Tenjin Matsuri is one of the top 3 festivals in Japan (see also Gion Festival). This annual festival dates back over the last 1,000 years, it incorporates traditional singing and dancing, and it is considered to be the world's greatest boat festival. This summer festival that happens all over the city of Osaka on July 24th and 25th starts at the Tenman Shrine. This shrine is dedicated to the kami Sugawara-no-Michizane, a man who lived during the mid-9th century to early 10th century and is now considered a kami of art and learning.
Tenjin Matsuri is a large festival that spans two days with seemingly simultaneous events going on. Of all these events our group was there for three distinct main events of the festival. The first of these festival events was the procession or parade of some 3,000 people dressed in 8th-12th century period clothing. The parade also consisted of portable shrines, puppets displays, drums, singers and musicians. The second and third events are closely tied together. After the procession has concluded, the adults participating in the parade boarded boats at Tenmabashi (bridge) [bashi means bridge]; boats that will take them up and down the river. When it reaches night time the boats light up with fires and lights and began the journey upstream, and as this begins the third event of the evening starts as well. Above the river, with many boats traveling upstream, the Tenjin Matsuri Hono Hanabi begins. Overhead 5,000 fireworks light up the night sky and produce a forever-long fireworks display. The fireworks are brilliant and are not to be missed. The festival is concluded when all the fireworks are lit off and the boats have returned to Tenmabashi Bridge and the people of Tenjin Festival go for a final ritual at Tenman Shrine. For our group the festival ended after the fireworks. |
Tenjin Matsuri Procession |