こうち
Kochi Guide book
Kochi General Tourist Information

Resources for foreign tourists

Tourist Information Centeri Kochi prefecture ‘‘i’’information center○
2-10-7 Kita Honmachi, Kochi City
TEL.088-826-3337
9:00-17:00(In the Kochi Prefecture Tourism InformationDisseminating Center “Tosaterasu”)？ Kochi Tourist Information Center○
2-1-25 Obiyamachi, Kochi City
TEL.088-856-8670 FAX.088-856-8675
10:00-18:30

chatbot「tosatrip」
Get fourism information here

Issued by Kochi City Hall Tourism Promotion Division

March 2019

Welcome to Koc

hi!

Cultural Station Rio
Nankoku IC

Kochi IC
Tosa Japanese Paper Craft Village

Temple-29, Kokubun-ji

Ryuga Cave

Kochi (Pref.) Museumof History
AEON Mall Kochi

Nishijima Flower Garden

Ino ICi○？
○

Cul-Port
Yokoyama
Memorial
Manga Museum

The Museum of Art,Kochi
Nankoku-Minami IC

GodaisanArt Culture Technology「ACTLAND」

Kochi-Tobu Express way

Konan-Noichi IC
Nan Koch
kok i-Tu-A obki u EHig x
hw preNankoku-Kagami IC
ay ss
(Fr w
ee ay
)
Konan-Yasu IC
Monobegawa River

Kochi-Nankoku Highway (Free) Kochi Ryoma-kuko IC

Wan Park Kochi

Hidaka Village

Noichi Zoological Park

Kochi-Minami IC
Temple-31,
Chikurin-ji
Opens April 23,2016

Tosa IC
Ajisai Street Haruno no Yu

Geisei Village
Geisei-Nishi IC

National Lodge Katsurahama

Kochi-eki Bus Terminal

Kochi Tourist
Information Center

To Kochi ICi〇
Accessible Toilets
Coin Lockers
ShrineSchoolPost oﬃce
i 〇？ Tourist information center〇

Okawa-suji Samurai
Residence Museum

To Ino IC
Kochi IC

Enokuchigawa River
AEON
Mall Kochi

Kochi Yosakoi Museum？
〇

Harimaya Bridge？
〇
Bus Stop for Airport

Naka Fire Dep.
City Oﬃce

Yokoyama Memorial Manga Museum
Ryoma Sakamoto's Birthplace

Pref. Culture Hall

Ryoma's
Birthplace
Memorial Museum

Yamauchi Shrine

Remains of Kondoh Choujiroh’s House:

Horikawa River
Kagamigawa River:
Kochi-eki Bus Terminal

Harimaya Bridge

Resources for foreign tourists

Kochi International Association
4-1-37 Honmachi, Kochi City TEL.088-875-0022/FAX.088-875-4929
8:30-17:15(Closed on Sunday, National holidays, Saturdays in August and during
New Year holiday season)

Harimayabashi
For AEON Mall Kochi

i Kochi prefecture ‘‘i’’information center○
2-10-7 Kita Honmachi, Kochi City TEL.088-826-3337 9:00-17:00(In the Kochi Prefecture Tourism Information-Disseminating Center “Tosaterasu”)？ Kochi Tourist Information Center○
2-1-25 Obiyamachi, Kochi City TEL.088-856-8670/FAX.088-856-8675
10:00-18:30

Tourist Information Center

To Harimaya
Bridge【My Yu Bus Contact】
Kochi Visitors & Convention Association

Harimayabashi

For Kochi Ryoma Airport･Smoking is prohibited around Kochi Station, Ote-suji, the Central Shopping Mall, and City Hall. Please refer tothe Kochi City Environmental Policy Division’s homepage for details.

こうち
We lc om e to Ko

ch i!

Tosa Fiefdom and Samurai Culture

Sakamoto Ryoma

Ryoma paved the way in the transition from feudal times in Japan to
the Meiji constitutional government, and then to today’s democratic
republic.

