Bucharest National Theatre to host Japanese Tenjin Matsuri festival

One of the largest and most spectacular festivals in Japan, Tenjin Matsuri, will be presented at the "I.L. Caragiale" National Theatre in Bucharest on November 4 and 5, featuring performances, traditional parades, music, and ritual dances.

Tenjin Matsuri is taking place for the first time not only in Bucharest but also in Europe and is the result of close collaboration between the Government of Romania and the Government of Japan, as stated in the official press release cited by Agerpres.

The performances at the National Theatre in Bucharest will include a selection of events and activities that will offer visitors an authentic perspective on Japanese culture. Over three hours, the audience will have the chance to journey to Osaka through the Taiko drum performance, Danjiri dancers, and dragon dance. Special moments will include traditional parades with colorful costumes, authentic Japanese music, and ritual dances.

The shows will take place at the Sala Pictură of the National Theatre, starting at 10:00 AM. Admission is free, subject to seat availability. Invitations can be obtained on the official event website Matsuri.ro.

Tenjin Matsuri is a festival dedicated to Sugawara no Michizane, a famous scholar from the 10th century who, after his passing, became a tenjin, a celestial god. The Shinto shrine Tenmangu in Osaka is the one preserving the tradition of this patron deity of learning and scholars in Japan. Annually, in the middle of summer, Tenmangu Jinja or Tenmangu Temple organizes a grand festival in Osaka, one of the three major festivals in Japan, and it is considered one of the oldest festivals in the country, with a history of over 1,000 years.

November is the Japanese Cultural Month in Bucharest, marked every year by the Japanese Embassy. The festival is organized by the Nihon Matsuri Association in partnership with the Act.or.Art Foundation, with the support of the Bucharest City Hall through ARCUB, and the Romanian-Japanese Studies Center Angela Hondru at the Romanian-American University.

(Photo source: Cristina Ionescu | Dreamstime.com)