Gichō Shrine Grand Festival

Festival highlights

The highlight is the tradition of shaping taro rice cakes in a prescribed form and offering a total of 263 as sacred food offerings.

The rice cakes are arranged in small portions on sanbō trays and placed in the main sanctuary with sacred sake.

During the main festival, dances are performed with offerings such as sakaki branches and bows, and a sumo bout is held in which the role is passed from this year’s headman to next year’s headman.

Finally, a boundary marker is erected at the edge of the district to pray for the community’s safety and a good harvest.

A traditional festival in Muroto featuring 263 offerings of taro rice cakes

What to expect

Early on the morning of the eve of the festival, the headman and the women of the household gather at the Tsuyado hall. They wash and boil the taro, pound it in a mortar, and shape it into rice cakes.

The set taro rice cakes are cut into small pieces the next morning and arranged on sanbō trays according to a prescribed method.

The main festival begins at around 9 a.m. After the offerings are presented and the ceremony is held, rice cakes are distributed to visitors along with amulets.

This is followed by dances, sumo bouts between the headmen, and the erection of boundary markers.

How to take part

Festival preparations and proceedings are led by the shrine’s representatives and the head celebrant.

The head celebrant is a local duty role assigned to men from each household on a rotating basis, with a new person taking over each year.

The head celebrant and the women of his household prepare the sacred offerings. During the main festival, men from the district make bows and arrows and present them as offerings.

General visitors can attend by observing the presentation of sacred offerings and the festival rites, then receiving taro mochi and an ofuda talisman after the rites.

Location and access

Venue and address

Gichō Shrine (Kitabu, Hane-chō, Muroto)

Address Kitabu, Hane-chō, Muroto, Kochi Prefecture

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Dates and season

It is held each year on the Saturday and Sunday of the second week of November.

On the eve of the main festival, preparations begin for sacred offerings such as taro mochi. The main festival’s offerings and rites take place from around 9 a.m.

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Tips for your visit

Preparing the sacred offerings begins early in the morning on the day before the main festival, and the main festival also takes place from around 9 a.m. If you plan to observe, be prepared to arrive early.

The offerings and festival rites take place at the shrine’s honden and haiden, followed by ceremonies such as the head celebrant’s dance and sumo wrestling.

Please take care not to get too close to participants’ routes or ritual implements on the shrine grounds, so as not to disrupt the proceedings.

Nearby attractions

Tourist attractionsMuroto City

むろと廃校水族館

高知県室戸市の水族館

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写真：Totti / CC BY-SA 4.0

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Attractions in the same municipality. Check each attraction’s official website for travel distances from the venue and current opening information.

Origins and History of Gichō Shrine Grand Festival

Gichō Shrine enshrines Niki Yoshinaga, a military commander of the Northern and Southern Courts period.

According to local tradition, Niki Yoshinaga fled to Tosa with his clan and settled here. When taro began floating downstream, the clan is said to have taken their own lives.

In connection with this story, taro rice cakes are offered, and tradition calls for making 263 of them, said to be the number of clan members.

The festival was held on the first Day of the Monkey in lunar calendar: November, but it is now held on the second Saturday and Sunday of November.

Official information

The Muroto City website’s “Gichō Shrine Grand Festival” guide provides information on the venue, timing, offerings of taro rice cakes and bows and arrows, and the festival’s designation as a cultural property.

The Agency for Cultural Affairs’ Database of Nationally Designated Cultural Properties provides detailed information about the festival’s origins, the preparation of sacred food, the headman’s role, and the sequence of events on the day.

Gichō Shrine Grand Festival at a Glance

The Gichō Shrine Grand Festival is a festival in Hane-chō, Muroto, where the headman leads the making of taro rice cakes, which are offered as 263 sacred food offerings.

Against the backdrop of the stories surrounding Niki Yoshinaga, prayers are offered for good health, bountiful harvests, and the safety of the district.

From preparing the offerings on the eve of the festival to the main ceremony, dances, sumo bouts between the headmen, and the erection of boundary markers, the sequence of rites reflects the community’s shared roles and beliefs.