Spectacular

Katsurahama
MAP■
A 4-E

The glistening blue ocean reﬂects dazzling sunshine at
Katsurahama, where there are colorful stones on the beach withwhite sand and green pines lining the coast. A statue of
Sakamoto Ryoma stands on a hill, inviting visitors to thischarming land that is famous for having a beautiful moon. Thereis also an aquarium by the sea, which has sea lion shows, and asouvenir center, where Kochi souvenirs are available.

Access30 minutes by carfrom the Kochi Station

On November 15, 1835, near the end of the Edo period, Ryoma was born toa low-ranking samurai engaged in small business. Although he was shy andcried easily when he was young, he deﬁned himself through the practice ofJapanese swordsmanship. In 1861, he joined the Tosa Loyalist Party (Tosa isthe old name for Kochi). After many incidents, including exchanges withlike-minded samurai of other clans and becoming a disciple of Katsu Kaishu,
a vassal of the shogun, he decided to leave the clan and discard therestrictive status of clan samurai. He accomplished many historicachievements that led to the structure of modern Japan, such as founding
the trading company and private navy Kameyama Shachu, as well as
forming the Satsuma-Choshu Alliance and restoring imperial rule in Japan.
On November 15, 1867, he was assassinated at the Omiya Inn in Kyoto alongwith his sworn friend, Nakaoka Shintaro. He was 33 years old. Three months
after his death, the new Meiji government was established. Ryoma’s
humility, his principle of living according to his beliefs, and his fearlessness
in the face of change still do not fail to attract the hearts and minds of many
people even to this day.

OR Local bus headed for“Katsurahama” from Minami
Harimayabashi bus stop.
OR MY Yu Bus (see pg. 16). Get
oﬀ at “Katsurahama”.

Ryoma's Birthplace
Memorial Museum

MAPB1-C■

Located in Kamimachi, where Ryoma wasborn and raised, this museum introduces
Ryoma’ s boyhood years through images,
audio, and CG. Many visitors take pictures
sitting next to the seated Ryoma statue.
“Pendoku”, a multilingual audio guide, isavailable for easily understandable
explanations of exhibits in four languages:
English, Chinese, Taiwanese, and Korean.

05

The Sakamoto Ryoma
Memorial Museum MAPA4-E■

Statue of Sakamoto Ryoma

This Memorial Museum introduces the life andpromotes the image of Sakamoto Ryoma.
Located on a hill in Katsurahama Park, from
where a sweeping view of the Paciﬁc Ocean canbe seen, it also serves as an information centerfor documents related to Ryoma.

Built in 1928 through the nationwide fund-raisingeﬀorts of Kochi youths, this magniﬁcent statue
conveys the achievements of Ryoma to future
generations.
Here he is dressed in traditional Japaneseclothing and western boots as he gazes at the
Paciﬁc Ocean and conceals his hand.

MAPA4-E■

Access15 minutes by streetcar from Kochi Station,
get oﬀ at Kamimachi 1-chome06

We lc om e to Ko

Kochi Castle
MAP B2-B■

Getting aroundthe City

AccessHarimaya Bridge

10 minutes by streetcar from
Kochi Station. Get oﬀ at
Kochijo-mae, and walk for 5
minutes.

Construction of Kochi Castle, whichtowers above the center of Kochi City,
was started in 1601 by the ﬁrst lord of
the Tosa Clan, Yamanouchi Katsutoyo.
It is nationally designated as one ofJapan’ s Important Cultural Properties.
Only three castles in Japan have boththeir main keep and main gate stillintact, and Kochi Castle is the only one
where both can be easily photographedin one shot. The main keep commandsa p a n o r a m i c v i e w o f K o c h i C i t y.
Around the castle grounds there arestatues of Lord Yamanouchi Katsutoyo
and his wife Chiyo, who is famous forher support behind the scenes. Thereis also a statue of Itagaki Taisuke, who
was the leader of the Liberty and
People’s Rights Movement.

ch i!

