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10.14 WED – 10.15 THU

Oshio Tenmangu Autumn Festival 2026

Oshio Tenmangu Shrine

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Dates & time
October 14, 2026 (Wed) - October 15, 2026 (Thu) Oct 14 (eve) about 13:00–21:00 / Oct 15 (main day) about 10:00–21:20. Lion dances: eve 19:00–21:00, main day 14:10–17:10. Hitotsumono rite Oct 15, 10:00–11:00
cost
Free to watch
Venue & access
Oshio Tenmangu Shrine About a 2–4 minute walk south of Sanyo Railway Oshio Station. No parking, so use public transport.
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Why You Should Visit

The autumn grand festival of Oshio Tenmangu Shrine in Himeji's Oshio district, held every October 14 and 15. One of the Banshu autumn festivals, it is famous for the Kejishi: eight shaggy lions covered head-to-body in hair, a dance designated an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Hyogo Prefecture. To flute and drum, the lions storm the grounds in a wild dance modeled on untamed beasts, while six brightly colored yatai floats from Himeji and Takasago are paraded and clashed. On the 15th, the main day, child-attendant Hitotsumono and masked Omenkake rites are also performed. Free to watch, steps from Sanyo Oshio Station.

Programs

Timetable & Map

Times from the 2026 schedule issued by the shrine's parishioner representatives (posted on the official site on Sept 23, 2026). Timing shifts with conditions on the day

NOTE

Kejishi lion dances
  • Eight districts: Higashi-no-cho, Miyamoto-cho, Naka-no-cho and Nishi-no-cho (Oshio), Kobayashi-cho (Bessho), and Ushitani-cho, Kitawaki-cho and Nishihama-cho (Kitahama, Takasago)
  • Two-person lions covered entirely in hair, danced in a wild style modeled on untamed lions. Two forms: the Dochu-mai procession from the torii to the hall, and the Ji-mai performed on the grounds
  • Said to date from the Kamakura–Muromachi/Sengoku eras; designated by Himeji City in 1988 and Hyogo Prefecture in 1989
Yatai floats
  • Six floats: Higashi-no-cho (blue), Miyamoto-cho (red), Naka-no-cho (white x navy), Nishi-no-cho (yellow), Kitawaki (white x red), Nishihama (green)
Rites on Oct 15, main day
  • Hitotsumono: a child serves as the deity's vessel and offers sake before the altar
  • Omenkake: a dance offered wearing an old man's mask
Road closures, 2026
  • Route 250: closed Oct 14 12:30–13:00 and 16:00–17:00; Oct 15 9:30–10:00 and 20:30–21:30
  • Streets around the shrine: closed Oct 14 from 12:30/13:00 to 21:00, Oct 15 from 9:30/10:00 to 22:30 (varies by section)
  • No parking; the shrine asks visitors to come by public transport. Street parking within the districts is also barred during the closures
Rain
  • Postponed if it rains on the day. The decision is made at 6:30 on the 14th and 6:00 on the 15th. No festival on the 17th
  • Rain on both days: held on the 15th and 16th. Rain only on the 14th: 15th and 16th. Rain only on the 15th: 14th and 16th
  • The procession dance may be cancelled in bad weather (it was rained out on the 2025 eve)
On the grounds
  • No smoking anywhere on the grounds. No stepladders or strollers in the float area; no drones
  • The steps in front of the worship hall are part of the approach, so reserving spots for photos or sitting there is not allowed. During the lion dances they are seats for the children playing flutes and carrying lanterns
  • Temporary toilets are in the park. The community hall is open only to police

* The once-every-11-years Kokuon-sai was held at this shrine on May 3–4, 2026; it is a separate festival from the autumn one

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出典: 大塩天満宮 公式サイト（祭典・催し）

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FAQ

Is there a fee to watch?
No. Watching the lion dances and float parades on the grounds is free. The routes get crowded, so follow the marshals' directions.
When can I see the Kejishi lion dances?
In 2026 the eve dances are scheduled for 19:00–21:00 on Oct 14 and the main-day dances for 14:10–17:10 on Oct 15 (per the parishioner representatives' schedule). Each district's ji-mai lasts 25 minutes, with the eight districts performing in turn.
What happens if it rains?
The rites go ahead in rain, but the procession dance from the torii to the hall may be cancelled in bad weather. On the 2025 eve it was rained out and only the dances on the grounds were performed.

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