Kochi · Things to do
Things to Do in Kochi: 16 Places with Hours, Prices and Access
16 things to do · checked October 20, 2026
16 things to do in Kochi, from the castle outward
Hours, prices and access checked against each place's own page on October 20, 2026. They change; check before you go.
1Kochi Castle高知城
Castle · Kochi Castle
Construction began in 1601 under Yamanouchi Kazutoyo, the first lord of the Tosa domain. The keep and main gate both survive, and the city's guide says only three castles in Japan can say that. The top floor looks out over the city; the castle is a nationally designated Important Cultural Property.
- Access
- Tram to Kochijo-mae, then a short walk (the Kochi Castle Museum of History gives about 2 minutes from the stop; the prefectural tourism site about 3). The city's guide gives about 10 minutes by tram from JR Kochi Station.
- Hours
- 9:00–17:00 (last entry 16:30); hours may be extended in Golden Week and during the Yosakoi festival
- Closed on
- 26 December–1 January
- Price
- Adults (18+) ¥500; under 18 free (student ID needed). Combined ticket with the Kochi Castle Museum of History ¥800 (permanent exhibition) or ¥1,040 (special exhibition), adults, same day only
2Kochi Castle Museum of History高知城歴史博物館
History museum · Kochi Castle
A museum at the foot of the castle, across the street from it, for the Tosa domain and the Yamauchi family. Only the third-floor exhibition rooms need a ticket; the museum shop and café do not.
- Access
- From JR Kochi Station take a tram to Harimaya-bashi (about 5 minutes), change to a tram bound for Kagamigawa-bashi, Asakura or Ino (about 5 minutes) and get off at Kochijo-mae, then walk about 2 minutes. A transfer ticket is issued.
- Hours
- 9:00–18:00; Sundays 8:00–18:00 (exhibition rooms close to new entry 30 minutes earlier)
- Closed on
- 27 December–1 January; individual exhibition rooms close between displays
- Price
- Permanent exhibition, adults (18+) ¥500; during special exhibitions ¥800. 18 and under free
3Hirome Marketひろめ市場
Indoor food market · Obiyamachi
An indoor market that works like a food court: you buy from the different stalls and eat at shared tables. The prefectural tourism site counts around 60 eateries and seating for over 400 people. Entry is free, and payment is at each stall.
- Access
- About 3 minutes on foot from the Ohashidori tram stop. The city's guide gives about 10 minutes by tram from JR Kochi Station.
- Hours
- Monday–Saturday 10:00–23:00; Sunday 9:00–23:00. Each shop sets its own hours
- Closed on
- New Year's Day and about six other days a year; the market publishes the schedule on its site
- Price
- Free to enter; food and drink paid for at each stall
4Sunday Market (Nichiyoichi)日曜市
Street market · Otesuji
A market of more than 300 years running about 1 km east from Kochi Castle every Sunday, selling fresh vegetables, fruit, seafood, antiques and street food. The city's guide counts about 500 booths; the prefectural tourism site about 300.
Sundays only.
- Access
- The city's guide gives about a 10-minute walk from JR Kochi Station. The market starts at the foot of Kochi Castle.
- Hours
- Sundays: April–September 5:00–18:00; October–March 6:00–17:00 (times include setting up and packing away)
- Closed on
- 1–2 January, and 10–12 August (Yosakoi Festival)
5Harimaya Bridgeはりまや橋
Landmark bridge · Harimaya-bashi
A small vermilion bridge in central Kochi, tied to the legend of the monk Junshin and the merchant's daughter Ouma that appears in the lyrics of the folk song Yosakoi-bushi. The surroundings are a small park with a man-made stream; across the street a clock announces each hour with mechanical figures.
- Access
- About a 10-minute walk from JR Kochi Station. Trams change at Harimaya-bashi on the way to Kochi Castle.
6Memorial Museum at Ryoma's Birthplace高知市立龍馬の生まれたまち記念館
History museum · Kamimachi
A city museum in Kamimachi, the district where Sakamoto Ryoma was born, west of Kochi Castle. A stone monument for the birthplace itself stands at 1-7 Kamimachi, and audio guides are available for non-Japanese speakers.
