Borrow, return, and pass it on: a New Year’s visit to Bishamondo in Umi Town
Shioji Bishamon Mairi
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Season / frequency
- From early morning through the morning on the 3rd day of the New Year
- Location
- Bishamondo
- Area
- Fukuoka Prefecture・Umi Town(From Tokyo: approx. 1 h 50 min–2 h 10 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.
- Features
- Wishes behind the festival
- Last updated
- 2026/11/11
This pilgrimage is held at Bishamondo in Umi Town from early morning through the morning on the 3rd day of the New Year. A distinctive custom is passed down in which visitors borrow offering coins and return double the amount the following year.
About Shioji Bishamon Mairi
Shioji Bishamon Mairi is a pilgrimage held on the 3rd day of the New Year at Bishamondo in Umi Town, and is designated an Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Umi Town.
Visitors come from early morning through the morning during the New Year period, and a distinctive custom involving offering coins, using a tray placed in front of the hall, is passed down.
Visitors are said to borrow an offering coin, return double the amount the following year, and then borrow a new coin to take home. It is said that this visit ensures they will not be short of money for 1 year.
Festival highlights
What sets this event apart is that visitors do not simply make an offering once; they borrow offering coins and return them the following year.
Visitors take an offering coin from a tray placed in front of the hall, and when they visit the following year, they return double the amount borrowed.
This cycle—then borrowing a new offering coin to take home—is a highlight unique to Shioji Bishamon Mairi.
Borrow, return, and pass it on: a New Year’s visit to Bishamondo in Umi Town
What to expect
The visit takes place from early morning through the morning on the 3rd day of the New Year.
Visitors first borrow an offering coin from a tray placed in front of the hall and take it home.
When they visit again the following year, they return double the amount they borrowed the previous year, then borrow a new offering coin to take home. This cycle is repeated.
It is said that this visit ensures you will not be short of money for 1 year.
Location and access
- Venue and address
Bishamondo
Event venue 福岡県宇美町 毘沙門堂
This map uses the venue name. Check the official guide for the event area and entrances.
Dates and season
- Season
From early morning through the morning on the 3rd day of the New Year
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 Fukuoka Prefecture / Umi Town (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Nearby attractions
宇美八幡宮
福岡県糟屋郡宇美町にある神社
Official information
Shioji Bishamon Mairi is featured on Umi Town’s website under “Bishamondo.”
The page describes the event as an Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Umi Town.
The page also lists the time of the event on the 3rd day of the New Year and the custom of borrowing offering coins and returning double the amount the following year.
Shioji Bishamon Mairi at a Glance
Shioji Bishamon Mairi is a pilgrimage held at Bishamondo in Umi Town from early morning through the morning on the 3rd day of the New Year. It is designated an Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Umi Town.
Visitors borrow an offering coin from a tray in front of the hall, return double the amount on their visit the following year, and then borrow a new coin.
This event has a distinctive cycle of offering coins, and it is said that you will not be short of money for 1 year.
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
