Nine puppets parade in an ancient dance passed down in Kofu
Tensushi-mai
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Season / frequency
- A Sunday close to April 10 / Every year
- Area
- Yamanashi Prefecture・Kofu City(From Tokyo: approx. 1 h 30 min–2 h · limited express)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
- Last updated
- 2026/10/19
A folk performing art from Kosecho, Kofu City, in which nine puppets are carried from Tensushi Shrine to Suwa Shrine and made to dance inside the Ofune. Passed down from before the Daiei 2 era, it is designated an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Japan.
About Tensushi-mai
Tensushi-mai is a folk performing art using puppets, passed down at Tensushi Shrine in Kosecho, Kofu City.
Nine life-size puppets are brought down from the main hall and taken in procession to Suwa Shrine to the accompaniment of festival music. They are then made to dance inside a bamboo enclosure called the Ofune in the .
Puppets representing sasara players, drums, hand drums, flutes, Kashima, a princess, and demons appear, and the performance has been passed down as a local ritual.
In 1976, it was designated an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Japan.
Source: 国指定文化財等データベース
Festival highlights
A highlight is the scene in which the nine puppets dance, each playing a different role.
The life-size puppets are made by attaching heads and hands to central poles and dressing them in costumes and other attire. Characters include sasara players, drums, flutes, a princess, and demons.
One person holds the central pole, while two or three assistants support it as they repeat simple movements and vigorous movements known as “kurui.”
The staging inside the bamboo-enclosed Ofune is another distinctive feature.
Nine puppets parade in an ancient dance passed down in Kofu
What to expect
At Tensushi-mai, nine puppets are first brought down from the main hall of Tensushi Shrine.
After that, one person carries each puppet, and the procession proceeds to Suwa Shrine to the accompaniment of festival music.
In the grounds of Suwa Shrine, the puppets are made to dance inside a bamboo enclosure called the Ofune, with one puppeteer and assistants supporting their movements.
The dance includes not only quiet movements but also vigorous ones known as “kurui.”
Location and access
- Address
Kofu City
Host municipality Kofu City, Yamanashi Prefecture
This map shows the surrounding area, not the exact venue location.
Dates and season
It is usually performed on a Sunday close to April 10.
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 Yamanashi Prefecture / Kofu City (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Nearby attractions
山梨県立文学館
山梨県甲府市の芸術の森公園にある文学館
山梨県立科学館
山梨県甲府市にある県立の科学館
写真：さかおり ( talk ) 03:32, 5 March 2010 (UTC) / CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo source ·
山梨県立美術館
山梨県甲府市の芸術の森公園にある美術館
Origins and History of Tensushi-mai
Tensushi-mai is said to have been passed down from before the Daiei 2 era to the present day.
According to the shrine’s history, when the area was still undeveloped, the heavenly kami performed dance. The account says that people later modeled nine sacred figures on the kami and made nine statues.
It was once held on July 19, but is now performed on a Sunday close to April 10.
It was designated an intangible cultural property of Yamanashi Prefecture in Showa 35 and an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Japan in Showa 51.
Source: 神社の詳細｜山梨県神社庁.
Official information
The Database of National Cultural Properties and the Yamanashi Prefecture Shrine Association’s shrine information provide details about Tensushi-mai and the annual festival date at Tensushi Shrine.
Tensushi-mai at a Glance
Tensushi-mai is an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property featuring nine puppets, passed down at Tensushi Shrine in Kosecho, Kofu City.
The puppets are taken in procession from Tensushi Shrine to Suwa Shrine and made to dance inside a bamboo enclosure called the Ofune.
It is usually performed on a Sunday close to April 10.
Japanese Festivals.jp Editorial Team
Celebrating local culture and helping you discover a side of Japan you never knew.
Article updated: 2026/10/19
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