- Access
- About 15 minutes by tram from JR Kochi Station to Kamimachi 1-chome, then a short walk.
- Hours
- 8:00–19:00 (last entry 18:30)
- Closed on
- None; open every day of the year
- Price
- Adults (18+) ¥370; 18 and under free
7Katsurahama and the Sakamoto Ryoma statue桂浜
Beach and park · Katsurahama
A crescent-shaped Pacific beach about 13 km from the city centre, long known as a place to watch the moon. The 13.5 m statue of Sakamoto Ryoma overlooks the ocean; swimming is prohibited because of strong currents and big waves.
- Access
- MY-YU Bus or a Tosaden route bus to the Katsurahama stop, then a short walk. About 30 minutes by car from Kochi IC.
8Katsurahama Aquarium桂浜水族館
Aquarium · Katsurahama
An aquarium inside Katsurahama Park, open every day of the year apart from New Year's Day.
- Access
- Inside Katsurahama Park (778 Urado). MY-YU Bus or Tosaden route bus to the Katsurahama stop.
- Hours
- 9:00–17:00 (last entry 16:30)
- Closed on
- 1 January
9Sakamoto Ryoma Memorial Museum高知県立坂本龍馬記念館
History museum · Katsurahama
A museum on a hill above Katsurahama Park, facing the Pacific, devoted to the Kochi-born samurai Sakamoto Ryoma. A life-size statue of him stands at the entrance, and the prefectural tourism site says it holds the world's most extensive collection of his letters.
- Access
- About a 2-minute walk from the Ryoma Kinenkan-mae bus stop, served by Tosaden and MY-YU buses.
- Hours
- 9:00–17:00 (last entry 16:30)
- Closed on
- Open year-round per the tourism listing; the museum's own site mentions a fiscal 2026 closure of the permanent exhibition room (dates not read here)
- Price
- Adults (18+) ¥500 without a planned exhibition, ¥900 during planned exhibitions; high school age and under free
10Mt. Godai observation deck五台山展望台
Viewpoint · Mt. Godai
Mt. Godai is in the south-east of the city, known for cherry blossoms and azaleas. Its observation deck overlooks Kochi and is a popular spot for night views. Chikurinji and Makino Botanical Garden are on the same mountain.
- Access
- MY-YU Bus to the Mt. Godai Observation Deck stop. By car about 20 minutes from JR Kochi Station.
11Chikurinji Temple竹林寺
Temple · Mt. Godai
Temple 31 of the Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage, thought to date from 724, with a red five-storied pagoda, a moss-covered approach and a 14th-century garden registered as a National Place of Scenic Beauty. Its main figure is Monju Bosatsu, the bodhisattva of wisdom.
- Access
- MY-YU Bus to the Chikurinji stop, then a short walk. About 20 minutes by car from Kochi IC.
- Hours
- Main grounds 8:00–17:00; Meisho Garden and Homotsukan (treasure hall) 8:30–17:00. Open year-round
- Price
- Main grounds free; the Meisho Garden charges a small fee (amount not stated on the page read)
12Makino Botanical Garden高知県立牧野植物園
Botanical garden · Mt. Godai
A prefectural botanical garden on Mt. Godai, next to Chikurinji. The garden's orchid exhibition runs 6–28 February 2027, with a higher fee while it lasts.
- Access
- MY-YU Bus from JR Kochi Station, about 30 minutes, to the Makino Botanical Garden main gate stop. By car, set the navigation to Chikurinji; parking is free.
- Hours
- 9:00–17:00 (last entry 16:30)
- Closed on
- 27 December–1 January; maintenance days 26 October and 30 November 2026, then 25 January, 26 May, 30 June, 28 July, 25 August, 29 September, 27 October and 24 November 2027
- Price
- Adults ¥850; high school age and under free. During the orchid exhibition (6–28 February 2027) adults ¥1,700
13Yosakoi Festivalよさこい祭り
Festival (August) · Central Kochi
Kochi's summer dance festival, in which teams dance forward holding naruko clappers to music that includes phrases of the Yosakoi-bushi folk song. The 2026 festival ran 9–12 August. The prefectural tourism site describes about 200 teams and about 20,000 dancers across 16 venues, 9 competition venues and 7 performance spaces. Dates for 2027 are not yet on the organiser's site.
