Matsuri Guide

Name in Japanese and English

• 鶴岡天神祭（化けものまつり）
• Tsuruoka Tenjin Matsuri, the Bakemono Matsuri (festival of the “disguised”) of Tsuruoka

History

The Tsuruoka Tenjin Matsuri（天神祭, tenjin-sai）is the ritual festival（例祭, reisai）of the Tsuruoka Tenmangū Shrine（鶴岡天満宮, Tsuruoka Tenmangū）, dedicated to Sugawara no Michizane（菅原道真, Sugawara no Michizane）, revered as Tenjin（天神, tenjin）, the protective deity of studies. In Tsuruoka, the festival is mainly known by its nickname: Bakemono Matsuri（化けものまつり, bakemono matsuri）, literally “festival of the disguised/monsters”.

Local tradition tells that, during Michizane’s exile to Dazaifu（太宰府, Dazaifu）, his supporters concealed their identities to pay tribute to him without exposing themselves to the ruling power: hence the idea of “disguising” and remaining discreet. Municipal sources also mention a clear evolution: in the Edo period（江戸時代, Edo jidai）, the practice was more solemn, before being enriched with improvised dances, children’s processions, and tengu dances（天狗舞, tengu mai）to become the major popular event it is today, with parades and massive participation in the city center.

Location and Date of the Event

• Location: downtown Tsuruoka（鶴岡市, Tsuruoka-shi）around the Tsuruoka Tenmangū Shrine（鶴岡天満宮, Tsuruoka Tenmangū）and the surroundings of Tsuruoka Kōen（鶴岡公園, Tsuruoka Kōen）.
• Address: 山形県鶴岡市神明町3-40（Yamagata-ken, Tsuruoka-shi, Shinmei-chō 3-40）.
• Access: from JR Tsuruoka Station（鶴岡駅, Tsuruoka-eki）, about 20–25 minutes on foot to the center. Bus option: from the station, bus (e.g. towards Yunohama Onsen（湯野浜温泉, Yunohama onsen）), get off at Shiyakusho-mae（市役所前, shiyakusho mae）then walk a few minutes. During the festival period, traffic restrictions（交通規制, kōtsū kisei）may be implemented around the park.
• Date: every year around May 25: Yoimatsuri（宵祭, yoimatsuri, “eve”) on May 24, Honmatsuri（本祭, honmatsuri, “main day”) on May 25, Atomatsuri（後祭, atomatsuri, “following day/end”) on May 26. The stands（露店, roten）often extend over several days.
  

Schedule

The atmosphere alternates between ritual and city festival: people come to pray for academic success and protection, but also to “experience” downtown Tsuruoka in festival mode: music, stands（露店, roten）, processions, and stages. The central figure is the bakemono（化けもの, bakemono）: a participant dressed in a long colorful kimono/undergarment（長襦袢, nagajuban）, face concealed by a cloth（手ぬぐい, tenugui）and a woven hat（編み笠, amigasa）, who moves around anonymously.

Yoimatsuri（宵祭, yoimatsuri）often serves as the opening: activities, lighting, stands, and the first “neighborhood” parades. The Honmatsuri（本祭, honmatsuri）focuses on the processions: mikoshi（神輿, mikoshi）from the shrine, a procession related to Michizane（菅原道真, Sugawara no Michizane）and large parades, including the Tenjin Hankuneri（天神はんくねり, tenjin hankuneri）and the Nigiwai Tenjin Parade（にぎわい天神パレード, nigiwai tenjin parēdo）depending on the year. Along the route, the bakemono offer drinks: sake（酒, sake）or beverages, deliberately remaining silent（無言, mugon）to preserve anonymity.

On the “performance” side, watch also for dedications and dances at the shrine, notably tengu mai（天狗舞, tengu mai）and sometimes shishi mai（獅子舞, shishi mai）. If you want to participate as a bakemono, some years there is a costume rental system（衣装貸出, ishō kashidashi）with prior registration: convenient, but plan ahead.

Practical Tips

Photos

The most photogenic aspect is the contrast between the bakemono（化けもの, bakemono）and the “everyday” city. To capture the atmosphere: aim for parade intersections, the shrine surroundings, and the stand areas（露店, roten）in the late afternoon. A versatile lens (equivalent to 24–70) is sufficient, and a small telephoto helps isolate faces… even if hidden. Caution: some participants seek anonymity, so avoid flash and favor wide shots.

Weather

Late May in Tsuruoka: often mild weather, but evenings can be cool and rain is never excluded. Keep it simple: light layer + windbreaker, comfortable shoes (lots of walking), and something to protect your camera in case of rain.

Transport

The easiest is to arrive at JR Tsuruoka Station（鶴岡駅, Tsuruoka-eki）then walk to the center. During parade periods, some streets close (交通規制, kōtsū kisei): if you come by car, aim for a parking lot a bit outside and finish on foot. To reduce stress, arrive before the processions start and allow some margin for the return.

Visitor Tips

If you want to “experience” the festival without struggling in the crowd: start at the shrine during the day, then position yourself at a passage point to see the parades. For a typical experience, spot a bakemono（化けもの, bakemono）and accept a small cup: it’s the emblematic gesture. Useful expressions: “Arigatō gozaimasu（ありがとうございます, thank you）”, “Kanpai（乾杯, cheers）”.

What to Bring

Cash (for stands), power bank, small hands-free bag, tissues/gel, poncho if rain, and a light sweater for the end of the day. If you plan to drink, think “safe return” (on foot, taxi, or designated driver).

Sources & References

• つるおか観光ナビ｜鶴岡天神祭（化けものまつり）

  Event page (local tourism): dates (宵祭/本祭), period of stands（露店, roten）, practical information and link to a PDF (map/schedules depending on the year).

• VISIT YAMAGATA｜鶴岡天神祭 化けものまつり（2025 edition）

  Detailed sheet (program, schedules, locations, description of parades and highlights).

• Tsuruoka City Official Tourism Information｜Tenjin Matsuri

  Presentation in English: clear summary of the bakemono tradition, origin and participation “code” (anonymity, silence).

• 鶴岡市 広報つるおか（2016.4）｜「化けものまつり」として親しまれる天神祭

  Municipal source (PDF): historical context, practices in the Edo period, appearance of the term “化けもの”, evolution towards the current parades.