Description
Held on 24-26 July, Tenjin Matsuri is one of the three main festivals held annually in Japan. Originating from a purification ceremony, the highlight of this centuries-old religious and cultural event is a two-kilometer procession from Tenmangu Shrine to Tenjin Bridge, followed by a fluvial procession comprising some 100 ornately decorated boats from the Dojima River to the Okawa River. Performances of sacred music, court dances, folk theater and other forms of traditional Japanese arts entertain the lively crowds from a boat stage gaily festooned with lanterns.