-kyo together.
Michizane Sugawara and his subordinates were very unhappy, One of his subordinates said to the rest that they cannot be unhappy forever and that they would have to do something to cheer him up. All his subordinates aroused themselves.
When the party crossed the Katsura River and reached Terako, Michizane Sugawara found that a kilometer ahead the cherry trees in bloom in Nishi no oka.
He decided in his mind, 'I am going to say good-bye to Kyoto completely at that place.'
On the hill, more than one hundred gorgeous cherry trees were in bloom and cherry blossom seemed to completely cover the sky.
He stopped and stared through the dropping flowers to the capital of Kyoto.
His subordinates guessed Michizane Sugawara's feelings and they all cried for him.
The people who were living in the village where Michizane Sugawara's party stopped also cried for him.
After Michizane Sugawara left the villagers felt sorry for him because he did not want to leave Kyoto.
They decided to build Tenmangu to pass his knowledge to the children.
It is called 'Chiyozakura Tenmangu' and the cherry is called 'Tenjin no sakura (cherry)'.
When the flowers start to drop they always blow on the wind to the south towards Kyoto because of Michizane Sugawara's feelings.