Yanai Tenjin Spring Festival

This is an annual festival dedicated to the deified scholar Sugawara no Michizane. The main festival is held on the Sunday that precedes April 25, the anniversary of Michizane’s death, and the pre-festival eve is celebrated the night before.
This festival has been held continuously since 1873, excluding a few temporary pauses during war or natural disasters. While many events take place on the main day, such as a ceremonial Kendo tournament, the major highlight is Daimyo Gyoretsu (feudal lord’s procession) that parades through the city, modeled on Sankin-Kotai (feudal lord’s journey to and from the capital) of the Edo period. The atmosphere in the Shirakabe historic district feels like slipping back to the days of Edo. The procession takes place from Yanai Tenmangu Shrine to Shirakabe-dori street and the JR Yanai Station area.
The 500m-long parade of 200 people marching in time to the beat of iron rods feels like a historical painted scroll brought to life.