MAPB4-B■

The Harimaya Bridge is known for thesad story of a love aﬀair between amonk named Junshin and a woman
named Ouma, and it is one of the most
famous tourist spots in Kochi. In 2009,a movie entitled “The Harimaya
Bridge” was released. From the foursides of the automaton clock on the
opposite side of the street, a group ofdancers, as well as the Harimaya
Bridge, Kochi Castle, and Katsurahama
appear in time with the melody of the
Yosakoi song. It is illuminated at night.

Automaton Clock9:00 - 21:00 (every hour on the hour)※Does not operate in heavy weather.

Streetcars
Streetcars are a popular method of transportation
for the citizens of Kochi. The Tosa Electric Railway
streetcars are the oldest existing in Japan, andmany people take photographs of them. Kochi
streetcars also have the longest set of railways ofany streetcars in the country, and they are usefulfor downtown sightseeing. Streetcars from
Germany, Norway, and Austria, and other special
streetcars are available for rent to groups. The
sound of streetcars is a symbol of the bustlingcity.

Kochi Yosakoi Museum
MAPB5-B■

Once you enter, be sure to head left to the “Yosakoi
Circle” ﬁrst. Here you can learn about the basics andhistory of the festival. Afterward, pass through the“Yosakoi Tunnel” to the “Yosakoi Square.” In the theaterand hands-on corner, you can experience the joys of the
Yosakoi festival yourself.
07

08

こうち
We lc om e to Ko

Let’s go to Sunday market

Experience Nature

MAP B3~4-B■

Access10-minute walkfrom Kochi Station.

ch i!

Kochi’ s rich nature, with the majestic Paciﬁc Ocean in thesouth and the deep mountains in the north, is full of sights tobe seen. Visit them at your leisure.

Sunday Market, which has a history ofover 300 years, is an important market for
Kochi’ s citizens. As many as 500 open
booths are lined in a row eastward from
Kochi Castle for about 1km, displaying all
kinds of goods from rarities to everyday
items, including fresh vegetables, fruits,
seafood, and antiques. It is recommended
that you go in the morning while there
are still a lot of items.

Access20 minutes by car from Kochi Station.
OR MY Yu Bus (see pg. 16). Get oﬀ at “Mt. Godai
Observation Deck”, “Makino Botanical Garden”,
or “Chikurinji Temple”.

Mt. Godai MAP■A5-D
Mt. Godai is situated in the southeast part ofKochi City, and it is famous for cherry blossoms
and azaleas. You can get a great view of thecity from the mountain’s observation deck,and it is also a famous spot for a night view.

【Market Hours】(including preparation time
for opening and closing)

April to September: 5:00 - 18:00
October to March: 6:00 - 17:00
Closed on January 1 and 2,
and during Yosakoi Festival(August 10 - 12)

Makino Botanical Garden
MAP A5-D■

Makino Botanical Garden was opened in memory of
Makino Tomitaro, a world famous botanist. There isa section introducing his life and a project exhibition
room in the exhibition pavilion. There are also
restaurants and shops that adults andchildren alike can enjoy. The buildings
are built mostly out of wood, seeming
to be in harmony with Mt. Godai. You
can also enjoy diﬀerent plants in thegarden each season.

Chikurinji MAP■A5-D
Why don’ t you adopt the heart of a traveler
and become an “Ohenro-san”, or pilgrim,and visit Shikoku’ s eighty-eight sacredtemples? You will be able to encounter
beautiful nature and human warmth.
Chikurinji is the 31st temple on the holypilgrimage.

09

10

Yosakoi
National Contest
Yosakoi has spread to more than 200 places throughout Japan,
and each region has its own unique characteristics. In the
Yosakoi National Contest, teams participating from around thecountry and award-winning teams from the main festival
compete against one another.

よ
さ
こ
い

Kochi’s Famous
Yosakoi Festival
Yosakoi was started in Kochi in 1954 to help shore up the ailing economy and toencourage local citizens. It then spread not only throughout Japan, but also
throughout the whole world. In Kochi City, where Yosakoi originated, the festival isheld every year at 17 diﬀerent venues for four days starting on the evening of August
9th, which is the Pre-Festival Show. Approximately 190 teams totaling almost 20,000
dancers participate in the main part of the festival on August 10th and 11th. Eachteam presents a creative and energetic dance, and their unique costumes, music, andchoreography envelop the whole city in the Yosakoi Festival. On the 12th, thePost-Festival Show and the
Yosakoi National Contest are
held. Please visit Kochi andexperience this festival, where
the sound of wooden clappers
resounds throughout the city.

