Tenjin Matsuri Festival, Osaka

Estimated Reading Time: 5 minutes

At the Tenjin Festival in Osaka, various events such as sinto rituals are held for about a month from late June to July 25 every year. July 24th and 25th show the greatest excitement. The votive fireworks display held on the 25th of the last day attracts about 1.3 million visitors every year.
Tenjin Festival is a general term for festivals held at the Tenman-gu Shrine nationwide around the 25th of every month, after the death of SUGAWARA no Michizane, the god of learning. The most famous is the Tenjin Festival held at Osaka Tenmangu.
The Tenjin Festival in Osaka is a climax of two days called Yomiya on July 24th and Honmiya on 25th.
At Yoimiya on the 24th, there will be tours of “lion dance” and “drum event” (drum event). One of the highlights is Hokonagashi Ritual, the origin of Tenjin festival. It is a ritual where Shindo, Shinshoku, Gakujin, and others go out to the Ohkawa River on a small boat after performing Minazukiharae Ritual with Maiden Dance. Then, “Kamihoko” of about 75cm long plain wood is poured into the river.
Originally, the origin of the Tenjin festival was to establish a resting place for God called Otabisho where Kamihoko settled down. Currently, this sail remains as “funatogyo” (ritual to place divine spirits on the boat to cross the river).
Similarly, “torchlight Noh performance on a water” will be held at the Ohkawa River around 6:30 in the evening of the 24th. Noh dances on the stage boat anchored near “OAP (Osaka Amenity Park)” near Sakuranomiya Station of Japan Railway.
Honmiya on the 25th, the final day of the Tenjin Festival. On this day, “Rikutogyo” and “Funatogyo” are the best highlights of the Tenjin Festival. “togyo” means “a Shinto ritual for the transfer of a sacred object from its place of enshrinement”.
It is the beginning of the Tenjin Festival that Sugawara no Michizane, the festival god, saw the peace of the land and lined up with ujiko (shrine parishner) to pray for further prosperity.

The votive fireworks start to rise around 19:30 on the 25th, and the festival finally approaches the climax. Approximately 5,000 launches. In addition to the Osaka Tenjin Festival original “Ume” fireworks spreading out in the shape of plums, there are also letter fireworks and various gimmicks. It seems that 1.3 million people visit every year because they can enjoy the fireworks and Funatogyo.
If you want to see Funatogyo and fireworks nearby, you can visit the Imperial Hotel Osaka and the OAP Tower & Plaza along the Ohkawa River. In particular, OAP Tower & Plaza is ideal for viewing fireworks because you can sit on the outdoor stairs facing the river if you are lucky. It is also recommended to watch from Miyakojima Bridge and Hisho Bridge, which are further upstream from Sakuranomiya Station of Japan Railway.
If you want to enjoy the fireworks slowly, paid seats are recommended. At the votive fireworks special seat, you can enjoy fireworks while sitting on the sandy beach set up on the shore of Ohkawa River or sitting at the table seat. Sakuranomiya Funatogyo seats and Tenmanbashi Funatogyo seats are popular because you can see both votive fireworks and Funatogyo up close.
Please refer to the Tenjin festival general information site for the ticket for the seat.
Votive fireworks end around 20:50 and Funatogyo ends around 21:00. From around 22:00, “Kanko-sai Festival”, the last event of the Tenjin Festival, will be held. Kanko-sai is a sinto ritual that returns the Spirit to the main hall. With this, the Tenjin Festival in Osaka, which lasted for about a month, ends.

One of the “Three Major Festivals of Japan

“Tenjin Matsuri Festival” is a festival of Osaka Temmangu Shrine, one of the festivals held in “Tenman-gu Shrine” (Ten-jinsha Shriine) throughout Japan, and from the middle term of the Edo era it is said to be one of the “Three Major Festivals of Japan”.
Osaka Tenmangu Shrine is a shrine located in Tenjinbashi, Kita Ward, Osaka City. It is traced back to 949 that Osaka Tenmangu Shrine was to be founded. In 949, in response to a story about seven pine trees growing overnight in front of the Taishogun sha, which was the northwestern point for peace and control of Naniwa-kyo, the Osaka-tenmangu Shrine (Tenman tenjin) was built under imperial command.

It is said that the origin of “Tenjin Matsuri Festival” began in the year 951 the following year when Osaka Tenmangu Shrine was founded. To decide where to rest for God that year, sacred Hoko was shed, and the divine spirit sailed from land and river is supposed to start.
Currently, the main festival is held on July 25 named after the birth of SUGAWARA no Michizane, the main god of Tenman-gu Shrine. “Riku-Togyo” which goes overland over 3000 people and “Fune-Togyo” which carries 100 river vessels by ship is carried out. (Togyo: transfer of a sacred object from its place of enshrinement) And “Gal-Mikoshi” going around Tenjinbashisuji Shopping Street, dedication fireworks festival is also held. It is an event full of highlights, from Shinto Ritual which makes you feel the history of over 1000 years to spectacular events.

One of the Japan’s three biggest festivals

Tenjin Festival is counted in one of the Japan’s three biggest festivals along with the Gion Festival of Kyoto, and the Kanda Festival of Tokyo. It has continued for more than 1000 years, the origin of this festival dates back to the year 951.
Under the influence of the political change of an end of Edo Period, the World War of 2 times, etc., the festival itself sometimes became a stop and reduction plentifully. Many difficulties were overcome, it was loved by many people, and 1000 years or more of history has been followed.

4000 or more dedication fireworks

Tenjin Festival is a festival of the maximum scale in Japan, and about 1,300,000 people visit every year. In order to celebrate going out of one-time “God Tenjin” for the evening of Tenjin Festival Honmiya (main festival) on July 25 every year, 4000 or more dedication fireworks are launched along the Okawa river where Funatogyo (ritual to place divine spirits on the boat to cross the river) is performed.

Gyaru Mikoshi

Moreover, the “Gyaru Mikoshi” (Mikoshi carried by women), which has been performed since 1981 aiming at promotion of the area, the upsurge of the Osaka culture, and bright pleasant town planning, is one of the highlight of the Tenjin Festival.

Held at July 24 and 25th every year

Tenjin Festival of Osaka is held for two days of July 24 and 25th every year, and 24th calls Yoimiya, 25th calls Honmiya, and the event is performed by each.

1,300,000 people crowd every year

Although the crowds of Tenjin Festival is 1,300,000 people every year, but the most of those visit Honmiya of 25th. Tenjin Festival dedication fireworks started at 19:00 in particular become the peak.

Information(Access, Price/Charge, Tel, Address, Official site, etc.)

Name:	Tenjin Matsuri Festival
Address:	Tenjinbashi 2-1-1 Kita-ku Osaka-shi, Osaka 530-0041 Japan
Access:	JR Tozai-sen Line “Osaka Tenmangu-eki”
Tel:	(+81) 6-6353-0025
Price/Charge:	Free
Official site:	http://www.tenjinsan.com/