Published October 20, 2026 at 2:57 PM JST

Each July the city of Tsushima in Aichi lights up the Tenno River with lantern-crowned boats at night, then follows with decorated boats and a daring river leap the next morning.

Quick answer: The Owari Tsushima Tenno Festival is the summer festival of Tsushima Shrine in Tsushima, Aichi Prefecture, usually held on the fourth Saturday of July and the following Sunday. An evening festival sends five boats crowned with hundreds of paper lanterns along the Tenno River, and a morning festival follows with six decorated boats. It is often described as one of Japan's three great river festivals, and organizers set the exact days and times each year.

A Festival Held on the Water

Most float festivals in Japan are held on streets, but the Owari Tsushima Tenno Festival takes place on a river. In the city of Tsushima, just outside Nagoya in Aichi Prefecture, boats decorated with lanterns and ornaments glide along the Tenno River while crowds watch from the banks and from the surrounding park. Aichi Prefecture's tourism site describes it as one of the three major river festivals of Japan, and it is the largest event of the year at Tsushima Shrine.

The festival is held over two days. According to Aichi tourism information, it takes place on the fourth Saturday of July and the following day, which would be July 25 and 26 in 2026. Because the calendar shifts each year, it is wise to confirm the exact days with the Tsushima city tourism office or the festival organizers. The evening festival, called Yoimatsuri, starts around 6 pm, and the morning festival, called Asamatsuri, takes place the next morning. Tourism pages say the festival is held in light rain, which adds to the sense that it is a true summer tradition.

Many visitors wear summer kimono called yukata, and the riverside park fills with families, friends and photographers. It is a lively, joyful festival with a summer-evening feel.

History and Origins

Tsushima Shrine is the heart of the festival. Aichi tourism information says the shrine was founded in the sixth century, in 540 according to its traditional account, and that it is the head shrine of more than three thousand Tsushima shrines around Japan. It enshrines Susanoo, and it is described as the center of the Gozu Tenno faith, whose deity is associated with protection from epidemics.

The tourism page also notes that famous leaders supported the shrine over the centuries. Oda Nobunaga treated the shrine's deity as a guardian, and Toyotomi Hideyoshi donated its two-story gate, according to Aichi tourism information.

The festival itself has a history of nearly six hundred years, according to Aichi tourism information. Its boat pageant was designated an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Japan in 1980. It also belongs to the Yama, Hoko and Yatai float festivals recognized by UNESCO, where the boats take the place of wheeled floats.

The Boats and Their Lanterns

The festival uses two kinds of boats. In the evening there are five boats called makiwara boats. According to Aichi tourism information, these are decorated with lanterns, and a visitor guide describes them as wood-and-straw boats. They are crowned with a large dome of paper lanterns, which makes them look like floating pieces of light.

Local explanations tie the lantern numbers to the calendar. A prefectural guide to Aichi's festivals says the dome includes rounded lanterns meant to suggest the 365 days of the year, though the actual count is about four hundred because of the shape. Twelve lanterns at the top stand for the twelve months, and thirty red lanterns near where a child attendant sits stand for the days of a month. Other pages quote higher figures, such as more than five hundred lanterns, so think of the number as hundreds rather than an exact count.

In the morning there are six boats called danjiri boats. Aichi tourism information says that five Tsushima boats are joined by the Ichie boat from the neighboring city of Aisai, and that they are decorated with items associated with Noh theater. The five evening boats are redecorated overnight for the morning, so the same boats take on a new look.

What Happens During the Festival Days

The evening festival is the first highlight. At dusk, the lanterns are lit, and after dark the five boats leave their preparation area and move slowly along the river. Aichi tourism information gives example times such as lantern lighting around 6:30 pm and departure around 8:15 pm for 2026, though times can change. As they are rowed, players perform on flutes in a style associated with Tsushima, and the lights reflect on the water. A prefectural guide also mentions fireworks as part of the event.

