Making the Tenno-san of Meiwan with bamboo and wheat straw, a tradition passed down through the generations
The Sada-Nishide Tenno-san shrine tower
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Season / frequency
- Every year, before the Tenno Festival on July 14 / Every year
- Location
- The Tenno-san in the center of the Nishide settlement
- Area
- Mie Prefecture・Meiwa Town(From Tokyo: approx. 2 h 30 min–3 h · bullet train + connecting train)Prefecture-level estimate to a main station or airport, not the venue. Airport access, check-in and onward travel are extra; remote areas and islands can take much longer.
- Highlights and activities
- Required number of participants
- All the men in the settlement (30 households, 30 people)
- Last updated
- 2026/11/11
In the Sada-Nishide district of Meiwa Town, men from the settlement make a shrine tower from bamboo and wheat straw before the Tenno Festival.
About The Sada-Nishide Tenno-san shrine tower
The Sada-Nishide Tenno-san shrine tower is made by men from the settlement in the Sada-Nishide district of Meiwa Town, Mie Prefecture, before the Tenno Festival.
The shrine tower is called the “Tenno-san,” and replacing its talisman is referred to as “enshrining the Tenno-san.”
It is distinctive for being regularly rebuilt using wheat straw and bamboo: the roof is renewed every year, and the pillars are replaced every 2 years.
In Heisei 31, it was designated an Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Meiwa Town.
Festival highlights
A highlight is watching a tower about 2 meters tall take shape from wheat straw and bamboo.
Four mosō bamboo poles form the pillars and support a wheat-straw roof, which features 3 katsuogi.
At around 1.3 meters high, a shrine-like space is formed by a bamboo shelf; a talisman from Tsushima Shrine is enshrined inside, and cedar leaves are also placed there.
Making the Tenno-san of Meiwan with bamboo and wheat straw, a tradition passed down through the generations
What to expect
Before the Tenno Festival, all the men in the settlement gather to make the Tenno-san using wheat straw and bamboo.
They set 4 mosō bamboo poles in the ground as supports, build the roof, shelf, and walls, and enshrine a talisman from Tsushima Shrine inside the shelf.
Women and people in mourning do not take part, and the completed shrine tower is rebuilt regularly.
How to take part
All the men in the settlement (30 households, 30 people) take part in making the shrine tower.
Women and people in mourning are said not to participate.
Whether general visitors may take part is not stated.
Location and access
- Venue and address
明和町佐田西出地区の西出集落中心部、道路と道路が交差するT字路のつきあたり／電車・バス：記載なし／車：記載なし／駐車場：記載なし
Address Sada-Nishide district, Meiwa Town, Taki District, Mie Prefecture
Dates and season
- Season
Every year, before the Tenno Festival on July 14
- Frequency
Every year
Accommodation and hotels PR
Showing nearby accommodation.
Prices and availability are current at the time of retrieval. For multi-night stays, only the first night’s price is shown. Confirm the final price and directions to the venue with the booking provider. Select your dates again when using the area search link. Search area: within 3 km of Central Mie Prefecture / Meiwa Town (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Nearby attractions
Origins and History of The Sada-Nishide Tenno-san shrine tower
This event is associated with Tenno worship. In the Nishide settlement, the Tenno-san is regularly rebuilt using wheat straw and bamboo.
Beside the Tenno-san stands a Joya-tō lantern inscribed with Bunsei 6 (1823).
In Heisei 31, the Sada-Nishide Tenno-san shrine tower was designated an Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Meiwa Town, and the work carried out in Reiwa 1 was captured in a documentary video.
Official information
Meiwa Town’s website introduces the event and its cultural-property designation in its information page, “The Sada-Nishide Tenno-san Shrine Tower.”
The Sada-Nishide Tenno-san shrine tower at a Glance
The Sada-Nishide Tenno-san shrine tower is made from wheat straw and bamboo in the Sada-Nishide district of Meiwa Town before the Tenno Festival.
The men of the settlement build the roof, pillars, and shelf, and enshrine a talisman from Tsushima Shrine.
The roughly 2-meter-high structure, the roof renewed every year, and the pillars replaced every 2 years all reflect craftsmanship passed down through the community.
Sources and references
Japanese Festivals.jp Editorial Team
Celebrating local culture and helping you discover a side of Japan you never knew.
Article updated: 2026/11/11
