A summer prayer tradition passed down in Minamikawa, with prayer beads and Buddhist chants circling the dance hall
Hyakumanben Festival
The 2026 edition of Hyakumanben Festival has ended.
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Dates
- 2026/07/26Ended
- Season / frequency
- The first Sunday after the start of Doyo in July / Every year
- Location
- Otani-ji Temple’s dance hall
- Area
- Kochi Prefecture・Tosa Town(From Tokyo: approx. 1 h 20 min–1 h 40 min · flight time only)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
- Wishes behind the festival
- Participation / viewing
- Open to public participation
- Last updated
- 2026/11/11
At Otani-ji Temple in Minamikawa, Tosa Town, men carry a large string of prayer beads and circle the dance hall while chanting Buddhist prayers. This traditional event has been passed down for about 400 years alongside prayers for good health, safety at home, and more.
About Hyakumanben Festival
The Hyakumanben Festival is a summer festival passed down in Minamikawa, Tosa Town, Kochi Prefecture.
Prayers are offered for good health, safety at home, a bountiful harvest, and more, as a large string of prayer beads is carried around the dance hall at Otani-ji Temple.
The festival is designated an Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Tosa Town, and Otani-ji Temple’s dance hall is also designated a Tangible Folk Cultural Property of the town.
Festival highlights
The highlight is the sight of men gripping a large string of prayer beads about 40 meters long and circling the dance hall again and again while chanting Buddhist prayers.
Participants carry the prayer beads to the sound of and keep circling for hours.
Tosa Town’s list of cultural properties describes it as a summer endurance ritual in which some participants fall along the way.
A summer prayer tradition passed down in Minamikawa, with prayer beads and Buddhist chants circling the dance hall
What to expect
At the festival, men carry a large string of prayer beads around the dance hall at Otani-ji Temple, chanting Buddhist prayers to the sound of taiko.
The circling is said to continue not just once, but many times over the course of several hours.
The central part of the festival is circling the corridors around the dance hall while holding the prayer beads.
How to take part
It is described as open to any man who wishes to take part on the day.
Participants carry a large string of prayer beads and circle the dance hall while chanting Buddhist prayers.
The event information says that men may take part on the day.
The available information does not specify conditions such as participation fees or how to register.
Location and access
- Venue and address
Otani-ji Temple’s dance hall, Minamikawa, Tosa Town, Tosa District, Kochi Prefecture
- By car
60 minutes by car from Otani IC
- Train and bus
80 minutes by car from Osugi Station
Address Otani-ji Temple, Minamikawa, Tosa Town, Tosa District, Kochi Prefecture
Dates and season
2026 event information (the listed date has passed)
The 2026 festival is listed in the annual events schedule for July 26 (Sunday).
It is said to be held each year on the first Sunday after the start of Doyo in July.
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 Kochi Prefecture / Tosa Town (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Origins and History of Hyakumanben Festival
The Hyakumanben Festival is described as a traditional event held for about 400 years.
Today, the custom of circling Otani-ji Temple’s dance hall with a large string of prayer beads is still carried on.
In 1966, the Hyakumanben Festival was designated an Intangible Folk Cultural Property of the town, and Otani-ji Temple’s dance hall was designated a Tangible Folk Cultural Property of the town.
Official information
The 2026 Minamikawa Hyakumanben Festival is listed in Tosa Town Hall’s annual events schedule.
Hyakumanben Festival at a Glance
The Hyakumanben Festival is a traditional event held at the dance hall of Otani-ji Temple in Minamikawa, Tosa Town.
Prayers are offered for good health, safety at home, and more, as men carry a large string of prayer beads about 40 meters long and circle the dance hall again and again to the sound of taiko and Buddhist chants.
The festival has continued for about 400 years, and both the festival and the dance hall are designated cultural properties of Tosa Town.
Sources and references
Japanese Festivals.jp Editorial Team
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Article updated: 2026/11/11
