Sunny Kochi (city), Shikoku in December
Jan 1st, 2024, 06:03 PM
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Sunny Kochi (city), Shikoku in December
This is a trip report on a recent visit to Kochi (city), Shikoku in Dec 2023. I am not a photographer, but I can attest that the tourism office website photos are faithful to what you see. While the city is vibrant with local residents, some domestic visitors and short haul visitors from Taiwan and Hong Kong, there was no crowd at all. This allows the attractions staff and restaurant owners to be cheerful and in their best mood to interact with you.
Background information:
Kochi city offers a very competitively priced local transport pass. Pass holders also enjoy discounts (10-20% off) at the major attractions.
There are 2 versions - Godaisan and Katsurahama versions. The latter has a slightly bigger validity area. If you are staying in the down town, buy the Godaisan version.
Day 1: Arrival at noon, Sunday market and Kochi Liberty & People’s right museum
The high speed bus arrives at Kochi around noon. Upon arrival, I head for the tourism office outside the JR Kochi train station to buy the My Yu bus pass (Godaisan version) and leave luggage at the hotel.
Interchange of the 2 tram lines
Sunday market is the perfect place for lunch on a dry day. In addition to bites, you also find different produce at the market. Some stalls are closing by 1pm; the tourism office is right to recommend visits in the morning.
Otepia Kochi city library near the Sunday market
After feeding myself, I take tram to Kochi Liberty & People’s right museum. I find this museum from Google map. I thought I would learn more about the role played by Kochi people in the fight for liberty in Meiji, Taisho and subsequent eras.
It does offer well curated exhibitions. You can expect a museum similar to the Gdansk European Solidarity Centre in Poland. The exhibitions, for example, highlight the tactics of activists in evading press censorship. Some original protest banners are exhibited. English leaflets are offered to visitors.
Kochi Liberty & People’s right museum
Day 2: Kami City Yanase Takashi Memorial Hall Anpanman Museum, Chikurin-ji Temple, Katsurahama beach and The Sakamoto Ryoma Memorial Museum
Day 2 is a bit packed, as Anpanman Museum is closed on the following day. Weather forecast also suggests that the following day would be rainy, which wouldn’t be ideal for outdoor spots like Katsurahama beach. The travel was still manageable.
AM
Kami City is the home town of Anpanman’s author. The Anpanman museum explains quite well how the author developed Anpanman. It also exhibits some original drawings.
Public transport route from Kochi station to Anpanman Museum: https://maps.app.goo.gl/6UhBGToFRpZZbiRr9
JR Shikoku Otochi line day ticket: https://sp.jr-shikokubus-ticket.jp/t...ket-otochi1day
Otochi line bus
Entrance
Some Anpanman decorations in Kochi station
PM - Chikurin-ji Temple, Katsurahama beach and The Sakamoto Ryoma Memorial Museum
After finishing lunch at the train station, I took the tram to Hairmaya bridge. It does have a romantic story behind it, but I gather from some Youtuber in Japan that it has been consistently voted by Japanese tourists as one of the most underwhelming ‘landmark’ in Japan.
Harimaya bridge
A My Yu bus stop is also nearby. My Yu bus then goes all the way to Godaisan area. The serene Chikurin-ji Temple is also within walking distance from the look out.
View of Kochi city from Godaisan lookout
Chikurin-ji Temple
The temple is serene. It stands as another significant temple on Shikoku.
My Yu bus then brings me to the last spot, Katsurahama beach and the Sakamoto Ryouma memorial museum.
Sakamoto Ryouma, despite his short life, made huge contributions to Japanese modernisation. He brokered a few alliances across a few competing feudal lords to avoid bloody conflicts within Japan. His colourful lives were exhibited in the museum. The settings of the museum is perfect for visitors to reflect on how he envisaged changes in Japan.
Katsurahama beach
After sunset, I take a city bus (covered by My Yu bus pass) to the city. I dropped by a Superfreaks store. Although I don’t collect models and soft toys, it was quite a experience to see these items.
Superfreaks store - https://maps.app.goo.gl/GYhzoQPVGHcL1wkw6
Dinner at an Okonomiyaki restaurant. I was the only customer at that hour. The owner is a hospitable and outgoing lady. The topics are definitely not just about sightseeing and tourism.
OkonomiyakiRestaurant - https://maps.app.goo.gl/QPiw2AYpQkHJQYoG9
To be continued.
