Welcome to a new chapter of our series about our cruise experience in Japan from Korea. After visiting the Itsukushima temple and contemplating the landscapes next to the majestic Torii gate on Miyajima island, our next stop was Kochi. Below we’ll share our experience in this welcoming city famous for its castle.
Arrival at Kochi Port
Our arrival in Kochi was very beautiful, similar to our previous ports. The islands with abundant vegetation offered truly impressive landscapes, which adds a plus to any cruise around Japan. At this port, we were welcomed with music and a small show with enormous flags; there was even a Japanese doll. It was very pleasant. Facing where the ship docked was a large park with a grassy esplanade.
Kochi Castle
On this occasion, we had planned to visit Kochi Castle, one of the 12 original castles remaining in Japan and the only one that preserves its main tower. We took a taxi at the port because the distances are considerable, and we preferred to arrive as soon as possible to later stroll through the center. The taxi left us in a park, which is common since castles are usually surrounded by large gardens. The castle was visible from afar, located on top of a hill.
As we approached, a sign informed us that we needed to climb 150 steps. Although it was summer and quite hot, we were well prepared. At the entrance, we were asked to remove our shoes and leave them in lockers, as the wooden floor of the castle could deteriorate.
The castle is impressive and has about five levels. On the different floors, there were models and explanations about how life developed in that era.
It is one of the few castles that is preserved as it was originally; in fact, you can climb to the highest part using the original wooden steps, which are very tall and narrow. It’s more difficult to climb than it seems.
You can climb up to the tower, where the views are spectacular and you can also enjoy a refreshing breeze.
The visit took us approximately one hour. There are also annexed buildings, one of which is a museum that could be visited.
Obiyamachi Commercial Area
After visiting the castle, we headed to the center of Kochi, specifically to a commercial area called Obiyamachi. It’s a fairly long street with adjacent alleys full of shops.
We walked around observing the curious Japanese souvenir shops, entered a bookstore with very interesting books, and saw stores filled with vending machines.
Harimaya Bridge
After spending a good while in the commercial area, we went to look for a famous red bridge in Kochi, the Harimaya Bridge, where we took some photos.
This bridge has appeared in movies and songs. Over the years, the story of an impossible love of a monk, who bought an orchid for his secret love in a shop next to the bridge, has spread.
Cost of Visiting Kochi
Excluding purchases, these were the expenses in Kochi (transportation and admissions): taxi fare €19.06, return taxi €19.20, and castle admission €2.91 per person.
Regarding the excursions offered by NCL, Kochi Castle was included in two combined options: with the Ryugado caves or with Katsurahama Beach. Both cost the same: €237.07 for adults and €193.01 for children. Their official names are “Ryugado Caves & Kochi Castle” and “Kochi Castle & Katsurahama Beach”.
The price, higher than other excursions, is probably due to the great distance between the sites, as both the caves and the beach are quite far from the castle.
Katsurahama Beach
Both when entering and leaving Kochi, we were able to pass very close to this famous beach, included in one of the official excursions mentioned. It’s important to note that swimming is not allowed due to strong currents. Given the high temperatures, we decided not to visit it, but we could enjoy the landscape from our cabin.
With the lively farewell from the port staff and this beautiful landscape, we said goodbye to Kochi and prepared for our next stop: Kyoto. We’ll publish the next article soon!
