Kick start your 2026 at the annual Toka Ebisu Festival in Osaka. Running for three days from January 9 to 11 at the Imamiya Ebisu Shrine, this traditional Shinto celebration is dedicated to Ebisu, the god of commerce, and is a popular occasion to pray for prosperity and business success in the new year.
Visitors can purchase fukuzasa, lucky bamboo branches adorned with charms such as money boxes or abacuses, symbols believed to bring good fortune. These lucky charms are distributed by more than 50 fukumusume, or ‘lucky daughters’ who have been chosen specifically to represent the festival.
The main festivities take place on January 10, featuring a large parade of over 500 participants including celebrities, geisha and fukumusume, who will be handing out lucky charms to the public.
The festival runs from 9am to 9pm, with the surrounding streets lined with food stalls serving a variety of local treats – perfect for snacking as you make your way into the shrine for your prayers.
AloJapan.com