Discover the beautiful Kochi landscapes located between sea and mountains. Join the tour as a cruise ship passenger or a visitor in the area wanting to learn more about this wonderful part of Shikoku.
Our Japan shore excursions are designed by Western destination experts who live in Japan along with local Japanese tour specialists to showcase all the best attractions in Japan and provide a unique understanding of Japan from a Western perspective. In particular, we know where to find cherry blossoms and autumn leaves in Kochi that most cruise lines do not emphasize in their shore excursion programs.
Enjoy a relaxing day in Kochi during our one-day, guided tour in private transportation. Visit Kochi Castle which offers lovely views of the area from its top storey and has a beautiful landscaped garden. Kochi Castle is one of the twelve remaining original castles in Japan.
Visit the unique Bamboo Forest Temple, a temple of learning and a storehouse of cultural heritage. It is believed that the temple was founded in the early eighth century. Its late Edo-period gardens and sculptures are listed as Natural Monuments.
Tour the Kochi Prefectural Makino Botanical Garden that honors the late Kochi-born botanist Dr. Tomitaro Makino, known as the father of Japanese botany. Take a stroll through gentle winding paths blooming with over 3,000 plant species, from rare exotic flowers to wild endemic varieties discovered by Dr. Makino.
Eat what Kochiers eat in the famous Hirome Market, the Kictchen of Kichiers.
Our Kochi shore excursion will surely bring you the best of what the prefecture has to offer.
Cruise passengers: You may get this excursion for FREE if you book the cruise through us or transferring your existing reservation to us (meaning we are your travel agent who booked the cruise for you with nothing changed). Please contact us to learn how.
Kochi Castle was built in the early 17th century and is the only castle in Japan that still retains the original "Tenshu" and "Honmaru" buildings. Kochi Castle is one of the last 12 original castles left in Japan after centuries of wars, fires and other disasters. It has also been designated an important cultural property of Japan. The architectural design in the city is very complicated, and there are statues of "Shiki", the legendary Japanese sea monster with the body of a dragon and the head of a fish, sitting on the roof of the castle tower overlooking the city. It is worth taking a closer look.
When spring arrives, cherry blossoms bloom in this city with a history of more than 400 years, forming a sea of pale pink flowers. The delicate flowers and colorful lanterns contrast beautifully against the stone wall backdrop.
This is a quiet temple surrounded by lush greenery and wonderful scenery.
The temple was built in 724 AD. As its name suggests, "Jikurinji Temple" is a "temple in a bamboo forest." There is a bamboo forest in the temple, but it is now even more famous for its red and golden Japanese maple leaves in autumn. Climbing the beautiful stone steps and entering the mountain gate will make you feel like you are in a fairyland. You'll walk along the beautiful mossy passage until they reach the important buildings of the temple - the red five-story pagoda and the beautiful courtyard.
The main deity of the temple is Manjusri Bodhisattva, who specializes in wisdom, so it has become a holy place for students to pray for good grades before exams. You'll find the courtyard is heavily influenced by Chinese culture.
Stroll among the flowers in Japan's No. 1 botanical garden. Kochi Prefectural Makino Botanical Garden is located on Mount Wudai. The park occupies a large area. In addition to outdoor natural gardens, there are also tropical greenhouses, Makino Memorial Hall and Exhibition Hall. This flower-rich place Makino Botanical Garden has thousands of seasonal flowers that change with the seasons. Friends who like flower viewing can find a wonderful place here. One of the highlights is the Giant Greenhouse, a quirky structure filled with tropical and jungle plants. This botanical garden commemorates Tomitaro Makino, who is known as the "Father of Japanese Botany". Dr. Makino collected about 400,000 species of plants during his lifetime and worked tirelessly on plant research every waking minute.
Hirome Market brings together famous stores in Kochi Prefecture, as well as many Kochi delicacies and famous products. Visitors can taste local delicacies at affordable prices and enjoy the atmosphere of eating food together. Hongjin Market is not only a place where Kochi residents come to dine and gather after nightfall, it is also a tourist attraction in Kochi that tourists visit when traveling freely in Kochi. It is also known as the "Kitchen of Kochiers".
09:00 Depart from Kochi Port and head towards Kochi City Park and Kochi Castle.
12:00 Explore Bamboo Forest Temple.
13:00 Kochi Prefectural Makino Botanical Garden
15:30 Hirome Market
17:00: Return to Kochi Port
Kochi Port
4704 Shinkou, Niida, Kochi-shi, Kochi 781-0112
We highly recommend that you book our shore excursions now if you will be taking a cruise in 2024. 2023 has already seen large crowds, and 2024 will see even more. We expect many tourists will be unable to book their shore excursions in 2024, so please make your plan as soon as possible.
Copyright © 2024 Japan Adventure Club, a Great Wall Adventure Club company - All Rights Reserved.
Free airport transfer, free shore excursion, free hotel, and much more...
We use cookies to analyze website traffic and optimize your website experience. By accepting our use of cookies, your data will be aggregated with all other user data.