Tenjin Matsuri

About the festival

Tenjin Matsuri is held every July in Osaka and is considered one of Japan's three great festivals, along with Gion Matsuri in Kyoto and Kanda Matsuri in Tokyo. It honours Sugawara no Michizane, a Heian-era scholar enshrined at Osaka Tenmangu Shrine, and combines a land procession with a river procession on the Okawa River.

On the festival's main day, mikoshi and performers process through the streets before boarding boats for the Funatogyo river procession, during which around a hundred boats move along the Okawa. The evening concludes with a fireworks display launched from the riverbank, timed to coincide with the boats passing.

Riverside viewing spots for the fireworks and boat procession are in high demand, and many visitors arrive several hours early to secure a place along the banks. Paid viewing areas and boat tickets are available for those who want a more comfortable, guaranteed view.

The 2027 festival is expected to run from 24 to 25 July, following the festival's confirmed 2026 dates.