The Segaki Buddhist memorial observance in Koyagauchi, where the nenbutsu is chanted one garden at a time
Segaki
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Location
- Koyagauchi district
- Area
- Kochi Prefecture・Shimanto 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
- Last updated
- 2026/11/11
A Segaki Buddhist memorial observance passed down in Koyagauchi, Shimanto Town, where the nenbutsu is chanted amid the sound of the leader, gongs, and drums.
About Segaki
Segaki is a Buddhist memorial observance passed down in Koyagauchi, Shimanto Town.
The nenbutsu is repeated for each Buddha being honored as the leader and supporting chanter recite in turn, accompanied by gongs and taiko drums in a four-beat rhythm.
Shimanto Town’s cultural property records list it as an intangible folk tradition in the Taisho area.
Festival highlights
A highlight is the structure, which builds up the garden of nenbutsu chants in the order of the Buddhas being honored.
The Great Segaki Buddha is associated with 53 gardens, the All-Nenbutsu Buddha with 35, and Kobo Daishi with 21; 133 gardens are chanted in total.
The distinctive character of the observance comes through in the sound of each garden, with the leader and supporting chanter joined by gongs and taiko drums.
The Segaki Buddhist memorial observance in Koyagauchi, where the nenbutsu is chanted one garden at a time
What to expect
During the observance, the leader first recites the nenbutsu, followed by the supporting chanter.
At the same time, gongs and taiko drums are played in a four-beat rhythm, and each unit in which everyone chants together is called a “hitoniwa” (one garden).
The units are repeated in the order of the Buddhas being honored—including the Great Segaki Buddha, the All-Nenbutsu Buddha, and Kobo Daishi—for a total of 133 gardens.
Location and access
- Venue and address
Koyagauchi district, Shimanto Town
Event venue 高知県四万十町 木屋ヶ内地区
This map uses the venue name. Check the official guide for the event area and entrances.
Accommodation and hotels PR
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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 / Shimanto Town (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Nearby attractions
海洋堂ホビー館四万十
高知県四万十町にある海洋堂の博物館
Origins and History of Segaki
The sources do not state the origins or year of establishment of the Segaki observance.
In the records that can be confirmed, Shimanto Town’s cultural property information lists “Segaki” as an intangible folk tradition in the Taisho area, designated in Showa 43March 19.
In Koyagauchi, the number of gardens is set according to the order of the Buddhas being honored, and a form combining the nenbutsu with gongs and taiko drums has been passed down.
Official information
Shimanto Town Hall’s cultural property records list “Segaki” as an intangible folk tradition in the Taisho area.
The designation date is Showa 43March 19.
The specific chanting method in Koyagauchi is recorded in local folk tradition materials.
Segaki at a Glance
The Segaki observance in Koyagauchi, Shimanto Town, is a Buddhist memorial rite in which gongs and taiko drums accompany the leader and supporting chanter, and everyone recites the nenbutsu together.
The number of gardens is set for each Buddha being honored, and the chants are repeated for a total of 133 gardens.
Shimanto Town’s cultural property records list it as an intangible folk tradition in the Taisho area, recorded in Showa 43March 19.
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
