You can feel the coming of summer on your
skin these days. It’s about time you made plans for the summer.
So, this Osaka Fan Club introduces you, earlier than others, to summer
festivals recommended for the coming season and Osaka sightseeing.
The “Aizen Festival”, “Sumiyoshi Festival” and “Tenjin Matsuri
Festival” are known as the “Three Major Naniwa Summer Festivals”, and
are traditional summer attractions in Osaka.
Of the three, only the Aizen Festival is held at a temple. You may
wonder why festivals are usually held at shrines. When Buddhism and
Shinto were separated in the Meiji era, separating temples from shrines,
only Aizen-do (Shoman-in) retained its position of a “Temple built by
Shotokutaishi for Japan”, and it subsequently inherited the festival.
Shoman-in Aizen-do (Aizen-san)
A two-minute walk from the Shitennoji Yuhigaoka Station of the subway
Tanimachi Line, this temple was built by Shotokutaishi in the first year
of the Emperor Suiko Era (593) as Seyakuin (public clinic for the
poor), one of four temples built at the same time. Seyakuin was built
based on the Buddhist belief; it was a welfare facility that grew and
cultivated medicinal plants, and used them to cure the poor. Later,
Shotokutaishi preached the Shoman scripture and enshrined the statue of
Queen Srimala (Queen Shoman) and from this point onward, the temple
became known as Shoman-in Aizen-do.
The temple is also known as Aizen-do, since Aizen-Myoo, the god of good
matchmaking and happy marriages, is enshrined in Kondo.
Aizen
Festival
Known as the oldest summer festival in Japan, it was started by
Shotokutaishi. Generally speaking, summer festivals were originally
started from “purification to pass summer” for a sickness-free summer.
Aizen Festival still maintains these practices. About 30 priests get
together for a big me
morial service led by the chief priests of
Shitennoji at Taho Pagoda, designated as an important cultural property,
on June 30.
Lots of visitors come for solemn prayers to ward off evil influences
and bring in good luck.
Since Aizen-Myoo, the god of good matchmaking and happy marriages, is
enshrined here, and aizen means indigo dye in Japanese, many people
engaged in the dyeing and apparel industry and also women come here to
worship.
The festival starts with the Hoe palanquin parade, recreating the
scene of geisha girls in new kimono from Shinchi and Shinmachi in Kita
coming for worship in Hoe palanquins in early 18th century. Actual
geisha girls participated in the parade until around ten years ago, but
recently they have been supplanted by Aizen Girls in yukata (summer
cotton kimono) selected by public contest to brighten up the festivals.
Osaka
Tenmangu Shrine
Sugawara-no-Michizane, a famous 10th century scholar and warrior, is
enshrined here as the principal deity, and worshiped by many people as a
god of scholarship and fine arts. The original shrine hall was
constructed in 949 A.D. on Emperor Murakami’s command to comfort the
troubled spirits of Michizane. It was destroyed by fire several times,
and the current main hall and the entrance gate were built in 1845.
Tenjin
Matsuri Festival
This festival is the greatest in Osaka boasting of a history of a
thousand years. On the morning of the 24th, it starts with the
Hokonagashi Ritual (Throwing the sacred sword) by Hokonagashi Bridge.
Shishi-Mai (Lion Dance) and Mikoshi (Portable shrine) go around the
territory of the shrine. In the Hommiya (Main day) on the 25th, the
Rikutogyo (Land Procession) starts from the shrine at about 16:00, and
finishes in the shrine again through the Funatogyo (Boat Procession).
The festival reaches a climax during that passage. A large number of
torch-lit boats cruising the river and the fireworks are splendidly
displayed.
Sumiyoshi-taisha
Shrine
Sumiyoshitaisha (Sumiyoshi Grand Shrine) is the headquarters of some
2000 Sumiyoshi shrines throughout Japan. It enshrines three gods that
have long been worshiped for protecting the nation, for protecting sea
voyages and for promoting waka (31-syllable) poetry. The main shrine is
designed in the oldest style of shrine construction and is registered as
a National Treasure.
Sumiyoshi
Festival
Sumiyoshi Festival is the last of all the summer festivals held in
Osaka. Nagoshi-harai-shinji ritual is held on the 31st. In this ritual,
nagoshime women and children in costumes of the Muromachi period
(14-16th century) go through a large ring made of thatch. Visitors can
also participate in this ritual to wish for good health. On Aug. 1, a
highlight of this festival, togyo (parade of mikoshi portable shrine)
proceeds to Shukuin Tongu shrine in Sakai City, attracting many people
along the way.