August only. The organiser's site lists 9–12 August for 2026 and no 2027 dates yet.
- Access
- Venues are spread across central Kochi. The Sunday Market is closed 10–12 August.
- Hours
- Held 9–12 August in 2026 (organiser's site); ticketed competition sessions on 10–12 August per the tourism site
14Nikobuchi (day trip)仁淀ブルー・にこ淵
Waterfall pool, day trip · Niyodo River, outside Kochi City
Day trip from Kochi. The plunge pool of a short waterfall on the upper Niyodo River, considered one of the best places to see the river's clear blue colour; the colour is deepest around midday, when sun reaches the water. Locals regard the site as sacred and swimming is prohibited.
Day trip, about 1 hour by car from Ino IC.
- Access
- About 1 hour by car from Ino IC on the Kochi Expressway, or Tosaden bus to Hodono Iriguchi and about 20 minutes on foot. A paved path and a metal staircase lead to the pool.
15Shimanto River (day trip)四万十川
River, day trip · Shimanto River, west Kochi
Day trip from Kochi. The Shimanto runs about 196 km from the mountains to the Pacific and is described as Japan's last free-flowing, clear river. Its submersible bridges (chinkabashi) have no railings so floods pass over them: 22 on the main river and 26 on tributaries.
Day trip to west Kochi; travel time not given by the tourism site.
- Access
- Tosa Kuroshio Railway to Nakamura Station, the easiest station to reach from Kochi City according to the tourism site; the site gives no travel time. The Shimanto River Bus (¥1,500 or ¥2,400 per course) runs weekends from October to March, on public holidays and in spring break.
16Iya Valley (day trip, Tokushima)祖谷
Mountain valley, day trip · Miyoshi, Tokushima Prefecture
Day trip from Kochi, in Tokushima Prefecture, not Kochi. Miyoshi City's tourism site covers the Oku-Iya Double Vine Bridges, open 1 April to 30 November 2026, and the Iya-no-Kazurabashi vine bridge, whose wisteria usually peaks from late April to early May.
Day trip into Tokushima Prefecture; about 1 hour by limited express to Oboke Station.
- Access
- Nanpu or Shimanto limited express from JR Kochi Station to Oboke Station, about 1 hour per Miyoshi's access page, then local bus or taxi into the valley.
Good to know
Start in the centre. Kochi Castle opens 9:00–17:00 (last entry 16:30) for ¥500, the Kochi Castle Museum of History is across the street, and Hirome Market, Harimaya Bridge and the Sunday Market are all within the same stretch of the city. Sunday Market runs about 1 km east from the castle, from 5:00 (April–September) or 6:00 (October–March), and closes for the Yosakoi Festival on 10–12 August.
Three places sit outside the centre and are reached by the MY-YU Bus or a route bus. Katsurahama, about 13 km out, has the beach, the Sakamoto Ryoma statue, an aquarium and the Ryoma Memorial Museum. On Mt. Godai, Chikurinji, Makino Botanical Garden and the observation deck are all MY-YU Bus stops. The three day trips at the end of the list (Nikobuchi, the Shimanto River and the Iya Valley in Tokushima) each take a half to a full day.
Dates to plan around: Makino Botanical Garden is closed on 26 October and 30 November 2026, and its orchid exhibition runs 6–28 February 2027. The Yosakoi Festival ran 9–12 August in 2026; the organiser has not yet posted 2027 dates. Hours, fees and closed days on each card come from the place's own page or from the prefectural tourism site, checked on 20 October 2026.
