Kochi in four nights and five days: Separate garden and valley visits
Stay in Kochi for separate garden and coast days, with one rental-car day at Nikobuchi. For the valley by bus, spend two nights in Kochi followed by two in Ino to separate the train move from the valley visit. Check closure dates first if adding the Paper Museum on moving day.
Choose a 5 days, 4 nights itinerary
A — Separate days for the botanical garden, coast, valley and castle
Stay four nights in Kochi to give the botanical garden a day too. Visit Makino Botanical Garden on day two, the Ryoma memorial museum and Katsurahama on day three, Nikobuchi by rental car on day four, and the castle on the final day.
A — Separate days for the botanical garden, coast, valley and castle →5 days, 4 nightsB — Two nights in Ino and a valley bus trip
Choose two nights in Kochi and two in Ino to separate the move from the valley visit. Move to Ino on day three with an optional Paper Museum visit, then take the bus and walk to Nikobuchi on day four. Omit the museum during its extended closure.
B — Two nights in Ino and a valley bus trip →A — Separate days for the botanical garden, coast, valley and castle
Stay four nights in Kochi to give the botanical garden a day too. Visit Makino Botanical Garden on day two, the Ryoma memorial museum and Katsurahama on day three, Nikobuchi by rental car on day four, and the castle on the final day.
Day 1 · City meal
Spend four nights at the same Kochi accommodation and visit the garden, coast and Nikobuchi on different days. The garden and coast each require a MY Yu ticket for their respective date; use your booked vehicle for the valley return trip.
- JR Kochi Station → Hirome Market entrance
The tourism association gives a walk of about 15 minutes from JR Kochi Station to Hirome Market. By tram, get off at Ohashidori and walk about 2–3 minutes. Use the market’s official map for direct access from Obiyamachi or Ohashidori.
Official market access and walk from tram stopKochi tourism association: Station walk, communal dining and closures
- Hirome Market entrance → Market stalls and communal dining area
Check stall menus and prices, order your food and eat in the communal dining area. Market-wide hours differ from individual stall hours. If arriving late, check your chosen stall’s last-order time. On market or stall closure days, choose another open restaurant in the city.
Official market stalls and menusKochi tourism association: Station walk, communal dining and closuresMarket hours and closures
- Hirome Market → Obiyamachi shopping street
Explore Obiyamachi shopping street if you want another walk after eating. Use the market’s official access map and your accommodation address to plan the return.
Day-one food and transport between accommodation and market are excluded from the subtotal. If the castle will not fit on the final day, compare admission deadlines and closures with your actual arrival at its entrance to see whether it can move to day one. If timing does not work, omit the castle and keep the coast and valley days.
Day 2 · Makino Botanical Garden
Explore the botanical garden’s greenhouse and exhibits today. This is a different date from the coastal visit, so buy the Godaisan one-day ticket for today.
- MY Yu boarding point at JR Kochi Station → Makino Shokubutsuen Seimon-mae stop
From JR Kochi Station, take a MY Yu Bus stopping at the garden’s main gate. Buy the ¥1,000 adult Godaisan one-day ticket before boarding and check official guidance for that day’s boarding location and departures. Get off at the main gate and walk into the garden. This ticket cannot cover Katsurahama on another date.
Bus and accessibility guideBoarding changes by dateApril 2026–March 2027 timetable, page 2
- Makino Botanical Garden main gate → Botanical garden greenhouse and exhibits
Enter through the main gate, explore the greenhouse and exhibits, and use visitor guidance to choose places to eat or rest inside. Regular adult admission is ¥850, rising to ¥1,700 during the orchid exhibition February 6–28, 2027. The garden closes December 27–January 1 and on separate maintenance dates; move or omit the visit if it falls on a closure.
- Bus stop outside Makino Botanical Garden’s main gate → JR Kochi Station
After the visit and meal, return to the stop outside the main gate for a Kochi Station-bound MY Yu Bus. Allow time to walk to the stop and choose your return from the official timetable. Buy a separate Katsurahama one-day ticket for tomorrow’s coast visit.
