Komausa Hachiman Shrine Hyakukoku Odori Dance

About this event

At Komausa Hachiman Shrine in Sanda, Hyogo Prefecture, the "Hyakukoku Odori" (One-Hundred-Koku Dance) will be held as the annual festival on November 23, 2026. This traditional event has a history of approximately 500 years and is designated as an Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Hyogo Prefecture. Hyakukoku Odori is a rainmaking festival that reenacts a dance of small men and small women seen in a dream by the monk Genshin, who prayed for the villagers during a severe drought in 1503. It is said to derive its name from being so grand that a single dance cost 100 koku of rice. Dedicated annually in conjunction with the Niinamesai harvest festival, the approximately 20-minute dance is performed after the afternoon shrine entry procession. Featuring young men dressed in women's attire singing and children vigorously beating taiko drums, it offers a precious opportunity to experience the rich local history and culture. Admission is free, and it continues to be passed down as a traditional event praying for abundant crops and local peace.

Venue

Komausa Hachiman Shrine

1221 Kamihonjo, Sanda, Hyogo 669-1351