2018 Tenjin Festival at Fukashi Shrine
Held every year on the 24th and 25th, the final day of the Tenjin Festival is today. Despite the heat, festivities are being held as usual, with giant floats (butai) brought out from their respective storage locations throughout the neighboring areas. 18 giant floats are dragged by hand to Fukashi Shrine, where they are lined up on display for the duration of the festival. The festival is held to honor Tenjin, a deity of scholarship and one of two deities enshrined here.
Some of the floats are around 100 years old, with intricate wooden carvings and decorations.
Some of the floats have life-size dolls aboard while others have actual people on them, playing traditional music.
Directly in front of the main shrine building, dancers performed on-and-off throughout the evening.
This festival has over 300 years of history, so it’s definitely worth checking out. Of course there are plenty of food stalls and other vendors to stop by as well.
People lined up to offer respects and pray at the shrine.
The festival wraps up this evening, so there is still time to stop by. Fukashi Shrine is within walking distance from the station.