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JAPAN

Kochi

Clear rivers and Pacific horizons.

Popular keywords#Local sightseeing & town walks#Nature & scenic views#Architecture#Culture & history#Outdoor & land art#Art spot#Food, markets & local products#Protection from misfortune#Industry, technology & educational tours
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KochiShrines & Temples, Art & Crafts · 31 entriesMurotoShrines & Temples, Architecture · 9 entriesKohan & NiyodogawaNature & Scenery, Culture & History · 8 entriesTosashimizuShrines & Temples, Contemporary Art · 6 entriesShimantoShrines & Temples, Architecture · 6 entriesAkiArchitecture, Nature & Scenery · 6 entries
FEATUREKochi now (autumn)Autumn colors reach the Niyodo River as modori-gatsuo bonito comes into season.See the feature r18 INO (PACHIMO) · CC BY 3.0
Browse Sunday MarketBrowse local produce, snacks and crafts at Kochi's long-running street market.Walk Cape MurotoWalk a rugged geopark coast shaped by tectonic forces and the Pacific Ocean.Sear Bonito over StrawTaste bonito flash-seared over blazing rice straw for a smoky finish.

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JAPAN GUIDE

Things worth knowing about Japan

No worries even on a first trip to Japan. Useful things to know, explained clearly.

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Q. What do people get wrong about IC cards (Suica, PASMO) in Japan?

This answer is a draft. It stays unpublished until legal review and source verification are complete. The answ…

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Q. What do people get wrong about coin lockers and luggage forwarding in Japan?

This answer is a draft. It stays unpublished until legal review and source verification are complete. The answ…

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Q. What do people get wrong about Golden Week, Obon and New Year travel?

This answer is a draft. It stays unpublished until legal review and source verification are complete. The answ…

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REGIONAL SPECIALTIES

Meet the Japan you don't know yet.

It is not only the big cities. The regions are full of charm, and special experiences you can only have in each place are waiting.

Roadside Station Bios OogataIshimoto Yasuhiro Photo CenterShimanto River

Value Village

Japan's value, to the world.

Regional culture, tradition, food, sightseeing, nature and people. A directory that delivers the appeal of each to the whole world.

About Value Village
Value VillageLocal Value, Global Reach.
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INSTAGRAM / 6

Official and local Instagram photos

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THINGS TO DO / 6

Things to do in this prefecture

Choose from what you can only do here.

01Paddle the ShimantoPaddle or cruise the clear river past the Shimanto's iconic low-water bridges.See related entries →As6022014 · CC BY-SA 3.002Seek Niyodo BlueDiscover luminous blue pools and waterfalls along the exceptionally clear Niyodo River.See related entries →Olegushka · CC BY-SA 4.003Explore Kochi CastleExplore the rare original keep and palace preserved together at Kochi Castle.See related entries →kdewa · CC BY 3.004Browse Sunday MarketBrowse local produce, snacks and crafts at Kochi's long-running street market.See related entries →noppo3 · CC BY-SA 3.005Sear Bonito over StrawTaste bonito flash-seared over blazing rice straw for a smoky finish.See related entries →Reggaeman · CC BY-SA 3.006Walk Cape MurotoWalk a rugged geopark coast shaped by tectonic forces and the Pacific Ocean.See related entries →United Kingdom Hydrographic Office · Public domain

NEED TO KNOW

At a glance

  • AirportKochi Ryoma Airport
  • ShinkansenNone (nearest: Okayama Station)
  • From TokyoAbout 1 hr 25 min by air
  • Best seasonMarch–May and October–November
  • Local specialtiesSeared bonito · Sawachi cuisine · Nabeyaki ramen
  • Typical temperatureSummer: around 28°C / Winter: around 7°C

See all 297 entries in this prefecture →

BEST TIME TO TRAVEL

What each season brings

LOCAL FOOD / 12

Local food

What people have long eaten in this place. We collect the dishes themselves, not restaurants.

See food entries in this prefecture →

Katsuo no Tataki (Seared Bonito)

Bonito filleted into three pieces is placed on a grilling rack and the surface is seared, then it is cut into thick slices, sprinkled with salt and lightly pounded. A sauce of yuzu vinegar or soy sauce is poured over it, with garlic, green onion and onion.