Bus and accessibility guideApril 2026–March 2027 timetable, page 2Boarding changes by date
Day 3 · Exhibits and coast
Visit the Ryoma memorial museum and Katsurahama today. You need today’s Katsurahama one-day ticket rather than yesterday’s Godaisan ticket.
- JR Kochi Station → MY Yu boarding point at Kochi Tabihiroba
Board the MY Yu Bus inside Kochi Tabihiroba south of JR Kochi Station. Buy the ¥1,500 adult Katsurahama one-day ticket before boarding and check the day’s boarding location and services in official guidance. Regular seats are not reserved. If the bus is full, adjust your visits and return around the next service.
- MY Yu boarding point at Kochi Station → Ryoma Kinenkan-mae stop
Take a Katsurahama-bound MY Yu Bus and get off at Ryoma Kinenkan-mae. Check both a morning departure and the following bus in the official timetable so you can continue to the coast after the museum.
Bus and accessibility guideApril 2026–March 2027 timetable, page 2Boarding changes by date
- Ryoma Kinenkan-mae stop → Sakamoto Ryoma Memorial Museum
Walk uphill from the stop to the museum and allow about 90 minutes for the exhibits. Adult admission is ¥500 or ¥900 depending on the exhibition that day. Walking to the museum, visiting and meals take time in addition to the bus journey.
- Sakamoto Ryoma Memorial Museum and Ryoma Kinenkan-mae stop → Katsurahama Park
After the museum, return to Ryoma Kinenkan-mae stop and take a Katsurahama-bound MY Yu Bus. The museum and beach do not share an entrance, so allow separately for the visit and walk back to the stop. Coastal park entry is free and swimming is prohibited.
April 2026–March 2027 timetable, page 2Park visitor information
- Katsurahama stop → JR Kochi Station
After the coast, take a Kochi Station-bound MY Yu Bus from Katsurahama stop. Choose the return from the official weekday or holiday timetable. The final service on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays arrives at the north-side bus terminal, separate from the south-side boarding point.
April 2026–March 2027 timetable, page 2Bus and accessibility guide
Day 4 · Nikobuchi return trip by vehicle
Visit Nikobuchi by vehicle, then return to Kochi.
- Kochi City → Marked parking spaces at Nikobuchi
The tourism council gives a drive of about 70 minutes from Kochi City to Nikobuchi. Allow separately for vehicle pickup, parking, the trail walk and the visit. Set your navigation towards Green Park Hodono as instructed in the official guide, then follow Nikobuchi parking signs to marked spaces. Check on-site parking fees and availability for your visit date.
Nikobuchi car, parking, trail and sightseeing-taxi guideCurrent location, crowd and transport links
- Nikobuchi parking area → Valley and the same parking area
From your parking area, follow the sloping trail and steps down to the valley. Do not enter the water or eat or drink there. Retrace the path to your parking area and eat outside the valley. Check access for your travel date and bear in mind that rain, light and water levels affect the water’s colour.
- Marked parking spaces at Nikobuchi → Kochi City
Eat outside the valley, then drive back to Kochi City. Return your rental car to the booked branch by its deadline and follow the fuel conditions. Omit the valley if access restrictions prevent the visit that day. Switching to buses requires separately matching departures from Ino Station and return connections.
Nikobuchi car, parking, trail and sightseeing-taxi guideCurrent location, crowd and transport links
Day 5 · Castle visit and departure
This option visits the castle before departure. Omit it if sightseeing and onward travel would leave too little time.
- Kochi-Ekimae tram stop → Kochijo-mae stop and Kochi Castle Park
Take a Harimayabashi-bound tram from Kochi-Ekimae, then change at Harimayabashi for an Ino-bound tram. Get off at Kochijo-mae and walk to the castle park. When changing with cash tickets, follow the first tram’s transfer-ticket conditions at the designated stop. From Obiyamachi or Ohashidori, compare walking directly to the park.
- Kochi Castle Park → Castle keep and Kaitokukan
Climb the park’s steps and buy your ticket at the keep and Kaitokukan entrance. These paid buildings open 9 a.m.–5 p.m., with last admission at 4:30 p.m.; admission is ¥500 for ages 18 and older. Closed December 26–January 1. Allow time to walk from the stop and climb the steps to the entrance.
