For one day, a temporary tower beside the Sakamoto Ryoma statue lets you stand thirteen metres up and look out at the Pacific from roughly his eye level.
Overview
Sakamoto Ryoma, the Tosa samurai who helped broker the alliance that ended the shogunate, is Kochi’s defining historical figure, and Katsurahama is where his statue stands facing the ocean. The Ryoma Matsuri honours him on the Sunday closest to his birthday, 15 November.
The whole of Katsurahama Park becomes the venue. It is a civic festival rather than a religious one – closer in feel to a large open-air commemoration with plenty for families.
When and where
The festival is held on the Sunday nearest 15 November, and in 2026 the 15th is itself a Sunday. November is treated locally as “Ryoma Month”, with related events at museums and sites around the city through the whole month.
Nearest stop: Katsurahama bus terminal, at the park entrance.
Getting there
From JR Kochi Station or the Harimayabashi tram junction, the My-Yu bus and regular Tosa Denki buses run to Katsurahama in about 30 to 40 minutes. There is no train to the beach. Buses are busier than usual on festival day, so allow extra time in both directions and check the last return service before you settle in.
What to expect
Events are spread across the headland, so pick up a programme at the entrance.
- The Ryoma ni Daisekkin viewing scaffold, level with the statue’s head about 13 metres up
- Yosakoi naruko dance performances, Kochi’s signature dance form
- A youth kendo tournament and a public message board addressed to Ryoma
- Workshops at Katsurahama Aquarium inside the park
- The Sakamoto Ryoma Memorial Museum on the headland, free on 15 November as its founding anniversary
Tickets and admission
The festival itself is free. The aquarium and the memorial museum charge their normal admission, although the museum waives entry on 15 November. The viewing scaffold is free, with a queue at peak times.
Tips for visitors
Go in the morning: the light on the Pacific is better and the scaffold queue is shorter. Katsurahama has no swimming – the currents are dangerous and it is not a bathing beach – so plan around the views and the park instead. Try katsuo no tataki, seared bonito, at the market or restaurants back in the city afterwards; it is Kochi’s dish and November is a good month for it.
Access and map
| Dates | 15 November 2026 |
|---|---|
| Venue | Katsurahama Park, Kochi City |
| Access | Bus from JR Kochi station or Harimayabashi, 30-40 minutes |
| Admission | Free (aquarium and museum charge separately) |
| Official site | Kochi City tourism |
Source: Kochi City official tourism information
Image: Photo: baggio4ever / Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
