Explore Japan: Kochi City Shikoku
Read about our visit to Kochi City in Shikoku and find tips on how to get to Shikoku from mainland Japan, the JR All Shikoku Rail Pass, information on transfers to Kochi from Ryoma Airport, how to get around the city by public transport and eating well at Hirome food market.
(originally published in 2017 - not updated)
Shhh...It's a secret!
I’ll let you into a secret. For someone who loves travelling I actually really dislike flying. You’d think, after all the flights of the previous couple of days on this particular trip that I would be fine with the 30 minute hop from Fukuoka to Ryoma airport in Kochi Shikoku. Nah. Once I saw the screens at the gate saying that flights might land elsewhere or return due to bad weather, that was me reduced to a consistency similar to the egg on John’s airport breakfast rice ball. Strangely, I wasn’t feeling hungry - or robust enough to get in with the camera for a photo, sorry - but by all accounts and purposes it was the best onigiri that he had ever had and I didn’t know what I was missing! Nice!
In any case, the efficiency and courteousness of the ground and air crew of Japan Airlines (JAL) eliminated any extra stress, as did the lack of check-in luggage; we had sent it on to Tokyo from Fukuoka using Yamato’s excellent forwarding service - find out more in my post, ' Luggage tips & Practicalities for travelling in Japan'.
The flight was great, although the ground transfer from the gate to the plane at Fukuoka seemed to take longer than the whole time in the air!
Getting to Shikoku & flying into Kochi.
I’d been really excited about visiting Kochi but we didn’t have long before we were going to travel on to Takamatsu in the north of the island and wanted to fit lots in. Shikoku can be reached by a number of different methods, including train via Okayama and Ferry from the mainland and Kyushu, but the air option to various airports around the island are more direct and much faster. Good value domestic flights can be found, especially if visiting on a foreign passport (more information can be found in my next post - coming soon - Using domestic flights in Japan to experience more and spend less).
Transfers. Kochi Ryoma Airport shuttle bus.
Landing at Kochi Ryoma airport, an immediate feeling of warmth and friendliness was apparent and the helpfulness of the lady on the information desk was outstanding; her English was really good (she was keen to speak in English so we did a half Japanese half English type conversation). This was a great welcome. She directed us to the airport shuttle bus and helped with the timetable; at the bus, the driver was eager to assist us with purchasing tickets from the nearby machine.
The city centre is approximately 30 minutes from the airport. I don’t remember much about it really as I was far too intrigued by the chandelier on the bus. You know you’re somewhere really special when there is a chandelier on the bus.
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| Kochi airport transfer bus chandelier. Fancy! |
Kochi JR Rail Station & the JR All Shikoku Pass.
Kochi JR Rail Station & tram stops (to the right)
On arrival at the train station we found some lockers for our hand luggage and exchanged our All Shikoku Rail Pass* purchase orders at the ticket office ready for use from the next day. The staff were excellent, very hospitable and professional. When, on the next day we returned to make some seat reservations, we were greeted very warmly on arrival. It didn’t go unnoticed that the two young men discussed who should serve us and shifted places as we walked in! The chap who had the 'pleasure' of dealing with us (!) wanted to practice his English a little and we were happy to give him support and encouragement. His colleague watched over his shoulder, standing just far enough away not to get too involved and found great amusement in the scenario. Japan is a great place but in our experience, it’s the people that make it extra special. This experience was one that supports that.
*The difference between the standard JR Rail Pass + the JR All Shikoku Rail Pass
Unlike the standard JR Pass, the All Shikoku Rail Pass covers all six railways, some of which are privately run, on the island. These include useful access to city transportation services including the Tosaden Kotsu (Tosa Electric Railroad) in Kochi and the Kotoden lines that run in and around Takamatsu. In addition, holders are eligible (at the time of writing) for discounts on some ferry and bus services. More information is available on the Shikoku Railway Trip website.
Purchasing & using tickets for the MY Yu Bus to Godaisan + Katsurahama.
Kochi MY Yu Bus at Kochi Train Station
Outside the train station is a tourist information office that offers a comprehensive service and has an incredible array of maps and information. Again the staff were exceptionally friendly and helpful; excellent guidebooks and maps in English were available on request.
