Tenjin Festival lion dances celebrated in Hyogo island and Osaka

The Ieshima Tenjin Festival on Ieshima Island in Hyogo Prefecture featured traditional lion dances performed on two lavishly decorated boats, a ritual that has continued uninterrupted for about 200 years and is meant to pray for a good harvest and safe seas.

Separately, a delegation from Osaka’s Tenjin Festival – including the phoenix shrine carriage (Ōtōri‑miko) and a troupe of lion dancers – visited the headquarters of the Shikei Gakuen Group in Osaka, performing dances and offering prayers for business prosperity and health.

Both events highlight the enduring regional customs surrounding Japan’s Tenjin festivals, where lion dances serve as a symbolic appeal for safety, fertility, and success.