A tourism page says that on this occasion the shrine's deity is carried out of the shrine in a mikoshi, a portable shrine, so that it can watch the festival. This detail underlines that the boats are offerings and entertainment for the deity as well as for the people.

The next morning, the six danjiri boats advance to music. The dramatic moment, according to Aichi tourism information, comes when ten men carrying poles with cloth banners leap one after another from the Ichie boat into the river, swim to shore and run to the shrine's altar to offer the poles. It is an energetic scene that contrasts with the quiet beauty of the night before.

Music, Rituals and Atmosphere

Music is central here. A prefectural festival guide describes flutes played as the boats are rowed in the evening. Because the boats move on water, the music seems to drift across the river, and the whole park becomes an outdoor stage.

Ritual is part of the program as well. The festival is an offering to the shrine's deity, and child attendants, the leaping men and the boat crews all have their own roles. The evening boats are redecorated overnight for the morning festival, which shows how much work goes on behind the scenes.

For visitors, the atmosphere is part reverent and part holiday. Some people arrive early to find a spot on the riverbank, while others book seating where available. Check the official information for any viewing seats and how they are arranged for the year, since such arrangements change.

How to Enjoy It as a Visitor

The main viewing area is Tenno River Park, and Tsushima Shrine is nearby. According to Aichi tourism information, the area is about a twenty-minute walk west of Tsushima Station on the Meitetsu Tsushima Line and Meitetsu Bisai Line, while another guide says about fifteen minutes. From Nagoya, a Meitetsu train with a change on the way is the usual route, and the tourism page lists the details. Organizers note that parking is limited, so public transport is recommended.

Arrive early for a good spot, especially for the evening festival. Wear light clothes for the summer heat, bring water and a small towel, and consider a light rain jacket since the festival goes ahead in light rain. Keep to marked paths, follow staff instructions, and be careful near the water, especially in the dark. Remember that the boats and their crews are performing a sacred tradition, so keep quiet during the ritual moments.

The festival is also broadcast online in some years by local media, so if you cannot attend in person, check the organizers' information for any live stream.

Area Highlights and the UNESCO Listing

Tsushima Shrine is worth a visit on its own. Aichi tourism information describes a main hall donated by Matsudaira Tadayoshi, a two-story gate donated by Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and a south gate donated by Toyotomi Hideyori. Visitors often combine the shrine visit with a stroll through the park and along the river.

The festival is one of the Yama, Hoko and Yatai float festivals recognized by UNESCO, and Aichi tourism pages highlight several of them across the prefecture. UNESCO describes the float festivals as prayers for peace and protection from disasters, carried out through collaboration between people of all ages and genders, with skills passed down in the community. In Tsushima, that tradition appears each summer as lantern-lit boats cross the river.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the Owari Tsushima Tenno Festival held?

It is usually held on the fourth Saturday of July and the following Sunday. In 2026 that meant July 25 and 26. Organizers set the exact schedule each year, so check the official Tsushima tourism information.

What happens at the evening and morning festivals?

In the evening, five lantern-crowned makiwara boats travel along the Tenno River to flute music. The next morning, six danjiri boats take part, and ten men carrying banner poles leap from the Ichie boat into the river.

How do visitors get to Tsushima?

Tsushima Station is on the Meitetsu Tsushima Line and Bisai Line, and the river park is a walk of about fifteen to twenty minutes from the station. Parking is limited, so trains and buses are recommended.

Further reading: the Aichi Now page for the Owari Tsushima Tenno Festival, the Aichi Now page for Tsushima Shrine, the Aichi guide to the float festivals of the prefecture and the UNESCO page for the float festivals.

Keep exploring: Kuwana Ishidori Festival: Japan's Thunderous Gong and Drum Floats; Sunari Festival in Kanie: 100 Days of Lanterns on the River; Toride Shrine Kujirabune: Yokkaichi's Land-Based Whale Hunt Floats; Kamezaki Shiohi Festival: Giant Floats Rolling Into the Tide.