Things to do in Kochi
And where to stay, the best time to visit, what a day costs, and the traps to skip.
Best time to visit Kochi
• a note or something on ✦ an occasion worth the trip
Joint best season. Cherry blossom late March to early April and first bonito from April, with Golden Week crowding.
Rainy season June to early July, then hot humid summer, Yosakoi in August and building typhoon risk.
Joint best season. Autumn colour, fatty returning bonito, crisp river days and the Ryoma Festival in November.
Quiet, mild and best value, with fewest crowds, winter bonito, yuzu season and the Makino greenhouse.
What's on
- Yosakoi Matsuri 9-12 August
The original Yosakoi since 1954, around 200 teams and 20000 dancers taking over the centre.
- Ryoma Festival around 15 November
At Katsurahama around Sakamoto Ryoma's birthday and memorial day.
- Kochi Castle cherry season late March to early April
Cherry blossom in Kochi Park around the castle and along the Kagami River.
- Ayu season opening June
Sweetfish season opens on the Shimanto and Niyodo rivers.
Best things to do in Kochi
Kochi Castle
Original keep and lord's palace survive together, with steep stairs to a view over the castle town.
Kochi Sunday Market
A 300 year old street market for yuzu, ginger, inaka sushi and hot imo-ten along Otesuji.
Hirome Market
Covered food hall of shared tables where locals eat tataki, gyoza and Tosa sake together.
Katsurahama Beach
Pine backed Pacific crescent with the Sakamoto Ryoma statue, shrines and sunset views, no swimming.
Chikurin-ji Temple
Temple 31 of the Shikoku pilgrimage, with a five storey pagoda, mossy stairs and bamboo woods.
Kochi Prefectural Makino Botanical Garden
Sprawling hillside research garden honouring botanist Tomitaro Makino, with a conservatory and orchids.
Harimaya Bridge
Tiny vermilion bridge famous from a love story and song, best as a short stop on a centre stroll.
Obiyamachi Shopping Arcade
Covered central arcade for coffee, Tosa tea and people watching between castle and market.
Where to stay in Kochi
Obiyamachi / Harimayabashi / City Centre
first trip, all-round base
Walk to the castle, Hirome, Sunday Market and trams, with the best hotels and nightlife in Kochi.
Kochi Station Front
rail arrivals, one-night stops and early trains
Newer business hotels and the information centre by the station, with less evening atmosphere.
Tosayama / Northern Hills
destination ryokan escape
Forested hills north of the city with river views and serious kaiseki, a deliberate one night splurge.
Katsurahama / Urado
seaside mood only
Bay views and the Ryoma story on the doorstep, but 30 minutes by bus from central restaurants.
Think twice about
- Nankoku / Kochi Airport surrounds
Highway and parking lot Kochi, 30 minutes from the centre with nothing to walk to. For missed connections only.
- Far-eastern and far-western suburban Kochi along the national highway
Cheap rooms that cost two tram rides per meal, with little nearby in the evening.
- Blocks around Hirome Market late Friday and Saturday
Kochi's rowdiest blocks, drunk and loud with touting for snack bars. A polite ignore works, touted bar bills are the trap.
Best restaurants in Kochi
Myojinmaru
The tataki benchmark, fishermen caught bonito seared over straw, best ordered first with salt.
Yairo-tei
Hirome stall named most often for tataki, ideal for comparison tasting at a shared table.
Tokugetsuro
Kochi's historic kaiseki house since 1870, for sawachi and seasonal Tosa courses as ceremony.
Tataki-tei
Locally top-rated izakaya near the market street, deep in Tosa seasonal fish and tataki.
Daikokudo
Izakaya built on shio tataki, its salt seared bonito is the proud house speciality.
Hitosuji
Chef driven izakaya step up, built on seasonal Kochi ingredients and Tosa sake.
Yatai Yasubee
Institution since 1970 serving only crisp gyoza, light ramen and oden until the small hours.
Suigeitei
Brewery restaurant for Suigei sake, the structured way to taste Tosa sake with food.