Kochi City Summer Evening Fireworks
Kochi City holds a ﬁreworks display every year
the evening before the Main Yosakoi Festival withapproximately 4,000 ﬁreworks of various types.
Date: August 9
Venue: Midori-no-hiroba (Green Square)【Pre-Festival Show】
Date: August 9
Venue: Chuo Koen ("Central Park")【Main Festival】
Date: August 10 and 11
Venues: There are many sites for competition and performancearound Kochi City, including Otesuji【Post-Festival Show/Yosakoi National Contest】
Date: August 12
Venues: Otesuji, Chuo Koen, Obiyamachi Arcade, and Kochi Castle

11

12

食

Rich Food Culture

We are proud of Tosa food culture,
cultivated by nature and rich tradition.

Katsuo (Bonito)

Kochi Prefecture boasts of having the highest
consumption of katsuo in Japan. There are a variety ofways to eat it, but “katsuo no tataki” is the mostrepresentative of Kochi. It is prepared by searing the
katsuo brieﬂy, then slicing and seasoning it with green
onion or myoga (Japanese ginger). Since each shopand region has its own seasoning or special sauce, you
can savor a variety of ﬂavors. “Shio tataki”, seared
katsuo served hot with salt, is one popular variety.

ひろめEnjoy Hirome Market

Inakazushi (sushi from the countryside)

There are seven sections in Hirome Market, such as “Castle Square” and“Ryoma Street”, which hold many unique shops such as ﬁsh vendors,
butchers, sundries shops, clothing stores, and restaurants. Everyone buys
food separately and then sits and eats together at the tables and chairs thatare placed throughout the market. After you are done eating, the staﬀ willcollect your dishes. You can eat, drink, and shop to your heart’ s content. At
Hirome, locals and tourists alikecan be found sharing tables andfriendly conversation while
enjoying the festivities frommorning to late evening.

13

This healthy dish is made withfresh, seasonal ingredients. These
ingredients change based on theregion and season, but they
include many local vegetables
such as bamboo shoots andshiitake mushrooms.

MAP B3-B■

Hat breadThis hat-shaped bread was createdin Kochi. The top part of the hat is
soft, and the brim is crispy, sweetsponge cake. It is available at mostbakeries in kochi.

FruitsSome famous Kochi citrus fruits are buntan(pomelo), konatsu orange, and ponkan (Chinesehoney orange).
They are bright yellow, juicy,
and sweet.

Access10 minutes by streetcar from
Kochi Station.
Get oﬀ at Ohashidori.

Aisukurin (derived from ice cream)
Imo Kenpi(sweet potato sticks)【Hours】
Weekdays, Saturdays, & National
Holidays: 8:00 - 23:00
Sundays: 7:00 - 23:00(Operating hours and oﬀ days
are diﬀerent from shop to shop)

This snack is made by frying sweet
potatoes and sprinkling them withsugar. They are crisp and sweet andhave a taste you won’ t ever get tiredof.

Aisukurin, a Kochi specialty, has atexture between ice cream andsherbet. It has a low fat content and apleasant aftertaste. It is popular for
its old and familiar ﬂavor, and it isoften sold at tourist spots like
Katsurahama.

14

A Taste ofSake Culture

酒

Sightseeing Transportation Guide for Kochi City
Distance Map For Vicinity Of Kochi City
Time By Car

5km, 10Min.

From Harimaya Bridge
Within Zone

Kochi IC

13km, Museum
25Min. of History

10.3km, 8Min.

8km, 25Min.
Ino IC

Kochi
CastleLiterary
Museum？
〇Ryoma's
Birthplace
Memorial
MuseumRemnants
of Yamauchi
Family Villa

Via Niyodogawakakoohashi Bridge

Players of Beku Hai, anothertraditional enkai game, spin a top
and drink from the cup indicatedon the upward facing side of the
top when it falls. The bottoms ofthe cups are hard to balance, andone has a hole in it, so you cannot
put them down until you ﬁnish
the sake inside.

