Neighbourhood guide

Tenma

A shrine, a rakugo hall and Japan's longest shopping arcade

Tenma is the district around Osaka Tenmangu, the shrine to Sugawara no Michizane. The Tenjinbashisuji arcade runs about 2.6 km north from Tenjinbashi. Kema Sakuranomiya Park, along the river, has about 4,500 cherry trees.

Osaka Tenmangu anchors the Tenjin Matsuri on 24 and 25 July, with about 100 boats and 5,000 fireworks on the river. Next to it, Tenma Tenjin Hanjotei is a Kamigata rakugo hall with a daytime show at 13:30. Rakugo is in Japanese, so it's best for people who can follow the language.

Tenjinbashisuji Shopping Street is billed as Japan's longest covered shopping street, with roughly 800 shops, including a tea shop founded in 1868, tofu makers and old diners. Walking the whole length takes about 40 minutes. Shops set their own hours and closing days.

Getting there

Osaka-Tenmangu Station on the JR Tozai Line is the closest to the shrine. Minami-morimachi on the Tanimachi and Sakaisuji lines is another way in, and Tenma is on the JR Loop Line. Ogimachi Station on the Sakaisuji Line opens straight onto the arcade.

15 places

Osaka-Tenmangu (JR Tozai Line), Minami-morimachi (Tanimachi Line, Sakaisuji Line) · Minami-morimachi (Sakaisuji Line), Tenma (JR Loop Line) stations

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See Tenma on the interactive map

Parks and a mint

Ogimachi Park is next to Kids Plaza Osaka and has a mountain slide, a climbing wall and an indoor pool. The Japan Mint Osaka opens its grounds for a week each spring for the Cherry Blossom Passage, around mid-April. Mint tours are free and can be booked up to two months ahead.

Tenma is more of a half-day area than a full one. For somewhere to sleep, look at Umeda, since Ogimachi Park is about 15 minutes' walk from there.

Nearby neighbourhoods

Umeda Osaka's station district, with a shrine and a covered street between the towers 19 places · 1.5 km away

Nakanoshima and Kitahama Brick halls, stone libraries and bridges across the river in the middle of town 12 places · 1.5 km away

Osaka Castle A 105.6-hectare park, a rebuilt keep and a boat on the moat 12 places · 2.2 km away

Shinsaibashi A 600 m arcade, department stores and basement food streets 11 places · 3.3 km away

The best of Tenma

Best shrine Osaka Tenmangu Free to enter. Opening hours aren't published. The arcade leads to it from Minami-morimachi exit 4 or Osaka-Tenmangu exit 7.

Best walk Tenjinbashisuji Shopping Street About 2.6 km under cover, so it works in rain too.

Best for kids Kids Plaza Osaka Adults ¥1,500, children 6 to 15 ¥800. Closed the second and third Monday of each month.

Best for cherry blossom Kema Sakuranomiya Park Always open and free, with about 4,500 cherry trees. Sakuranomiya on the JR Loop Line is closest.

Things to do in Tenma

Shrine · Free Osaka Tenmangu The shrine to Sugawara no Michizane, god of learning, known locally as Tenma no Tenjin-san. It anchors the Tenjin Matsuri on 24 and 25 July, with about 100 boats and 5,000 fireworks on the river.

Shopping · Free Tenjinbashisuji Shopping Street A covered shopping street of about 2.6 km running north from Tenjinbashi, billed as Japan's longest. It has roughly 800 shops, including a tea shop founded in 1868, tofu makers and old diners.

Landmark · ¥¥¥ Tenma Tenjin Hanjotei A Kamigata rakugo hall beside Osaka Tenmangu, with a daytime show starting at 13:30.

Museum · ¥¥ Kids Plaza Osaka A children's museum right outside Ogimachi Station, with a fifth-floor kids' plaza and play spaces on several floors.

Park · Free Ogimachi Park A large park beside Ogimachi Station with a mountain slide, a climbing wall, a lawn, fountains and an indoor pool open all year.

Park · Free Kema Sakuranomiya Park A riverside park from Kema Weir to Tenmabashi, with a promenade, a water plaza and about 4,500 cherry trees. The Japan Mint stands along it.

Museum · Free Japan Mint Osaka (Cherry Blossom Passage) The Osaka branch of the Japan Mint, whose grounds open to the public for a week each spring for the Cherry Blossom Passage. The Mint's cherry trees include 338 trees of 134 cultivars as of 2019.

