Kochi attractions: check fees and directions
Explore Kochi Castle’s historic buildings and city views, then eat at nearby Hirome Market. Combine Katsurahama’s coast and Ryoma exhibitions on one day. For a garden walk or Tosa washi displays, consider Makino Botanical Garden and Ino Paper Museum. Nikobuchi requires about 4 km of walking there and back from the bus stop, so leave time for both walks and your return service.
Attraction fees and directions
Kochi Castle
高知城
At Kochi Castle, explore the surviving Edo-period keep and Honmaru palace, and look out over Kochi from the keep. For the old buildings’ interiors, visit both the keep and Kaitokukan. A park walk and admission to the buildings are separate.
- AdmissionIndividual admission to the keep, Kaitokukan and associated areas costs ¥500 for ages 18 and over. Under-18s enter free with proof of age. Kochi Castle Museum of History admission and combined tickets are separate.
- HoursThe paid castle buildings open 09:00–17:00, with last entry at 16:30. They close from 26 December to 1 January.
- Getting thereFrom Kochi-Ekimae, take a tram south to Harimayabashi, change to an Ino-bound tram and get off at Kochijo-Mae. Walk to the castle park and keep. The final section includes steps, so the tram stop is not the keep entrance.
- What to seeThe Edo-period keep and Honmaru palace survive, and the keep offers views over Kochi city.
Current admission and closuresCheck tram routesTram transfer informationKochi Castle approaches, steps and slopesKochi Castle’s historic buildings and keep views
Hirome Market
ひろめ市場
Choose food from several stalls at Hirome Market. After Kochi Castle, walk down towards Obiyamachi for a market lunch or dinner.
- AdmissionOrder and pay at individual stalls. Food prices vary between stalls within the market.
- HoursThe market opens 10:00–23:00 Monday to Saturday and 09:00–23:00 on Sundays. The building and individual stalls have different hours, so check both the official closure calendar and your chosen stall’s information.
- Getting thereThe tourism association gives about 15 minutes on foot from JR Kochi Station. From Ohashidori tram stop, the market’s official estimate is about 2 minutes and the tourism association’s about 3 minutes. These exclude the journey from your hotel and tram waits.
Market official stalls and menusKochi Tourism Association: station walk, shared dining and closuresMarket opening hours and closuresMarket official access and walk from the tram stop
Katsurahama Park
桂浜公園
Enjoy Katsurahama’s sea and coastal scenery. For Ryoma exhibitions too, visit the memorial museum first, then explore the coast. Swimming is prohibited. Check separate admission and hours if you want to visit the aquarium.
- Access and operationPark admission is free, with access 24 hours a day and no regular closed days. Shops, paid facilities and parking have separate hours.
- ParkingOrdinary car parking costs ¥500 per vehicle for one visit per day. This is the revised rate from 1 April 2026; paid entry hours are 08:30–18:00. Calculate per-person admission separately from per-vehicle parking.
- Getting thereFrom JR Kochi Station, take a regular Katsurahama-bound bus or MY Yu Bus, get off at Katsurahama and walk into the park. MY Yu travels via Godaisan and differs from the direct regular bus.
Park visitor informationOperator fare revision notice2026 access and parking leafletBuses and accessibilityApril 2026–March 2027 timetable, page 2
Sakamoto Ryoma Memorial Museum
高知県立坂本龍馬記念館
Visit Sakamoto Ryoma Memorial Museum for Ryoma’s life and late Edo history. Afterwards, take the MY Yu Bus to Katsurahama beach. Leave time to return to the stop for your next bus.
- AdmissionAdmission for ages 18 and over costs ¥900 during special exhibitions and ¥500 at other times. High school pupils and younger visitors enter free. During special exhibitions, there is no cheaper ticket for the permanent displays alone; check the exhibition on your date.
- HoursThe museum opens 09:00–17:00, with last entry at 16:30. The museum opens year-round, but some galleries close during exhibition changes. The facility suggests about 90 minutes to visit the new and main buildings.
- Getting thereGet off the MY Yu Bus at Ryoma-Kinenkan-Mae and walk uphill. For wheelchair access, ask the facility and consult official bus information: boarding, alighting and slopes differ by direction.