Current prices and closuresKochi Castle approach, steps and slopes
- Kochi Castle → JR Kochi Station
After the castle, take a Harimayabashi-bound tram from Kochijo-mae. Change at Harimayabashi for Kochi-Ekimae and return to JR Kochi Station. If staying longer in the city, you can also walk down towards Obiyamachi and Ohashidori.
Included items: Castle ¥500 + museum ¥500/900 + regular garden admission ¥850 + Godaisan ticket ¥1,000 + Katsurahama ticket ¥1,500
Extra costs: Flights, accommodation, meals, airport or onward travel, journeys between accommodation and boarding points, luggage storage, city trams outside the MY Yu ticket day and optional paid facilities cost extra. Car rental, insurance, fuel, tolls and parking also cost separately. Nikobuchi’s ¥100 request is voluntary and excluded from mandatory fees.
During the orchid exhibition February 6–28, 2027, garden admission rises to ¥1,700. The subtotal then becomes ¥5,200 with the regular Ryoma exhibition or ¥5,600 with its special exhibition. Vehicle costs are extra.
Current prices and closuresMuseum prices and exhibitionsGarden visitor and access guideBus and accessibility guide¥100 contribution guidance
B — Two nights in Ino and a valley bus trip
Choose two nights in Kochi and two in Ino to separate the move from the valley visit. Move to Ino on day three with an optional Paper Museum visit, then take the bus and walk to Nikobuchi on day four. Omit the museum during its extended closure.
Day 1 · Kochi city
Spend two nights in Kochi followed by two in Ino, separating rail moving day from valley day. The Paper Museum is an option on moving day, except during its extended closure.
- JR Kochi Station → Hirome Market entrance
The tourism association gives a walk of about 15 minutes from JR Kochi Station to Hirome Market. By tram, get off at Ohashidori and walk about 2–3 minutes. Use the market’s official map for direct access from Obiyamachi or Ohashidori.
Official market access and walk from tram stopKochi tourism association: Station walk, communal dining and closures
- Hirome Market entrance → Market stalls and communal dining area
Check stall menus and prices, order your food and eat in the communal dining area. Market-wide hours differ from individual stall hours. If arriving late, check your chosen stall’s last-order time. On market or stall closure days, choose another open restaurant in the city.
Official market stalls and menusKochi tourism association: Station walk, communal dining and closuresMarket hours and closures
- Hirome Market → Obiyamachi shopping street
Explore Obiyamachi shopping street if you want another walk after eating. Use the market’s official access map and your accommodation address to plan the return.
Day-one food and transport between accommodation and market are excluded from the subtotal. If the castle will not fit on the final day, compare admission deadlines and closures with your actual arrival at its entrance to see whether it can move to day one. If timing does not work, omit the castle and keep the coast and valley days.
Day 2 · Ryoma memorial museum and Katsurahama
Visit the museum and Katsurahama, then return to Kochi. The move to Ino is tomorrow.
- JR Kochi Station → MY Yu boarding point at Kochi Tabihiroba
Board the MY Yu Bus inside Kochi Tabihiroba south of JR Kochi Station. Buy the ¥1,500 adult Katsurahama one-day ticket before boarding and check the day’s boarding location and services in official guidance. Regular seats are not reserved. If the bus is full, adjust your visits and return around the next service.
- MY Yu boarding point at Kochi Station → Ryoma Kinenkan-mae stop
Take a Katsurahama-bound MY Yu Bus and get off at Ryoma Kinenkan-mae. Check both a morning departure and the following bus in the official timetable so you can continue to the coast after the museum.
Bus and accessibility guideApril 2026–March 2027 timetable, page 2Boarding changes by date
- Ryoma Kinenkan-mae stop → Sakamoto Ryoma Memorial Museum
Walk uphill from the stop to the museum and allow about 90 minutes for the exhibits. Adult admission is ¥500 or ¥900 depending on the exhibition that day. Walking to the museum, visiting and meals take time in addition to the bus journey.
