Tenjin Matsuri
Osaka's thousand-year river festival ends with a flotilla of lantern-lit boats and fireworks reflected on the Okawa River.
When · Where
- When
- 2026/07/25 15:00 – 2026/07/25
- Where
- Osaka Tenmangu Shrine & Okawa River（2-1-8 Tenjinbashi, Kita Ward, Osaka）
- City
- Osaka
- Getting there
- Near Osaka-Temmangu Stn
- Price
- Free
Good to know for visitors
- Getting there
- Near Osaka-Temmangu Stn Open directions in Google Maps ↗
- Booking & entry
- Free to attend — details on the official page (button above).
- Language
- Mostly in Japanese — a translation app on your phone helps.
- Good for
- culture seekers, groups of friends, date night
Highlights
- Funa-togyo boat procession on the Okawa River
- About 3,000 fireworks over the water
- Land procession with drummers in traditional dress
Background & story
Held since 951 to honor Sugawara no Michizane, the deity of scholarship, Tenjin Matsuri is one of Japan's three great festivals.
Good to know
The boat procession and fireworks both happen on the evening of July 25 — find a spot along the Okawa by early evening.
Frequently asked questions
- When is Tenjin Matsuri 2026, and where is it held?
- Tenjin Matsuri 2026 runs over two days — the eve festival (宵宮) on Friday, July 24 and the main festival (本宮) on Saturday, July 25, 2026 — centered on Osaka Tenmangu Shrine. The signature events most visitors come for, the land procession, the boat procession and the dedication fireworks, all take place on July 25.
- Is Tenjin Matsuri free to watch?
- Yes. Watching the festival, the land procession and the fireworks from public streets and the Okawa riverbanks is free. Paid options such as special reserved viewing seats and boat-boarding plans exist separately and require advance reservation — the official 2026 reserved seats are already on sale through the shrine's ticketing partner, and popular seats sell out early, so book ahead.
- What time are the processions and fireworks on July 25?
- On July 25 the land procession (陸渡御) of roughly 3,000 people in Heian-era costume, with drums and portable shrines, leaves Osaka Tenmangu around 15:30 for the river boarding point near Tenjinbashi. The boat procession (船渡御) of about 100 boats follows on the Okawa River from around 18:00, and the dedication fireworks (about 3,000 shells) are launched roughly 19:30–20:50.
- Where are the best spots to watch the boats and fireworks?
- The most popular free viewing areas are along the Okawa River, especially Sakuranomiya Park and the Kawasaki Park riverbanks near the fireworks launch site, where the boat flotilla and the fireworks appear together. Arrive early on July 25, as these riverside spots fill up well before the 18:00 boat procession and the evening fireworks.
- How do I get to Tenjin Matsuri by train?
- For Osaka Tenmangu Shrine, use Osaka Metro Tanimachi/Sakaisuji Line Minami-morimachi Station (about 4 minutes) or JR Tozai Line Osakatenmangu Station (about 4 minutes). For the fireworks and riverbank viewing, JR Osaka Loop Line Sakuranomiya Station is about 2 minutes from Sakuranomiya Park.
- What is Tenjin Matsuri and what does it celebrate?
- Tenjin Matsuri began in 951 CE (Tenryaku 5) and honors Sugawara no Michizane, the Heian-era scholar deified as Tenjin, the god of learning. It is counted as one of Japan's three great festivals alongside Kyoto's Gion Matsuri and Tokyo's Kanda Matsuri. Its most famous feature is the boat procession on the Okawa River, watched together with the dedication fireworks.