Kochi

Kochi has a reputation for being different. The locals are rough-talking, boisterous, and social, and their spirited city has an attitude far from the Japanese mainstream. The famous Yosakoi Dance Festival, one of Japan's most popular summer events, is an explosion of parades and performances that fills the city for days. For weeks before and after, the streets shake with excitement, making summer the best time to visit. Kochi smacks of a brash, square-shouldered gumption simply not found anywhere else in Japan, and it richly rewards a short swagger through.