- Sakamoto Ryoma Memorial Museum and Ryoma Kinenkan-mae stop → Katsurahama Park
After the museum, return to Ryoma Kinenkan-mae stop and take a Katsurahama-bound MY Yu Bus. The museum and beach do not share an entrance, so allow separately for the visit and walk back to the stop. Coastal park entry is free and swimming is prohibited.
April 2026–March 2027 timetable, page 2Park visitor information
- Katsurahama stop → JR Kochi Station
After the coast, take a Kochi Station-bound MY Yu Bus from Katsurahama stop. Choose the return from the official weekday or holiday timetable. The final service on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays arrives at the north-side bus terminal, separate from the south-side boarding point.
April 2026–March 2027 timetable, page 2Bus and accessibility guide
Day 3 · Move to Ino, with an optional Paper Museum visit
Move to Ino by JR today. If the museum is open and your travel times fit, choose a visit for its Tosa washi paper exhibits.
- JR Kochi Station → JR Ino Station
From JR Kochi Station, take a Dosan Line train stopping at Ino. Check JR guidance for train times and fares on your date. Today is the move to Ino; the Nikobuchi bus trip is tomorrow.
- JR Ino Station → Japanese Paper Museum in Ino
The official guide gives a walk of about 10 minutes from JR Ino Station to the Paper Museum’s Tosa washi exhibits. Adult exhibition-only admission is ¥500. With a papermaking workshop, admission is ¥400 plus ¥500 for the activity: ¥900 altogether. Closed Mondays (the following day when Monday is a public holiday) and December 27–January 4. A temporary renovation closure is planned November 16, 2026–March 31, 2027. Omit the museum during closure and reconsider whether two nights in Ino are needed.
Museum prices, hours and access from JR Ino StationExtended temporary closure notice
- Japanese Paper Museum in Ino → Towards JR Ino Station and your Ino accommodation
If you visited the museum, retrace the route towards Ino Station. Stay in Ino tonight and tomorrow. Follow your booked accommodation’s address and check the route to the valley bus stop for the next day. Accommodation access costs are excluded from the route subtotal.
Choose the Paper Museum only when it is open. Renovations close it November 16, 2026–March 31, 2027, so omit the visit during this period.
Day 4 · Nikobuchi by bus and on foot
Take the bus from Ino Station to Hodono Iriguchi, walk to Nikobuchi and retrace the route.
- Ino Station bus stop → Hodono Iriguchi stop
From Ino Station, take a bus towards Hodono Iriguchi (程野入口) or Nagasawa (長沢), getting off at Hodono Iriguchi. Adult fares are ¥1,430 one-way or ¥2,860 return. Plan valley time using both outward and return services for your date.
October-revised weekday timetableWeekend and public-holiday timetableCurrent linked fare table
- Hodono Iriguchi stop → Nikobuchi trail and valley
Allow about 30 minutes to walk roughly 2 km from the stop towards the valley, then descend the trail’s slopes and steps to view the water. Walking there and back totals about 4 km. Do not eat or enter the water in the valley. Work backwards from your return bus, allowing walking and waiting time, to decide when to leave the valley. Check trail access for your date.
Ino tourism association bus guideCurrent location, crowd and transport links
- Nikobuchi and Hodono Iriguchi stop → Ino Station bus stop
Retrace the path to Hodono Iriguchi stop and take an Ino-bound bus. Distinguish the operator’s weekday and Saturday/Sunday/public-holiday timetables so you do not choose a weekday-only service for a weekend return.
October-revised weekday timetableWeekend and public-holiday timetableReturn timetable at the stop
Include the return valley walk and bus wait in your day. Check the operator’s timetable so a weekday-only service is not mistaken for the last weekend bus.
Day 5 · Return to Kochi and leave
Return from Ino to Kochi before leaving. Add a final castle visit only if there is enough time before departure.
- JR Ino Station → JR Kochi Station
Take a Kochi-bound train from JR Ino Station. Check the timetable for your date for arrival at Kochi Station and time before your onward departure. If there is too little time for the castle and city travel, skip the castle and head towards your departure.