Centre, Mt. Godai, Katsurahama, or a day trip
Getting there, what it costs to get in, and when it closes. Adult prices; where a place does not publish a fee, the cell says so.
| Where | Getting there | Entry (adult) | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| City centre: Kochi Castle, Castle Museum of History, Hirome Market, Harimaya Bridge | Tram to Kochijo-mae for the castle; Hirome is about 3 min from Ohashidori tram stop; Harimaya Bridge about 10 min on foot from Kochi Station | Castle ¥500 · Museum of History ¥500 (¥800 special exhibitions) · combined ¥800 · Hirome free | Castle 9:00–17:00 (last 16:30) · Museum 9:00–18:00, Sundays from 8:00 · Hirome 10:00–23:00, Sundays from 9:00 |
| Sunday Market | About 10 min on foot from Kochi Station (city's guide); starts at the castle | No fee stated | April–September 5:00–18:00 · October–March 6:00–17:00 |
| Mt. Godai: Chikurinji, Makino Botanical Garden, observation deck | MY-YU Bus; Makino about 30 min from Kochi Station | Chikurinji grounds free · Makino ¥850 | Chikurinji grounds 8:00–17:00 · Makino 9:00–17:00 (last 16:30) |
| Katsurahama: beach, statue, aquarium, Ryoma Memorial Museum | MY-YU Bus or Tosaden route bus; about 13 km from the centre | Museum ¥500 (¥900 during planned exhibitions) · beach and aquarium fees not stated here | Aquarium 9:00–17:00 · Museum 9:00–17:00 (last 16:30) |
| Day trips: Nikobuchi, Shimanto River, Iya Valley | Nikobuchi about 1 h by car from Ino IC · Shimanto: Tosa Kuroshio Railway to Nakamura · Iya: limited express to Oboke, about 1 h | Not stated by the sources read | Oku-Iya vine bridges open 1 April–30 November 2026 |
By kind of trip
First day in the centre
The castle closes to new entry at 16:30 and the Museum of History at 17:30, so go there first. Hirome Market stays open until 23:00 and Harimaya Bridge can be seen at any hour.
Kochi Castle · Kochi Castle Museum of History · Harimaya Bridge · Hirome Market
A Sunday morning
The Sunday Market opens at 5:00 (April–September) or 6:00 (October–March) and starts at the foot of the castle. Hirome opens at 9:00 on Sundays.
Sakamoto Ryoma
Three sites sit in different parts of the city: the birthplace museum in Kamimachi (8:00–19:00 daily), and the statue and the memorial museum at Katsurahama.
Memorial Museum at Ryoma's Birthplace · Katsurahama and the Sakamoto Ryoma statue · Sakamoto Ryoma Memorial Museum
Rain or heat
These are indoors or under a roof: the two Ryoma museums, the Castle Museum of History and the covered Hirome Market.
Kochi Castle Museum of History · Memorial Museum at Ryoma's Birthplace · Sakamoto Ryoma Memorial Museum · Hirome Market
One half-day on Mt. Godai
Chikurinji, Makino Botanical Garden and the observation deck are all MY-YU Bus stops on the same mountain. Both Chikurinji (to 17:00) and Makino (last entry 16:30) close early.
Chikurinji Temple · Makino Botanical Garden · Mt. Godai observation deck
Questions
When is the Yosakoi Festival?
The organiser's site lists the 2026 festival as 9–12 August, and the prefectural tourism site describes the festival as held on those days in Kochi City. The organiser has not posted 2027 dates yet. The Sunday Market is closed 10–12 August.
What does the MY-YU Bus cost?
The prefectural tourism site lists the Katsurahama Ticket at ¥1,500 for adults (12+) and ¥750 for children, and the Godaisan Ticket at ¥1,000 and ¥500. The ticket covers a day of hop-on, hop-off rides from JR Kochi Station, free tram rides in the flat-fare area and discounts at some attractions.
Is the Sunday Market open all year?
It runs every Sunday except 1–2 January and 10–12 August. Hours are 5:00–18:00 from April to September and 6:00–17:00 from October to March, including setting up and packing away.
How do I reach the Iya Valley from Kochi?
Miyoshi City's tourism site lists the Nanpu or Shimanto limited express from Kochi Station to Oboke Station at about 1 hour. The valley is in Tokushima Prefecture. The Oku-Iya Double Vine Bridges are open 1 April to 30 November 2026.
What is open late in Kochi?
Hirome Market is open until 23:00. The Kochi Castle Museum of History closes at 18:00 and the castle at 17:00, with last entry at 16:30.