Tenjin Matsuri 2026: Dates, Boat Procession & Fireworks Guide
Tenjin Matsuri 2026 runs July 24–25 at Osaka Tenmangu, one of Japan's three great festivals. On July 25 the land procession leaves around 15:30, the boat procession starts around 18:00 on the Okawa River, and about 3,000 fireworks light the sky from roughly 19:30. Watching from the riverbanks is free.
When · Where
- When
- 2026/07/24 07:45 – 2026/07/25
- Where
- Osaka Tenmangu Shrine (procession & fireworks along the Okawa River, Osaka)
- City
- Osaka
- Getting there
- Osaka Tenmangu: Osaka Metro Tanimachi/Sakaisuji Line Minami-morimachi Station (~4 min) or JR Tozai Line Osakatenmangu Station (~4 min). Fireworks/riverbank: JR Osaka Loop Line Sakuranomiya Station, ~2 min from Sakuranomiya Park.
- Price
- Free
Good to know for visitors
- Getting there
- Osaka Tenmangu: Osaka Metro Tanimachi/Sakaisuji Line Minami-morimachi Station (~4 min) or JR Tozai Line Osakatenmangu Station (~4 min). Fireworks/riverbank: JR Osaka Loop Line Sakuranomiya Station, ~2 min from Sakuranomiya Park. 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.
Highlights
- Land procession (陸渡御): roughly 3,000 people (official partner Keihan states over 2,500) in Heian-era costume with drums and portable shrines depart Osaka Tenmangu around 15:30 on July 25
- Boat procession (船渡御): ~100 boats carrying mikoshi and drummers move along the Okawa River from around 18:00 on July 25
- Dedication fireworks (奉納花火): ~3,000 shells launched roughly 19:30–20:50 from the Kawasaki / Sakuranomiya Park area, viewed together with the boats
Background & story
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.
Good to know
Watching from public streets and the Okawa riverbanks is free; arrive early on July 25 for riverside spots near Sakuranomiya and Kawasaki Park, which fill before the 18:00 boat procession and evening fireworks. Paid reserved seats and boat-boarding experiences require advance reservation and are already on sale for 2026 through the shrine's official ticketing partner; popular seats sell out early, so book ahead.