Outdoor things to do in Kochi
Nikobuchi
Sacred plunge pool famous for intense Niyodo Blue water when midday sun hits the surface.
Nakatsu Valley
Gorge walk with waterfalls along the clear upper Niyodo valley, best paired with Nikobuchi.
Yasui Valley
Clearest upper Niyodo pools and rock formations, for a quiet valley walk and paddling day.
Niyodo River
Kayak, canoe and clear SUP tours on water so clear boats look airborne over the riverbed.
Shimanto River
Japan's last clear stream, with canoe descents, houseboats and rail-less low water bridges.
Happy Raft
English friendly rafting on the Yoshino River, from family courses to the Koboke long course.
Kochi Kuroshio Country Club
Headline 36 hole coastal course with palm lined fairways, Pacific views and a waterfall island green.
Tosa Country Club
Tournament course east of the city mixing wooded inland holes with palm framed sea views.
Best hotels in Kochi
OMO7 Kochi by Hoshino Resorts
Flagship modern hotel with large baths, a high floor restaurant and nightly Yosakoi in season.
Jyoseikan
Kochi's traditional grand ryokan on the Kagami River, known for sawachi banquet service.
Sansuien
Historic ryokan hotel in the former Tosa lords' villa grounds, with garden and large baths.
The Crown Palais New Hankyu Kochi
Large full service centre hotel near the castle, with several restaurants and deep service.
Richmond Hotel Kochi
Best all round mid tier business hotel in the centre, clean and quiet with a strong breakfast.
Nishitetsu Inn Kochi Harimayabashi
Value and location sweet spot by Harimaya Bridge, with a tram stop at the door.
Dormy Inn Kochi
Chain favourite with a top floor hot spring style bath and free late night ramen.
Comfort Hotel Kochi
Clean, tiny and efficient budget chain hotel clustered near Hirome Market in the centre.
Is Kochi expensive? What a day costs
| Budget | ¥8,000 a person |
|---|---|
| Classic | ¥16,000 a person |
| Splurge | ¥35,000 a person |
A day of food, drink, sights and getting around, before the room
What to book ahead
- Tosa Tataki Dojo: a few days ahead
- Niyodo River: a few days ahead
- Shimanto River: a few days ahead
- Happy Raft: a few days ahead
- Kochi Kuroshio Country Club: weeks ahead
- Tosa Country Club: weeks ahead
- Green Feel Golf Club: weeks ahead
- Tosa Utopia Country Club: weeks ahead
- Yosakoi week in August books out months ahead and prices spike.
- Centre hotels on spring and autumn Sunday Market weekends need booking 4 to 6 weeks out.
- Reserve Tokugetsuro, La Prima Vorta, river tours, whale watching, Ryugado adventure and weekend golf ahead.
Is Kochi safe?
- Kochi is very safe, but Pacific currents, river rises after rain and slippery gorge paths are real risks.
- Kochi is among Japan's rainiest prefectures in the typhoon corridor. Check forecasts daily June to October.
- July to September heat exceeds 33C with humidity. Start walking and golf early and carry serious water. Emergency 110 and 119.
Kochi travel tips: tourist traps to skip
- Harimaya Bridge as a standalone sight. Twenty minutes inside a centre stroll, never a detour.
- Swimming at Katsurahama is prohibited and dangerous because of strong currents.
- Eating tataki only at Hirome, and ordering ponzu only. Try salt tataki at a specialist too.
- Day tripping Shimanto and Ashizuri together from Kochi City by public transport. Overnight west or charter a car.
Getting around Kochi: public transport and more
- Walk the centre. Use Tosaden trams for station to centre, and MY-Yu Bus for Godaisan and Katsurahama.
- Rent a car for Nikobuchi and valley chaining, Shimanto, Ashizuri, golf and Ryugado days.
- Carry cash for trams, temples, market stalls and small eateries, even though IC cards work on JR.
Who Kochi suits
| Solo travellers | Good |
|---|---|
| Groups of friends | Great |
| Couples | Great |
| Bachelor parties | Good |
| Families | Good |
| Bachelorette parties | Good |
Make Kochi your trip
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