15

Kochi
YosakoiMuseumTraffic Origin,
HarimayaBridge10km,
30Min.

Yokonami
Skyline16km, 25Min.

40km, 60Min.

14km, 35Min.
15km, 30Min.
Nishijima
Flower
Gardeni〇

SundayMarketIno-choPaper
MuseumHashi Ken (game using chop sticks)

0.8km,
JR Kochi 2Min.
Sta.

1km,
2Min.

1.5km, 4Min.

Yokoyama
Memorial
Manga
MuseumKatsurahama
Katsurahama Aquarium
The Sakamoto Ryoma Memorial Museum
Statue of Sakamoto Ryoma

Ryuga
Cave

27km,
50Min.

8km, 10Min.

Art
Museum

4km,
15Min.

Noichi
Zoological
Park
Ekin
19km, Museum
40Min.

Godaisan
MakinoBotanical
GardenLiberty
5km, 20Min.
And People's
RightsMuseum 2km, 5Min.

2km, 5Min. 1km, 3Min.

(cups that cannot be put down until
Beku Hai the sake inside has been finished)

NankokuIC

7.6km, 6Min.

i 〇？ Tourist information center〇

Living up to the name “Tosa, land of sake”, Kochi Prefecture
is known as a place where men and women of all (legal)
ages enjoy sake. Kochi has a variety of locally brewed sakerich with regional ﬂare that is characterized as transparent
with a crisp and dry ﬂavor that nevergets old. Kochi also has unique banquet
games such as “Hashi Ken” and “BekuHai”, which are not seen in otherregions.

This traditional Tosa enkai gameis p la yed b y two peo pl e andinvolves guessing the number ofchopsticks hidden in the sleeve of
the opponent’ s outstretchedarm. The loser has to drink sake,making the game more heated as
the players become drunker.

15km, 30Min.

18km, 35Min.
Kochi
Ryoma
Airport

15km, 25Min.
Via Urado-ohashi
Bridge10km, 20Min.
Kochi New
Harbor12km, 30Min.

MY Yu Bus
Kiku No Hana

Convenient for visiting Mt. Godai
and Katsurahama(chrysanthemum flower)■ Fare (unlimited ride for a day)In this game, many sake cups
are placed upside down, and achrysanthemum is placed
under one of the cups. Each
player has to ﬂip over one cup
in turn. If you lift the cup underwhich the ﬂower is hidden, thecups already turned over will
be ﬁlled with sake, and you
have to drink all of them! This
enkai game is really brutal!

Katsurahama

Mt. Godai

Adult : 1000 yenChild : 500 yen

HarimayaBridgeJR Kochi Sta.
【Purchasing tickets】
Tickets are sold:Onboard the MY Yu Bus
At “Tosaterasu” near the south exit of Kochi Station
At the Kochi Station Bus Terminal near the north exit of JR Kochi Station
At designated inns and hotels
At ticket oﬃces (midori-no-madoguchi)/Warp Plazas in JR Shikoku stations

16

FerryRailroad

AirplaneApprox. 1hr
From Nagoya by FDA

Transportation
Guide

Approx.
3hrs 15min.

Terada Torahiko Memorial 4-5 Ozu-cho, Kochi City
Tel.（088）
873-0564
Museum

9：00～17：00

Free

Wednesday
December 27 ‒ January 3

The Kochi Prefectual
Makino Botanical Garden

4200-6 Godaisan, Kochi City
Tel.（088）
882-2601

9：00～17：00

Adult: 720 yen; Free for highschool student and younger;
Group rate: 620 yen for 20 ormore people

December 27 ‒ January 1

Remnants of Yamauchi
Family Villa

1-3-35 Takajo-machi, Kochi City
Tel.（088）
832-7277（Kochi City
Hall Civil Rights and Cultural
Assets Division）

