Osaka Tenmangu Shrine, Osaka

The Osaka Tenmangu Shrine is the most famous of the Tenjin or Tenmangu Shrines that are found all over Japan. It hosts the Tenjin Matsuri which is regarded as the most spectacular festival in the city.

The Osaka Tenmangu Shrine was built in 949 by the Emperor Murakami. The main shrine is dedicated to the noted scholar and warrior Sugawara no Michizane. The purpose of building the shrine was to comfort Michizane’s spirits. He is the principal deity and is worshipped as the God of scholarship and fine arts. Other important deities like Surata no Mikoto are also enshrined here. The original shrine was destroyed by fires and many subsequent structures were also burned. The present hall and gate were constructed in 1845.

The Osaka Tenmangu Shrine plays host in July annually to the popular festival in Japan, the Tenjin Matsuri. It is famous for a boating event with 14 dolls that were made around 1690. They have been preserved and declared as Important Ethnological Artifacts of Osaka Prefecture. During the festival traditional Japanese performing arts displays like Kagura Music performances and the staging of Bunkaru Puppet plays take place in different parts of Osaka. A parade consisting of about 3000 people dressed in traditional court costumes marches carrying portable shrines to the Tenmabashi Bridge and sails upstream in 100 boats amidst spectacular firework displays.