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Kochi Castle

Kochi Castle (Kochijo) is one of just twelve Japanese castles to have survived the fires, wars and other catastrophes of the post feudal age. It was first constructed between 1601 and 1611, but most of its main buildings date from 1748 when they were reconstructed after a fire.The castle used to be the seat of the Yamauchi lords, who ruled over the surrounding region, then known as Tosa, during the Edo Period. The castle buildings have since been designated "important cultural properties", and now house local treasures and historical objects.A unique feature of Kochi's castle is that its main tower was not only used for military purposes, but also as a residence. In most other castles, the lords usually resided in separate palace buildings rather than in the castle keep. The castle's wooden interior maintains the appearance of it Edo Period origins, and the lookout point from the castle tower's top floor offers nice view of downtown.

Mount Godaisan

Godaisan is a small mountain to the east of Kochi's downtown. It was named after a Chinese mountain by Buddhist priests visiting from China.
The same visiting priests established Chikurinji Temple on Godaisan, which has since become an important stop on the Shikoku Pilgrimage. Number 31 of the 88 temples along the pilgrimage, Chikurinji attracts pilgrims as well as students because of its reputation as a scholastic institution.
Chikurinji's temple grounds feature an interesting array of halls and structures, including a beautiful five-storied pagoda. A treasure hall displays several Buddhist statues and scrolls of importance to the temple, and paid entrance to the hondo (main hall) offers a view of the building's interior and a nicely kept garden.

Katsurahama Beach

Katsurahama is a scenic beach 30 minutes south of central Kochi by bus. Because of strong currents, swimming is prohibited at Katsurahama. In place of swimming, visitors see the many other attractions located around the area.
A famous statue of Kochi's favorite son, Sakamoto Ryoma stands near the beach. Sakamoto was one of the architects of modern Japan. He was instrumental in negotiating an alliance between the Choshu and Satsuma clans that helped to bring an end to Japan's feudal age in 1868. The Sakamoto Ryoma Memorial Museum stands on the hill above the beach.

Kochi Downtown

The famous landmark of Kochi's downtown is Harimayabashi, a small red bridge on the west side of the main street. While it may not look particularly noteworthy at first glance, Harimayabashi is renowned for its role in a Kochi love story.
A common version of the story centers around a priest from Godaisan and a girl from Kochi. Because the priest's temple forbade relationships, the couple hid their romance by meeting in secret and exchanging clandestine gifts. One day, the priest was seen buying a hair comb at Harimayabashi, and the couple's secret romance was discovered. They were forced to flee the city to avoid punishment.
In addition to Harimayabashi, downtown Kochi has pedestrian shopping arcades and attractive streets for walking. Shops selling hair combs, like the one mentioned in the famous love story, and "naruko", cluster around harimayabashi and are found throughout the arcades. Naruko are noise makers originally used to keep birds away from the rice crops. Now they are used in Kochi's dance festival.

November - February

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