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Osaka Tenmangu is dedicated to the 10th c. courtier and poet Sugawara Michizane, who was deified as the patron of scholarship and literature. There are thousands of Tenjin Shrines all over Japan, but Osaka Tenmangu is one of the most famous, together with the Kitano Tenmangu Shrine in Kyoto and the Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine in Kyushu.

The shrine is also famous for the Tenjin-matsuri, Osaka’s biggest festival held every year on July 24 and 25. Near the shrine is also the Tenjinbashi-suji shopping arcade, with its 2.6 kilometres length probably the largest in Japan.

[Photo © Ad Blankestijn]

Sugawara Michizane is known for his love of the ume, the plum (or rather, apricot) tree, which also figures in his poetry. So Tenjin shrines usually feature a forest of ume trees or at least a few single trees and at the shrine’s festivals often ume tea is served.

Osaka Tenmangu stands right in the city center, so there is no space for a forest, but the single trees in the compound were in full booom last week. In addition, the shrine was organizing its annual exhibition of bonsai ume trees (lasting until this weekend).

[Photo © Ad Blankestijn]

In front of the main hall, I saw two venerable old ume bonsai, which must be hundreds of years old.

Address: 2-1-8 Tenjimbashi, Kita-ku, Osaka

Tel: 06-6353-0025

Access: 5-min. walk from Minamimorimachi St. on the Tanimachi or Sakaisuji Line