ABOUT
About this spot
Osaka Tenmangu is a shrine in Kita Ward, Osaka, dedicated to Sugawara no Michizane, the deity of learning. Locals call it "Tenma no Tenjin-san." It sits right beside the Tenjinbashisuji shopping street. Tradition says it began in 650 as the Daishogun-sha, a guardian shrine for the Naniwa Palace, and in 949 Emperor Murakami ordered a Tenmangu to be built here after a legend of a miraculous pine tree. The grounds burned in 1724 and 1837, and the present buildings were rebuilt in 1843. The shrine is best known for the Tenjin Festival on July 24 and 25, counted among Japan's three great festivals, with a land procession, a night boat procession on the Okawa River and fireworks. The precincts also have many small shrines, a plum grove and the Hoshiai Pond. The nearest stations are Minamimorimachi and Osaka-Tenmangu, about 50 m from the shopping street turn-off. Nearby you can visit Osaka Castle or the Hanjotei rakugo theater.
Last updated October 25, 2026