Landmark · Free Senpukan A Western-style building put up in 1871 as a reception house for the Mint, described by the city as Japan's first full-scale Western-style building. It stands on the north side of the Japan Mint grounds, close to the riverside cherry trees.

Shopping Doi Kitchenware Shop A kitchenware shop on the Tenjinbashisuji shopping street that stocks knives from the Sakai maker Sakai Takayuki, plus frying pans and yukihira pots from makers in Kyoto and Niigata. It also sells ceramics, Japanese household goods and gifts.

Cafe Cream Kitchen A cake shop and cafe on Tenjinbashisuji known for its Tenjin Roll, with fruit rolls, egg tarts and baked goods on the menu. The cafe side serves pancake sets and a pancake buffet.

Shopping Tenma Tenjin MAIDO-ya A select shop of Osaka-made goods opened in April 2014, selling Tenma kiriko glass, Osaka pewterware, tenugui, paper tiger toys and local foods and drinks such as Minoh beer and Kawachi wine. It also stocks souvenirs and rakugo goods for the nearby Hanjotei theatre.

Shopping Shiori Shobo A neighbourhood second-hand bookshop on Tenjinbashisuji that handles picture books, magazines, subculture titles and photo books, along with older rare books.

Sento Koubai Onsen A bathhouse with a traditional attendant counter just off the Tenjinbashisuji shopping street. It has a dry sauna, a cold bath, an electric bath and a herbal bath.

Sento Tenroku Onsen A bathhouse with handrails fitted in the washing area and the baths. It has a dry sauna, an open-air bath, a cold bath and a jet bath, and it runs a coin laundry.

Nightlife Bamboo Club A small jazz live cafe in Tenma with a Yamaha grand piano and seats close to the stage. It hosts live sets, jam sessions, private hire and music lessons.

What's on in Tenma

Local events in the next 30 days, read from the ward, park and organiser pages each one links to.

Mother-of-Pearl Motif Sticker Decoration Experience Exhibition
Sat 24 Oct · Korean Cultural Centre Osaka, Mirine Gallery
A free sticker decoration experience for visitors to the Raden mother-of-pearl design exhibition in the Mirine Gallery.
Free · Map · Source: Korean Cultural Center in Osaka · 1492
Ogimachi Park Autumn Thanks Day Market
24 to 25 Oct · Ogimachi Park
A park-wide autumn event with a market of seasonal food and nature at Ogimachi Park.
Map · Source: Ogimachi Park · 扇町公園秋のサンクスデイ
Osaka Green Market Harvest Market
24 to 25 Oct · Ogimachi Park
A two day market of fresh vegetables and plants in Ogimachi Park.
Map · Source: Ogimachi Park · Osaka Green Market ～Harvest～
Aki Taisai and Yabusame Shinji at Osaka Tenmangu Festival
Sun 25 Oct (dates to be confirmed) · Osaka Tenmangu
The shrine's calendar lists the autumn grand festival on 25 October and marks the yabusame (horseback archery) rite as open to the public. The time is not printed.
Map · Source: Osaka Tenmangu · 大阪天満宮秋大祭・流鏑馬神事
Monthly Rite on the 25th at Osaka Tenmangu Festival
25th of every month. Next: Sun 25 Oct · Osaka Tenmangu
On the 25th of every month the shrine holds the Kenyu Shinji and monthly rite (tsukinami-sai), as listed on the shrine's year calendar.
Map · Source: Osaka Tenmangu · 大阪天満宮献湯神事・月次祭
Food Fest Food
29 Oct to 1 Nov · Ogimachi Park
A four day food festival held across Ogimachi Park.
Map · Source: Ogimachi Park · 食フェス
24th Korea-Japan Art Exchange Exhibition Exhibition
Fri 6 Nov · Korean Cultural Centre Osaka, Mirine Gallery
An exhibition of oil paintings, prints and sculpture by about 70 Korean and Japanese artists in the Mirine Gallery.
Free · 10:00 to 18:00 · Map · Source: Korean Cultural Center in Osaka · 1491
Speak Korean! Osaka Speech Contest Performance
Sat 7 Nov · Korean Cultural Centre Osaka, Nuri Hall
A Korean-language speech and skit contest for junior high and senior high students and adults, open to watch without registration.
from 13:00 · Map · Source: Korean Cultural Center in Osaka · 1488

More local events around Osaka

Live music in Tenma

para-dice 49 upcoming gigs
The Phoenix Hall 36 upcoming gigs
Flat Flamingo 21 upcoming gigs
LIVE HOUSE Rumio 17 upcoming gigs

What's on in Tenma this week

Stay in Tenma

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