7：00～17：00

Free

Open all year
※May be temporarily closed

Kochi Castle Kaitokukan(tenshukaku)

Inside Kochi Castle, 1-2-1
Marunouchi, Kochi City
Tel.（088）824-5701

9：00～17：00

Adult: 420 yen; Free for highschool student and younger

December 26 ‒ December 31

Kochi Prefectural Literary
Museum1-1-20 Marunouchi, Kochi City
Tel.（088）822-0231

9：00～17：00

Permanent exhibition
Adult: 360 yen; Free for highschool student and younger

December 27 ‒ January 1※May be temporarily closed

Okawa-suji Samurai
Residence Museum

2-2-15 Okawa-suji, Kochi City
Tel.（088）
871-7565

9：00～17：00

Free

Wednesday
December 27 ‒ January 3

Ryoma's Birthplace
Memorial Museum

2-6-33 Kamimachi, Kochi City
Tel.（088）
820-1115

8：00～19：00

300 yenFree for high school student
and younger

Open all year
(With guide to surrounding
historic sites by a volunteered
tour guide)

Kochi City Culture Plaza
Yokoyama
Cul-Port, 2-1 Kutanda, Kochi City
Memorial Manga Museum Tel.（088）883-5029

9：00～18：00

Adult: 410 yen
Free for high school student
and younger

Monday (open on holiday andmakeup holiday)
December 28 ‒ January 4

Kochi Yosakoi Museum

1-10-1 Harimaya-cho,
Kochi City
Tel.（088）880-4351

10：00～18：30

Free

Wednesday
December 29 ‒ January 1

Katsurahama Aquarium

778 Urado, Kochi City
Tel.（088）
841-2437

9:00 - 17:30
9:00 - 17:00 in winterAdult: 1,200 yen;
Senior/junior-high student: 600 yen;
Elementary school student: 600 yen
Infant (age 3 and older): 400 yen

Open all year

The Sakamoto Ryoma
Memorial Museum

830 Urado-shiroyama, Kochi City
Tel.（088）
841-0001

9：00～17：00

Permanent exhibition
Adult: 500 yen; Free for highschool student and younger

Open all year

Public Hostel
Katsurahama-so

830-25 Urado-Shiroyama,
Kochi City
Tel.（088）
841-2201

Check in at 15:00
Check out at 10:00

Adult: from 9,720 yen; Child:from 8,640 yen Overnight staywith two meals, tax included※May be temporarily closed

Kochi Liberty and
People's Rights Museum

4-14-3 Sanbashi-dori, Kochi City
Tel.
（088）
831-3336

9：30～17：00

Adult: 320 yen; Free for highschool student and younger

Monday (or the next day if
Monday is a Holiday)
December 27 ‒ January 4

Wan Park Kochi

6-9-1 Sanbashi-dori, Kochi City
Tel.（088）
834-1890

9：00～17：00

Free
Playground equipment
usage fee once 200 yen ～Wednesday (or the next day if
Wednesday is a Holiday)
December 28 ‒ January 1

The Museum of Art, Kochi

353-2 Takasu, Kochi City
Tel.（088）
866-8000

9：00～17：00

Permanent exhibition
Adult: 360 yen; College student:
250 yen Free for high school
student and younger

December 27 ‒ January 1※May be temporarily closed

Hamaguchi Osachi House

4377 Godaisan, Kochi City
Tel.
（088）
832-7277（Kochi City Hall Civil Rights andCultural Assets Division）

9：00～16：00

Free

Wednesday
December 27 ‒ January 3

Kochi City Tanaka
Ryosuke Former
Residence Museum

381 Shibamaki, Kochi City
Tel.
（088）
823-9457（Kochi City
Hall Tourism Promotion Division）

10：00～17：00

Free

Monday - Thursday
December 27 ‒ January 3

Kochi City Haruno Folk
Museum340 Harunocho Nishibun,
Kochi City
Tel.（088）
894-2805

10：00～18：00(Saturday / Sunday
10：00～17：00)

Free

Every Monday/ holiday/20th of
every month
December 28 ‒ January 4

The contents are subject to change