Area：Throughout the prefecture

Source：Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF)

Sawachi Ryori

Sushi, seared bonito, sashimi, simmered dishes and fried dishes arranged together on a large platter for banquets. People gather around it and each person serves themselves onto a small plate.

Area：Throughout the prefecture

Source：Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF)

Inaka-zushi

Vinegared rice made with citrus vinegar such as yuzu, topped with mountain ingredients such as ryukyu, the stems of hasuimo taro, pickled in sweet vinegar, myoga, sweetly simmered shiitake, bamboo shoots and konjac.

Area：Throughout the prefecture

Source：Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF)

Saba no Sugata-zushi

Mackerel opened along the back is cured with salt, then soaked in vinegar, filled with vinegared rice mixed with ginger and sesame, shaped, and served with the head and tail still attached.

Area：Throughout the prefecture

Source：Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF)

Guruni

Daikon, carrot, taro, burdock, konjac and thick fried tofu are cut into cubes, simmered in dashi made from small dried fish and seasoned with soy sauce. In some areas it is seasoned with miso.

Area：Throughout the prefecture

Source：Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF)

Ryukyu no Sunomono

The stems of hasuimo taro are peeled, soaked in water and rubbed with salt, then dressed with fish such as cutlassfish or marlin that has been soaked in yuzu vinegar, along with ginger and sesame.

Area：Throughout the prefecture

Source：Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF)

Itadori no Abura-itame

The wild plant itadori is peeled, dipped in boiling water and soaked in cold water to remove its harshness, then stir-fried in oil and seasoned with sugar and soy sauce. Deep-fried fish paste or chikuwa is sometimes added.

Area：Throughout the prefecture

Source：Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF)

Kokera-zushi

Vinegared rice and toppings such as flaked fish, carrot, shiitake and egg are layered many times in a wooden frame, pressed firm and cut into pieces to serve. The largest use five sho (about nine liters) of rice.

Area：Muroto

Source：Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF)

Tsugani-jiru

Mitten crab is ground up shell and all, strained into a pot of boiling water, and simmered with eggplant and the stems of hasuimo taro. Seasoned with soy sauce and sake.

Area：Shimanto, Niyodo and Monobe River basins

Source：Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF)

Kibinago no Hokaburi

Okara toasted with salt and sugar is shaped into balls and wrapped in silver-stripe round herring that has been opened along the back and cured with vinegar. A small sushi that uses no rice.

Area：Throughout the prefecture

Source：Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF)

Imo no Kuki no Itameni

The tender parts of sweet potato vines are peeled and parboiled, stir-fried in a pot, then simmered in dashi and seasoned with sugar and soy sauce. Deep-fried fish paste is often added.

Area：Throughout the prefecture

Source：Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF)

MICHI-NO-EKI / 26

Michi-no-Eki roadside stations

RestInformationLocal links

Rest facilities registered by Japan's national government. Each has parking and toilets open 24 hours, and by definition includes a facility that sells local products. This is where the making and the food of this prefecture can actually be bought.

There are 26 stations in this prefecture in all (national registry).

Source: MLIT register of Michi-no-Eki

LOCAL ACCOUNTS / 2

People posting this area

Japanese-language accounts that post about this area.

These are third-party accounts. They are not affiliated with Value Village and this is not an endorsement.

CITIES & TOWNS / 25

Find by city or town

Sorted by number of entries. Start from the name of a town.

Kochi 31Muroto 9Kohan & Niyodogawa 8Tosashimizu 6Shimanto 6Aki 6Ino 5Nankoku 3Konan 3Kami 3Yusuhara 3Tosa 2Shimanto 2Sukumo 2Nakatosa 2Sakawa 2Haruno 1Yasuda 1
See other cities and towns（7）

INTERESTS / 13

Find by interest

Only the interests found in this prefecture.

