Tenjin Matsuri

Tenjin Matsuri. In Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture.

Tenjin Matsuri is a festival held throughout Japan on the 24 and 25 July every year at Tenmangū shrines. The festival commemorates the death anniversary of the deity Sugawara no Michizane, of these festivals, the one held in Osaka at Osaka Tenmangu Shrine is the largest. The celebrations climax with a 100 river-boat procession and fireworks show. The reflection of fireworks and lanterns on the Okawa River give it its alternative name of the Festival of Fire and Water.

Along with the Kishiwada Danjiri, Tenjin Matsuri is one of the key Shintō festivals of Osaka, and among the most famous in Japan.

History

The legendary history of the event states that it began in the year 951 AD, two years after the establishment of Osaka's Tenmangu Shrine.

In 2017 it was reported that the yakuza were being excluded from participating in the boat parade and sponsoring fireworks displays, this comes as part of an increasing government campaign to clamp down or organised crime. During the COVID-19 Pandemic, the festival was put on hold, with the first full festival taking place in July 2023.

The Festival

Early in the morning on the 24th July, a prodigious student is selected to go to the shrine by the Okawa River; they are given a sacred spear (神鉾, kamihoko) and must float it on the river. To where the spear floats to the divine spirit will be carried to. This is referred to as the Hokonare Ritual (鉾流神事, hokonare shinji).

On the 25th July much of the day's festivities take place around At around 6pm on the 25th the boat parade begins, each boat is donated to and/or manned by a citizen's interest group or social club. This practice is called the Funatogyo (船渡御).

At around 7.30pm the fireworks display starts and usually lasts about 90 minutes.

Traditional food associated with the festival includes chilled somen noodles and pike conger.