Illustration featured on the museum website depicting Ryoma (for reference)
Ryoma Birthday Festival 2026 in Kochi: Celebrate with shamo hot pot and a dramatic reading
The Ryoma Birthday Festival 2026, celebrating the birthday of Sakamoto Ryoma, will be held on November 15 at the Kochi City Ryoma's Birthplace Memorial Museum. Plans include a museum stamp rally, a message corner for Ryoma, complimentary servings of shamo hot pot, and a dramatic reading.
- Venue
- Kochi City Ryoma's Birthplace Memorial Museum, Kochi City
- Admission & participation
- Admission is required. Free for high school students and younger visitors.
HIGHLIGHTS
Event highlights
Explore the museum and join in the celebrations and dramatic reading
The museum stamp rally is one of the festival activities, inviting visitors to explore the building as they take part. There will also be a message corner for Ryoma, offering a chance to celebrate his birthday in your own words as well as view the exhibits.
A food event will offer complimentary servings of shamo hot pot. The Gomen Shamo Research Group is a co-host. On stage, the theatre group Ichino Ninosa no Kai will perform a dramatic reading, and a collaborative event with the Freedom and People's Rights Museum is also planned. A separate listing also mentions a calligraphy exhibition.
The day's programme brings together activities with different ways to take part, from a stamp rally and messages to food and performances. The announcement does not give the times of individual activities or details about the number of servings or how the shamo hot pot will be served, so check the official information if there is a particular event you hope to attend.
Explore Ryoma's hometown and books from the Bakumatsu period
The museum's permanent exhibition introduces the family and town that shaped Ryoma through video, sound, and graphics. Visitors can trace the town as it was at the time, its history, and Ryoma's boyhood from his birth to his departure from Tosa, with videos, models, and other displays. Alongside the birthday festival activities, you can learn about the people and places that influenced Ryoma's life.
The special exhibition “Favorite Books of Leaders Active in the Bakumatsu Period” is also on at the museum. Through materials and stories, it explores what leaders of the Bakumatsu period read and what they learned. It also considers the enduring appeal of classical works that have been read across generations. The exhibition runs through November 16, and is open on the day of the birthday festival.
The official birthday festival announcement lists the opening hours as 8:00–18:30. Admission is JPY 370 for adults and free for high school students and younger visitors. You can combine the festival activities with time to explore the permanent and special exhibitions.
EVENT INFORMATION
Dates & participation
Official title龍馬生誕祭
| Dates | 2026-11-15 |
|---|---|
| Venue | Kochi City Ryoma's Birthplace Memorial Museum, Kochi City |
| Admission and participation | Admission: JPY 370 for adults; free for high school students and younger visitors |
| Address |
Fees & admission details
Admission
- Adults
- JPY 370
- High school students and younger
- Free
- Organiser
- 高知市立龍馬の生まれたまち記念館
Hours, admission rules, and ticket availability are subject to change. Please check the official website before heading out.
OFFICIAL WEBSITE & TICKETS
Official website & tickets
Official event websiteryoma-hometown.comACCESS
How to get there
Step-by-step guide
What to check before your visit
- 01
Date and hours
Held on Sunday, November 15, 2026. The official birthday festival announcement lists the hours as 8:00–18:30. A separate listing gives 8:00–19:00 (last admission at 18:30), so check the official information when planning an evening visit.
- 02
Admission
Admission to the museum, where the birthday festival is held, is JPY 370 for adults and free for high school students and younger visitors.
- 03
Route to the venue
Take the Tosa Den Kotsu tram from JR Kochi Station to Kamimachi-itchome. The venue is a 3-minute walk from the stop.
Detailed access info
Take the Tosa Den Kotsu tram from JR Kochi Station to Kamimachi-itchome, then walk 3 minutes.
Kochi City Ryoma's Birthplace Memorial Museum, Kochi City
Google Maps search result for the venue name. Please also check official sources for the address, specific hall/room, and entrance location.