NaniwanoOyashiro (Namba Grand Shrine), Ikukutama Shrine and Ikutama Festival
Ikutama, Tenma and Sumiyoshi are the three leading summer festivals in Osaka. Over a course of time that began during the Meiji era and ended at the beginning of Showa (before the war), the migration to Osaka Castle in the old sanctuary involved a huge procession of 2,000 people crossing over the central part of the city. Many sacred treasures used in the festivals were destroyed in the Osaka Air Raids, but these were finally restored 70 years later in 2014. The festival is beloved by residents of the Osaka region, and it draws over 200,000 visitors to the shrine precincts alone.
* The festival reaches its climax when procession is staged inside the grounds of the shrine at 19:00 on each day, especially with dynamic performance of Makura-Daiko.
* At Honmiya Festival on the 12th, visitors can enjoy the procession to Osaka Castle as
| Date | July 11 (Thu) and 12 (Fri) , 2018 |
|---|---|
| Description | 11th/ Yoimiya starts from 9:30. Drummers, portable shrines and lion dancers dedicated by Hideyoshi Toyotomi will parade through Uemachi Daichi including Hachikenya-hama and Teramachi before entering the shrine in the early evening. 12th/ At Honmiya, procession to Osaka Castle, the shrine's old site, will be staged from 9:30. 500 men and horses following behind a movable taiko drum float that seats 6 people depart at 10A.M., arriving at the Ikutama-Jinja Shrine enshrinement ruins within Osaka Castle at noon, passing through Honmachibashi in Chuo Ward and the Otabisho resting place before returning back to the main shrine at 5P.M. |
| Access | Ikukunitama Shrine, 13-9, Ikutama-cho, Tennoji-ku, Osaka (7 minutes walk from Exit 8 of "Nipponbashi" subway station in Sakaisuji line, 4 minutes walk from Exit 3 of "Tanimachi 9 chome" subway station and "Tanimachi 9 chome" subway station in Tanimachi/Sennichimae line) |
