In the area surrounding Kochi City, there are sightseeing spots such as Kokubunji Temple, Hayamoura Dam, and Matuma-iwa, sightseeing events such as Yosakoi Festival, Cherry Blossom Festival, and Mushifuri, and local delicacies such as Kanzashi, bonito tataki, and bonito flakes.
Kochi is a tourist destination where visitors can still feel the passionate spirit of the Meiji Restoration. You can feel the history everywhere in Kochi, which produced Ryoma Sakamoto, Taisuke Itagaki, and many others. Especially for Ryoma fans, there are many places of interest related to him that you must visit at least once.
A statue of Ryoma stands on Katsurahama Beach overlooking the Pacific Ocean, and nearby is the Sakamoto Ryoma Memorial Museum, which houses a collection of his handwritten letters and various other valuable documents. There is also a life-size set of the Omiya, the scene of his assassination, which is a very compelling sight.
Near his birthplace is the "Ryoma's Birthplace Memorial Museum," which introduces visitors to Ryoma's boyhood with a model of the town as it looked in those days. By making a reservation, visitors can experience a walking tour of the town that takes them to historical sites related to Ryoma.
Yanase Takashi is another famous person born in Kochi. At the Yanase Takashi Memorial Museum, visitors can visit the "Anpanman Museum" and the "Poem and Fairy Tale Picture Book Museum" to remember his great achievements. The large garden is lined with sculptures of Anpanman characters and is recommended for families with small children.
If you want to enjoy nature to the fullest, you can also visit Yonghe Cave. The cave was created about 175 million years ago and is lined with large stalagmites, stone pillars, thousand slabs, and descending slabs, and about a quarter of the 4 km long cave is a tour route. The caves are cool and comfortable even in summer, so it is a good idea to take your time and enjoy the miracle of nature.
The Yonghe-dong Curiosity Center, located inside the limestone cave, is home to a number of rare birds. It is possible to observe more than 30 species of rare birds, including the naturally endangered Onaga, the beautifully singing Dotenkaku, and the Dashaku.
At the nearby "Kochi Prefectural Noichi Animal Park," visitors can observe animals being kept in their natural habitat without cages or fences as much as possible. Nearby is "Sakura-no Hiroba" (cherry blossom plaza), where approximately 300 Someiyoshino cherry trees bloom one after another during the season, attracting many people as a perfect hanami (cherry blossom viewing) spot.
Ishizuchi, the highest mountain in western Japan, this 27-km route winds along a ridge between 1,300 and 1,700 meters above sea level. On a clear day, you can see not only the Ishizuchi mountain range but also Tosa Bay in a series of dynamic views. The route also offers a variety of views unique to the mountainous area, such as azaleas and rhododendrons in spring, fresh greenery in summer, and m...»
The Niyodo River is a beautiful river with a unique blue color that can only be seen here, which is described as "Niyodo blue.It is a 124-km long first-class river flowing from Ehime to Kochi prefectures, and boasts the best water quality in Japan. The river is so clear that one can see 40 meters ahead and see fish such as ayu (sweetfish) swimming around. Ishizuchi, the highest sacred mountain i...»
Kochi Castle was completed by Kazutoyo Yamauchi, who became the feudal lord of Tosa. The entire castle site is designated as a national historic site and is a prefectural historical park. The castle was built in 1601....»
Located on the Nakatsu River, a tributary of the Niyodo River, Nakatsu Valley is a beautiful valley with fresh green and autumn leaves. There is a 2.3 km-long promenade along the blue "Niyodo blue" river, which weaves through large rocks and crosses the river many times on stone bridges. After about a 20-minute walk, visitors will be close to the beauty of the valley and its odd sights, such as ...»
The valley is known for its clear, blue river called "Niyodo Blue" and the most beautiful autumn foliage in the prefecture. It offers good views of the upper reaches of the Yasui River, the Chihirokyo Gorge, and the Horaizan Observatory. Plenty of places to seeHiryu Falls, named for its two-tiered waterfall with a drop of 30 meters, which looks like a dragon twisting its body and flying away.Sho...»
Katsurahama is a sandy beach located at the tip of Urato Peninsula in Kochi City, between Ryuoh Cape and Ryuto Cape. It is one of the most scenic spots in Kochi Prefecture, and is sung in the Yosakoi-bushi folk song, "Katsurahama Beach is famous for its moon. The five-colored sands and green pine trees surrounding the beach are beautiful.The Tosa Dogfighting Center, Katsurahama Aquarium, Sakamot...»
Mysterious blue waterfall basin, the setting of a legend of a beautiful girl and a giant snake. Located on the Edagawa River, a tributary of the Niyodo River, this pool is a sanctuary of the beautiful and fantastic Niyodo blue. It is said that the same blue color cannot be seen throughout the year. Depending on the time of day when the sunlight pours in and the angle of the light depending on the...»
Tosa Shrine is the oldest shrine in Tosa, and is surrounded by over 200 year-old cypress and cedar trees, and has a tonbo style hall of worship. The shrine was built between 457 and 479. As described in "Nihon Shoki (Chronicles of Japan)" and "Tosa Kuni Fudoki (Tosa Province Fudoki)" (anecdotes), it is an ancient shrine that has been enshrined since ancient times, and in the medieval and early mo...»
This botanical garden is dedicated to the memory of Dr. Tomitaro Makino, a world-renowned botanist born in Kochi. The garden has about 3,000 species of plants related to Dr. Makino, 58,000 items from the Makino Collection, a greenhouse, and other facilities. Most of the approximately 3,000 plant species planted in the Makino Botanical Garden, a research-oriented facility, are wild species, and t...»
A 4-km-long limestone cave, 1 km of the East Main Cave is open to the public out of the three caves.About 100 species of cave animals inhabit the caves. The mysterious caves, where limestone has been eroded away over the past 175 million years, have been designated as a national natural monument and a historic site, and include a jar of gods left by ancient people, the remains of a Yayoi period d...»
“Hama azami” is a kind of thistle that grows naturally around the shore or Muroto cape. People have been eating this locally since long ago. The good taste and fragrance of hama azami have spread is popularity and it is now becoming more popular after Japanese restaurants started serving hama azami tempura....»