- Kochi-Ekimae tram stop → Kochijo-mae stop and Kochi Castle Park
Take a Harimayabashi-bound tram from Kochi-Ekimae, then change at Harimayabashi for an Ino-bound tram. Get off at Kochijo-mae and walk to the castle park. When changing with cash tickets, follow the first tram’s transfer-ticket conditions at the designated stop. From Obiyamachi or Ohashidori, compare walking directly to the park.
- Kochi Castle Park → Castle keep and Kaitokukan
Climb the park’s steps and buy your ticket at the keep and Kaitokukan entrance. These paid buildings open 9 a.m.–5 p.m., with last admission at 4:30 p.m.; admission is ¥500 for ages 18 and older. Closed December 26–January 1. Allow time to walk from the stop and climb the steps to the entrance.
Current prices and closuresKochi Castle approach, steps and slopes
- Kochi Castle → JR Kochi Station
After the castle, take a Harimayabashi-bound tram from Kochijo-mae. Change at Harimayabashi for Kochi-Ekimae and return to JR Kochi Station. If staying longer in the city, you can also walk down towards Obiyamachi and Ohashidori.
Included items: Castle ¥500 + museum ¥500/900 + MY Yu Katsurahama ticket ¥1,500 + return valley buses ¥2,860; optional Paper Museum costs extra
Extra costs: Flights, accommodation, meals, airport or onward travel, journeys between accommodation and boarding points, luggage storage, city trams outside the MY Yu ticket day and optional paid facilities cost extra. Return JR travel between Kochi and Ino is extra. Nikobuchi’s ¥100 request is voluntary and excluded from mandatory fees. Optional Paper Museum admission and activities also cost extra.
Adding Paper Museum admission at ¥500 gives ¥5,860/6,260. Choosing the papermaking workshop adds ¥400 admission + ¥500 activity = ¥900, giving ¥6,260/6,660. Do not add museum costs on closure dates. Return JR travel between Kochi and Ino remains extra.
Current prices and closuresMuseum prices and exhibitionsBus and accessibility guideCurrent linked fare tableMuseum prices, hours and access from JR Ino Station¥100 contribution guidanceExtended temporary closure notice
Checks before departure and on the day, plus FAQs
Can I also visit Japanese Paper Museum in Ino on the valley bus day?
With two nights in Ino, choosing the museum on moving day and the valley bus the following day separates the journeys more easily. The museum is officially about a 10-minute walk from JR Ino Station. Check whether your train arrival leaves time to finish before the 5 p.m. closure. The planned renovation closure November 16, 2026–March 31, 2027 prevents visits during that period.
Museum prices, hours and access from JR Ino StationExtended temporary closure notice
Can the Godaisan ticket also cover Katsurahama the next day?
The adult Godaisan one-day ticket costs ¥1,000 and excludes the Katsurahama section. When visiting the garden and coast on different days, as in four-night route A, distinguish the garden day’s Godaisan ticket from the coast day’s ¥1,500 Katsurahama one-day ticket.
Bus and accessibility guideApril 2026–March 2027 timetable, page 2
Official sources and check dates
- Boarding changes by date ·
- Current prices and closures ·
- Check tram routes ·
- Market hours and closures ·
- Park visitor information ·
- Museum prices and exhibitions ·
- Bus and accessibility guide ·
- Nikobuchi car, parking, trail and sightseeing-taxi guide ·
- Ino tourism association bus guide ·
- Current location, crowd and transport links ·
- ¥100 contribution guidance ·
- October-revised weekday timetable ·
- Weekend and public-holiday timetable ·
- Return timetable at the stop ·
- Current linked fare table ·
- Garden visitor and access guide ·
- Museum prices, hours and access from JR Ino Station ·
- Extended temporary closure notice ·
- April 2026–March 2027 timetable, page 2 ·
- Tram transfer guide ·
- Check JR services ·
- Official market access and walk from tram stop ·
- Official market stalls and menus ·
- Kochi tourism association: Station walk, communal dining and closures ·
- Kochi Castle approach, steps and slopes ·
- All Shikoku Rail Pass terms, October 1, 2026 ·