All About Japan

Private Shinto Ritual Streamed to Viewers

Festivals Osaka Kansai

Osaka Temmangu Shrine has live streamed a special ritual for the very first time. The Hommiya-sai is a sacred ceremony of the annual Tenjin Festival and has never been shown to the public in its nearly 1,000-year history.

A usually private Shinto ritual streamed online

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJ6-NfGFQJ0

During the ritual, Shinto priests and shrine maidens prayed for the end of the novel coronavirus pandemic.

The Tenjin Festival is considered one of Japan’s top three festivals. But this year, many of the festivities including boats lighting up a river and fireworks were canceled due to the epidemic.

Officials decided to stream the usually private Hommiya-sai ceremony, as other parts of the festival could not be held as planned.