ENJOY BIANNUAL SUNSET WONDER ON PATH OF LIGHT|千年神社+夕陽美景 福岡"日光之道"湧人潮

In Japan's southern city of Fukutsu, the visiting path, or sando, of a local shrine forms a perfect alignment with the setting sun every year in late February and October. Ancient folklore believes that the alignment represents a mystic connection between the living and their ancestors. Let's take a look. ==JAPANESE AIRLINES AD== Take a look at the path of the light. I've never heard of it. What is that? It's the… Wow. Cool. The splendid view of the sunset even holds idol groups in awe. It is believed that Miyajidake Shrine in Fukutsu City was built as early as the period of Empress Jingu 1600 years ago. The sando in front of the shrine faces due west. Only in late Feb. and late Oct. each year, the relative position between the sun and the earth enables the sunset and the sando to become a straight line. Legend has it that it's a symbol of spiritual communication between people and their ancestors. For people nowadays, it's worth getting in line from 9 am to 4 pm just to enjoy the biannual splendid view. The narrow sando is packed with more than 400 people, so some of them may be blocked by the torii and worse, by the cloudy sky from enjoying the sunset. Upon seeing the twilight from heavy clouds, the crowds take photos without stopping. ==MR. MURAKAMI, photography enthusiast== I took the photo when the sunset twinkled with red light. It's not that easy to see that. ==MEMBER OF PUBLIC== (The clouds are heavy.) It's a pity, but we feel lucky to see the beauty of the sunset. ==MEMBER OF PUBLIC== We should be thankful for that. The sunset ceremony is over for this year. It will be held in late Feb. next year. To see the view, one needs to get in line earlier to avoid a sea of people. With a population of only 60000, Fukutsu City combines natural beauty and historic sites, making it a successful promotion for the local tourism. TRANSLATED BY：BRYANT CHANG 日本福岡福津市的宮地嶽神社，因為每年2月下旬和10月下旬，夕陽落日和神社參道會形成一直線，除了有可以和往生的祖先心靈相通的傳說，也因為有明星去那拍廣告，成為重要觀光景點。 日本航空廣告片段：去看日光之道喔....日光之道..聽都沒聽過....日光之道是什麼玩意兒啊...就是那個...哇塞..酷喔.... 夕陽西下的美景，就連偶像團體也不禁讚嘆連連。這裡是日本九州福岡縣的福津市，這座宮地嶽神社，相傳最早興建於1600年前的神功皇后時代。 神社前方的參道面對正西方。由於太陽和地球相對位置的關係，只有每年2月下旬和10月下旬，落日會跟參道成一直線。根據古老的傳說，這是人們和已經往生的祖先，可以心靈相通的象徵。 當然，對現代人而言，能欣賞一年只有兩次機會能看到的美景，從早上9點排隊到下午4點半才開放入場，也是值得的。窄窄的參道上擠了400多人，運氣差的，視線剛好被鳥居擋住，運氣更差的還會遇上陰天。好不容易雲層裂縫中透出夕陽餘暉，現場民眾立刻拿起相機、手機拍個不停。 攝影愛好者 村上裕吉：我在它閃爍著紅色光芒時拍下，這不是那麼簡單就看得到的。 民眾：(雲層很厚)有些可惜，但能看到黃昏美景還是覺得很幸運。 民眾：能這樣我們已經要心存感激了。 今年的日光之道已經結束，下次要等明年2月下旬，當然，看到這種人山人海的盛況，想看的民眾得更早來排隊。而人口只有6萬人的福津市，結合自然美景和古蹟，也是相當成功的地方行銷。 記者綜合報導