As the bad weather was passing over and we had reached the city earlier than expected, we decided to take the bus to Chikurin-ji Temple on Mount Godaisan. The hop-on-hop-off MY Yu bus also continues on beyond this point to the Makino Botanical Gardens and Katsurahama Beach (1000 yen for a one day pass, 1600 yen for a two day pass), but with an infrequent timetable and limited time we opted for the shorter journey and cheaper ticket (600 yen before discount).
Discounts & Benefits
The MY Yu bus tickets can be purchased from the tourist office and are half price if you show your foreign passport. This ticket also includes use of the Tosaden Kotsu tram service in the city’s central zone for its period of validity, which represents excellent value for money - single journey tickets on the tram system are 200 yen. Our All Shikoku Pass would cover the trams from the next day, so this meant we did not incur any extra cost to get to our central hotel after arriving back from our trip.How to use the Kochi public transport system.
The Tosaden Kotsu trams in Kochi cover most of city and suburbs, with 2 lines intersecting in the city centre. It uses cash and day tickets are available. Kochi has its own IC card which is not compatible with other areas (likewise, other Japanese IC cards such as Suica. Icoca etc are not valid in Kochi).
If using the MY Yu bus ticket, your All Shikoku Rail Pass or a day ticket, take a numbered ticket when getting on and give it to the driver when showing your pass when getting off.
If paying cash, take a ticket when getting on and check the amount payable shown next to the number that matches your ticket on the electronic display; place the payment and ticket in the payment box on alighting.
If paying cash and changing onto another tram at the intersecting line, a transfer ticket should be requested from the driver. Depending on the route being taken, a coloured ticket will be given upon payment of the fare. This is then handed over at the final destination. It’s a bit complicated and using passes or day tickets avoids this process.
Visiting Chikurin-ji Temple.
Leaving from a car park next to the tourist office, the MY Yu bus offered a comfortable journey up the narrow, winding mountain roads to the Chikurin-ji Temple. Typically, we were faced with steps as soon as we arrived and at the bottom there were bamboo walking sticks to borrow. I perused the situation, decided that I should be alright and happily (well, I say happily - I actually mean breathlessly and shakily) made my way to the gate...
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| Walking Sticks at the base of Chikurin-ji Steps |
I really wished I had picked up one of those sticks but certainly was not going to go back down again!
We took it slowly. It was very quiet but inevitably, just as anywhere in Japan with any type of climb, people rushed past.making me feel very crumbly. My physical limitations accepted, the sight of a 150 year old (OK, that’s a slight exaggeration) bounding past on the way up or down a flight of steep Japanese steps is always very emboldening.
The climb was worth it - the complex was beautiful and well deserving of some time spent exploring. A local lady who was praying at the temple came and had a chat with us. We learnt about the town, the temple and she was even keen to know about Brexit!
While we chatted, she took some origami paper from her bag and made us a beautiful crane as a gift. We bumped into her again later in the treasure hall and she was generous with her time, explaining about the Buddhist treasures and their meaning. It was unconditional, enriching and I was left a little overwhelmed by the intensity of warmth and friendship that we had experienced in the space of just a few hours.
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| Origami Crane at Chikurin-ji |
Wandering along the main path from the temple to the very back of the main precinct, there a short flight of stone steps that lead up to the Mount Godaisan observation point and cafe, including another stop on the bus route.
Accessibility alternatives
If health or mobility present a problem, then I’d strongly recommend getting off at the observation point and walking down to the temple from there (I couldn’t see obvious wheelchair access) rather than negotiating the massive flight from the temple bus stop. The steps are not obvious but can be found by heading toward the large NHK television transmitter/substation - they are just to the side of that.
Be sure to take in the amazing views from the observation point and visit the cafe for a local drink or snack first though. I had a hot ginger drink that was delicious.
We took the bus back to Kochi train station from a stop near the Makino Botanical Gardens; waiting in the bright, warm sunshine and being very fair, I wished that I had packed some sunblock. It was only the end of January but the warm temperature and high UV level was quite different to what we’d experienced over the previous few days (and in the UK at just about any time during the year!)
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| Mount Godaisan Observation Point Shikoku, Japan |
We took the bus back to Kochi train station from a stop near the Makino Botanical Gardens; waiting in the bright, warm sunshine and being very fair, I wished that I had packed some sunblock. It was only the end of January but the warm temperature and high UV level was quite different to what we’d experienced over the previous few days (and in the UK at just about any time during the year!)