Background information:
- Duration: 3N4D
- Inter city transport: High speed bus from Tokushima city to Kochi
- Accommodation: Super Hotel Kochi Natural Hot Spring (breakfast included), <¥8000 per night for a standard room
- Transport planning app: Google Map or Navi for Japan travel
- Reasons for choosing Kochi: I will be in the neighbouring Tokushima prefecture. Kochi is also quite dry in Dec (only 4 rainy days on average).
Kochi city offers a very competitively priced local transport pass. Pass holders also enjoy discounts (10-20% off) at the major attractions.
There are 2 versions - Godaisan and Katsurahama versions. The latter has a slightly bigger validity area. If you are staying in the down town, buy the Godaisan version.
- Available transport means: Tram and tourist bus
- Cost: ¥300-500 daily
- Hyperlink: https://visitkochijapan.com/en/usefuls/MY-YU
Day 1: Arrival at noon, Sunday market and Kochi Liberty & People’s right museum
The high speed bus arrives at Kochi around noon. Upon arrival, I head for the tourism office outside the JR Kochi train station to buy the My Yu bus pass (Godaisan version) and leave luggage at the hotel.
Interchange of the 2 tram lines
Sunday market is the perfect place for lunch on a dry day. In addition to bites, you also find different produce at the market. Some stalls are closing by 1pm; the tourism office is right to recommend visits in the morning.
Otepia Kochi city library near the Sunday market
After feeding myself, I take tram to Kochi Liberty & People’s right museum. I find this museum from Google map. I thought I would learn more about the role played by Kochi people in the fight for liberty in Meiji, Taisho and subsequent eras.
It does offer well curated exhibitions. You can expect a museum similar to the Gdansk European Solidarity Centre in Poland. The exhibitions, for example, highlight the tactics of activists in evading press censorship. Some original protest banners are exhibited. English leaflets are offered to visitors.
Kochi Liberty & People’s right museum
Day 2: Kami City Yanase Takashi Memorial Hall Anpanman Museum, Chikurin-ji Temple, Katsurahama beach and The Sakamoto Ryoma Memorial Museum
Day 2 is a bit packed, as Anpanman Museum is closed on the following day. Weather forecast also suggests that the following day would be rainy, which wouldn’t be ideal for outdoor spots like Katsurahama beach. The travel was still manageable.
AM
Kami City is the home town of Anpanman’s author. The Anpanman museum explains quite well how the author developed Anpanman. It also exhibits some original drawings.
Public transport route from Kochi station to Anpanman Museum: https://maps.app.goo.gl/6UhBGToFRpZZbiRr9
JR Shikoku Otochi line day ticket: https://sp.jr-shikokubus-ticket.jp/t...ket-otochi1day
Otochi line bus
Entrance
Some Anpanman decorations in Kochi station
PM - Chikurin-ji Temple, Katsurahama beach and The Sakamoto Ryoma Memorial Museum
After finishing lunch at the train station, I took the tram to Hairmaya bridge. It does have a romantic story behind it, but I gather from some Youtuber in Japan that it has been consistently voted by Japanese tourists as one of the most underwhelming ‘landmark’ in Japan.
Harimaya bridge
A My Yu bus stop is also nearby. My Yu bus then goes all the way to Godaisan area. The serene Chikurin-ji Temple is also within walking distance from the look out.
View of Kochi city from Godaisan lookout
Chikurin-ji Temple
The temple is serene. It stands as another significant temple on Shikoku.
My Yu bus then brings me to the last spot, Katsurahama beach and the Sakamoto Ryouma memorial museum.
Sakamoto Ryouma, despite his short life, made huge contributions to Japanese modernisation. He brokered a few alliances across a few competing feudal lords to avoid bloody conflicts within Japan. His colourful lives were exhibited in the museum. The settings of the museum is perfect for visitors to reflect on how he envisaged changes in Japan.
Katsurahama beach
After sunset, I take a city bus (covered by My Yu bus pass) to the city. I dropped by a Superfreaks store. Although I don’t collect models and soft toys, it was quite a experience to see these items.
Superfreaks store - https://maps.app.goo.gl/GYhzoQPVGHcL1wkw6
Dinner at an Okonomiyaki restaurant. I was the only customer at that hour. The owner is a hospitable and outgoing lady. The topics are definitely not just about sightseeing and tourism.
OkonomiyakiRestaurant - https://maps.app.goo.gl/QPiw2AYpQkHJQYoG9
To be continued.
Last edited by jeffreycwuk; Jan 1st, 2024 at 06:15 PM. Reason: The texts were missing.
