There is no place that loves Sakamoto Ryoma like Kochi.
Born in 1836 in the area that is now known as Kochi Prefecture, Sakamoto was one of the leading figures who opposed the Tokugawa shogunate and brought an end to the Edo Period in 1868, ushering in an era of modernization under the restored rule of Emperor Meiji.
Statues of the hometown hero dot the city of Kochi, whether they're towering above its beautiful Katsurahama coastline or reclined in front of a local farm-to-table restaurant. Japan’s most populous Sakamoto fan club regularly hosts meetings and events in his honor, but above all, a yearly birthday celebration held in Chuo Park in November draws hundreds, even thousands, of spectators. This year, his birthday held even greater significance: It was a second chance for the Yosakoi Festival to take place in 2020.