Tenjin Festival in Osaka | Tenjinbashi
Celebration
The Tenjin Matsuri is one of Osaka's most iconic water lantern festivals and one of Japan's three major festivals, held annually from July 24th to 25th. Tenjin means "God of the Sky," and Matsuri means "festival" in Japanese. Osaka, also known as the City of Water and the City of Light, hosts this festival with a history spanning over a thousand years. The festival began in 951 AD to commemorate the great scholar Sugawara no Michizane, who was revered as the god of learning.
Start your exciting festival journey at Tenmangu Shrine. For early risers, the Night Shrine Festival (evening pre-festival ceremony) begins as early as 7:45 AM on July 24th, featuring various rituals and prayers for the festival's success. The festival kicks off with taiko drumming, stretcher dances (carrying the portable shrine), and dragon dances. Don't miss the festival's special golden portable shrine on display at Tenmangu Shrine.
On July 25th, the day of the main festival, the three main events are the land occupation, the water occupation, and the nighttime fireworks display. The highlight is the fireworks show, which begins around 7:30 PM and attracts a large crowd. In Japan, a summer festival without fireworks is incomplete, and this unmissable event will feature 3,000 dazzling fireworks. The fireworks display undoubtedly provides a perfect ending to this grand festival.