Tosa Jinja · Reggaeman · CC BY-SA 3.0

Shrines & Temples29 entries

Tosa Jinja ／ Chikurinji

To the list Shimanto River · As6022014 · CC BY-SA 3.0

Nature & Scenery27 entries

Shimanto River ／ Katsurahama

To the list Hirome Market · Maarten Heerlien · CC BY 2.0

Historic Districts21 entries

Hirome Market ／ Hashimoto Shokudo

To the list

Gardens1 entries

Godaisan

To the list Kochi-jo · kdewa · CC BY 3.0

Architecture15 entries

Kochi-jo ／ Makino Botanical Garden

To the list Nora Dokei · 京浜にけ · CC BY-SA 3.0

Museums9 entries

Nora Dokei ／ Sakamoto Ryoma Memorial Museum

To the list Yosakoi Matsuri · 7beachbum · CC BY 2.0

Art & Crafts39 entries

Yosakoi Matsuri ／ The Museum of Art, Kochi

To the list The Shimanto River · As6022014 · CC BY-SA 3.0

Contemporary Art12 entries

The Shimanto River ／ Monet's Garden Marmottan

To the list Muroto Geopark · inunami · CC BY 2.0

Craft Experiences53 entries

Muroto Geopark ／ Shimantogawa

To the list Takasu Rice Terraces · Asset utilitist · CC0

Culture & History14 entries

Takasu Rice Terraces ／ Godaisan Observatory Terrace

To the list Shinane-sai · Saigen Jiro · CC0

Festivals1 entries

Shinane-sai

To the list Tosatsuru Sake Brewery Head Office Brewery · oddstranger · CC BY-SA 2.0

Food & Markets39 entries

Tosatsuru Sake Brewery Head Office Brewery ／ Roadside Station Bios Oogata

To the list Nakatsu Gorge · r18 INO (PACHIMO) · CC BY 3.0

Experiences26 entries

Nakatsu Gorge ／ Usa Fishing Port

To the list

HIGHLIGHTS

Highlights of this prefecture

From entries with clearly licensed photos.

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SMILE NEWS / 136

Smile news from Japan and the world

Stories that lift your spirits a little, collected with their sources.

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Kochi

Kochi collector's 'Chikamori Collection' goes on show

An exhibition of scrolls and paintings kept at home by collector Shigeharu Chikamori opened at the Kochi Liberty and People's Rights Museum. It runs until 21 February 2027, with free entry for high-school students and younger and those 65 and over.

source: Yosakoi Kochi Culture Festival 2026 (Kochi Prefecture)
Patagonia National Park, Chile

Women rangers return Darwin's rheas to the wild in Chile

In Chile's Patagonia National Park, a women-led ranger team returned 13 Darwin's rheas to the wild in April 2026. Working with the Rewilding Chile Foundation, they care for the birds around the clock; surveys once estimated only about 11 to 15 remained.

source: Mongabay
Matusadona National Park, Zimbabwe

New 210-million-year-old dinosaur species named from Zimbabwe's Lake Kariba shore

A new dinosaur species, Musango matusadonaensis, has been described from rocks about 210 million years old in Matusadona National Park on the shore of Lake Kariba, Zimbabwe. The bipedal, not-yet-adult animal was about 4.5 metres long, and the find suggests Zimbabwe's dinosaur fauna differed from South Africa's.

source: Phys.org (The Conversation)

INSTAGRAM

Explore on Instagram

Hashtags often used for this area. Each opens the tag page on Instagram.

#高知県Kochi Prefecture

SEASONS & EVENTS

Seasons & events

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BEFORE YOU GO

Before you go

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Q1Q. What do people get wrong about IC cards (Suica, PASMO) in Japan?Q2Q. What do people get wrong about coin lockers and luggage forwarding in Japan?Q3Q. What do people get wrong about Golden Week, Obon and New Year travel?

TRAVEL

Transport & stays

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Photos of Kochi

Real photos of the region. Select an image to enlarge it.

KochiEnlarge ↗
Kochinoppo3 · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Original image and source ↗Display size adjusted. The enlarged view shows the whole photo.
KochiEnlarge ↗
Kochiosami · Public domain · Original image and source ↗Display size adjusted. The enlarged view shows the whole photo.

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