Osakatenmangu

Nestled in Osaka's Temma district near Osaka Station, this shrine — affectionately called 'Temma-no-Tenjin-san' — was founded in 949 and enshrines Sugawara no Michizane, god of learning. Legend says he stopped here on his way into exile; after his death, Emperor Murakami heard of a mysterious glowing pine and had him enshrined. Every July 24-25, the millennium-old Tenjin Festival fills the streets with 3,000 costumed marchers, over 100 boats on the river, and 5,000 fireworks.