Hirome Ichiba food hall - a food lover's paradise
Some of the food stalls at Hirome Ichiba in Kochi Japan
Grabbing our bags from the station lockers, we jumped on a tram outside to head for the central area, where our hotel was located. At first, we needed to use Google Maps to help us navigate through the labyrinth of shotengai (shopping arcades). I had wondered if the coverage of our SIM cards would be as effective here but it was perfect - no problems at all. We checked in to the hotel and headed off for the short walk to Hirome Ichiba - a well known indoor food hall offering over 60 different food stalls specialising in regional cuisine; the area has a strong food production culture and is most famous for its seafood (notably bonito tuna), ginger, yuzu and chicken.
It was probably a little early in the day (late afternoon) for the place to be fully open and buzzing with locals dropping in for drinks and food but there were still plenty of people around and an overwhelming selection of food and drink to choose from. We were a bit tentative about going when it was too busy, but there was nothing to be worried about - there was nothing intimidating about it. Both patrons and stallholders were accepting and friendly. If it had been busier and we had ended up sharing a table, I am sure we would have made some good eating and drinking buddies!
How to order
The place is filled with wooden tables with numbers on - find a table and go off to one of the many stalls to get some food. You can wait and take it to your table or they’ll ask for the table number and bring it to you. Like most visitors, our first priority was to find the local speciality of katsuo no tataki - straw seared bonito. There is a very well known stall selling this, and it certainly is a sight to behold the fish being prepared over huge flames, but we had been given a recommendation for another shop, which we eventually located using the handy map found on the market’s website. |
| Katsuo no Tataki - straw seared bonito tuna |
The dish comes in a couple of different versions and we ordered the tataki with soy and ponzu sauce rather than salt. It also comes with garlic, ginger and spring onions. To be honest, I really didn’t think I was going to like it, I’ve had sashimi before and enjoyed it but thinking about the texture of raw, thicker pieces of fish was a bit off-putting. I was wrong (as very often I am). It was one of the most amazing things I have tasted. It was melt-in-the-mouth tender and I can’t begin to describe the taste, except for not fishy and totally delicious.
Shared between the two of us it was small portion, so I sent John off to find something else to bring back while I drank my beer (I know when I’m on to a good thing). His lack of Japanese didn’t stop him coming back with amazing chicken karaage, gyoza and then we both went off for a wander and found an interesting looking stew. The lady told me it was beef and it was very warming and spicy. I really enjoyed it but John wasn’t so sure.
That’s the great thing about Hirome Ichiba though - you can try all types of food and experiment with different flavours and unusual ingredients. The portions are not huge and neither are the prices so you can pick and mix. A word of warning though. Regional and off guidebook areas can have food culture that may be very different to tourists. If you really would rather not accidentally partake in some of the more unusual foods or have strong feelings about some of things you may come across, then it could be a good idea to write down or memorise the kanji before going to help you steer clear.
Shopping & Sightseeing
The place was filling up and John had to almost drag me away. I could have stayed much longer. As the evening set in we found the stunning castle and wandered around the shotengai, filled with a mix of both old fashioned and standard chain shops in addition to food and drink outlets. In my opinion, for it’s atmosphere and choice it stood head and shoulders over the shotengai in Fukuoka, for which my expectations had been too high I think.
On our continuing quest to find Japanese cheesecake as good as some we’d had in Tokyo on our last trip, we dived into the depachika (basement food hall) of the local department store, where we found something that looked very promising to take away. Those places always seem to be huge, no matter how small the department store seems!
We were feeling full and exhausted. I was in quite a bit of pain so we headed back to the hotel for a coffee and to try our cake. It wasn’t quite as good as the Tokyo cheesecake but still lovely - made even lovelier by the amazing attention to detail in the packaging and the cheerfulness of the young lady who served us, again eagerly wanting to practice her English.
What a day! An amazing place and amazing people. I had well and truly fallen in love with Kochi.
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| Kochi Castle Japan |
Useful information:
Visit Kochi Japan - Tourist information and excellent digital guidebooks.
Kochi SGG Club - Information and volunteer guides.
