Minatogawa Shrine Summer Festival: Kento-sai & Kikusui Tenjin-sai 2026

About this event

The summer festival of Minatogawa Shrine, affectionately known as 'Nanko-san'. Over the 5 days combining the Kento-sai (Lantern Dedication Festival) and the Kikusui Tenjin-sai, lines of dedicated lanterns illuminate the shrine grounds, and food stalls as well as traditional Japanese monkey performance (sarumawashi) create a bustling atmosphere every night. Family-friendly events continue day after day, including yukata dancing before the shrine, kids' dedication stage shows, children's mikoshi processions, and sweetfish catching. Located in an urban shrine within walking distance from Sannomiya and Kobe Stations, you can savor a refreshing summer night festival mood. During the religious rituals (shinto rituals), the 'Kento-sai' is held to honor the virtue and console the spirit of the enshrined deity Lord Kusunoki Masashige, along with the 'Kikusui Tenjin-sai', the annual festival of Tenman Shrine located within the grounds. Children's performances will be presented on the dedication stage, and anyone can participate in the dance before the shrine. You can enjoy a summer moment dancing to the traditional 'Tenjin Odori' and 'Tanko Bushi'. In the children's mikoshi procession, Sarutahiko children lead the mikoshi while purifying the procession route. At the drawing festival lantern event, you can dedicate one-of-a-kind lanterns by coloring, drawing pictures, or writing wishes dedicated to 'Nanko-san' and 'Tenjin-san'. A cooling tea ceremony and a cooling beer garden are also held, making beer tasted on the shrine grounds amidst the festival excitement truly exceptional. The traditional Japanese monkey performance is next-generation entertainment combining 1,000 years of 'tradition' with 'contemporary art', offering a performance full of laughter and emotion. Many gourmet food stalls will also be open, and you can enjoy fair games such as yo-yo balloon fishing and bouncy ball scooping.

Venue

Minatogawa Shrine

3-1-1 Tamondori, Chuo-ku, Kobe, Hyogo 650-0015