Museum admission and exhibitionsRyoma museum admission and operating notices for your dateRyoma museum permanent gallery closure notices for fiscal 2026Buses and accessibility
Nikobuchi
にこ淵
At Nikobuchi, see the gorge water known as Niyodo Blue. Its colour varies with light, rain and water conditions. Do not enter the water or eat in the gorge.
- Hours and costsThere is an environmental conservation collection box at the path entrance. The tourism council requests a voluntary ¥100 contribution per person; it is not a required admission fee. Before visiting, check path-access and crowding notices and local signs.
- By carThe official tourism council estimate is about 70 minutes from Kochi city, excluding waits, parking and the walk down to the gorge. Set your navigation to Green Park Hodono as advised officially, and look for Nikobuchi parking signs about 5 km before that destination. There are five marked parking areas and temporary spaces when these fill. Do not park along unmarked roadsides. The new path has slopes and low steps, so check access and surface conditions for your date. If you are unfamiliar with mountain driving, compare transport options in the official sightseeing taxi guide.
- By busFrom JR Ino Station, take a bus towards Hodono-Iriguchi or Nagasawa and get off at Hodono-Iriguchi, then walk roughly 2 km to the gorge. The adult one-way bus fare is ¥1,430; allow about 30 minutes for each walk. Choose your Ino-bound return service from the weekday or holiday timetable before travelling.
Current visitor information, crowding and transport links¥100 voluntary contribution informationNikobuchi driving, parking, paths and sightseeing taxisIno Tourism Association bus guideWeekday timetable revised in OctoberWeekend and public holiday timetableCurrent connecting fare table
Kochi Prefectural Makino Botanical Garden
THE KOCHI PREFECTURAL MAKINO BOTANICAL GARDEN高知県立牧野植物園
At Makino Botanical Garden’s conservatory, explore tropical plants and waterside gardens. From the viewing deck, you can look down on palm leaves. For more time in the garden, visit on a different day from Katsurahama. The 5-day itinerary A gives each a separate day.
- AdmissionGeneral admission costs ¥850, with free entry for high school pupils and younger visitors. During the orchid exhibition from 6 to 28 February 2027, general admission costs ¥1,700.
- HoursThe garden opens 09:00–17:00, with last entry at 16:30. It closes from 27 December to 1 January and on additional maintenance dates, including 26 October and 30 November 2026. Check the calendar for your visit date.
- Getting thereFrom JR Kochi Station, take the MY Yu Bus to Makino-Shokubutsuen-Seimon-Mae, outside the botanical garden’s main entrance, then walk in. From the airport, change from an airport bus to MY Yu; the airport bus does not go to the garden entrance. Inside, there are slopes, level changes and narrow sections.
- What to seeThe conservatory has tropical plants and waterside gardens, with palm leaves visible from above on the viewing deck.
Garden admission and directionsBuses and accessibilityMakino Botanical Garden conservatory and viewing deck
Ino Paper Museum
INOTOWN PAPER MUSEUMいの町紙の博物館
At Ino Paper Museum, explore exhibitions on Tosa washi’s history and the papermaking process. You can choose a separate workshop to make paper yourself. A visit can fit on the day you move to Ino, but omit it during the scheduled temporary closure from 16 November 2026 to 31 March 2027.
- AdmissionGeneral adult admission costs ¥500. The papermaking workshop costs an additional ¥500, with workshop participants paying ¥400 admission, making ¥900 in total. For exhibitions alone, do not add the workshop fee.
- HoursThe museum opens 09:00–17:00. It closes on Mondays, or the following day if Monday is a public holiday, and from 27 December to 4 January. A temporary refurbishment closure is scheduled from 16 November 2026 to 31 March 2027; do not include a museum visit during an Ino stay in that period.
- Getting thereThe official walk from JR Ino Station to the museum is about 10 minutes. The Nikobuchi bus stop and museum entrance are separate locations, so plan the order of visits accordingly.
- What to seeExhibitions show Tosa washi’s history and uses, and the materials, processes and tools used to turn raw materials into paper.
Museum admission, hours and access from JR Ino StationPapermaking workshop and registration conditionsExtended temporary closure noticePaper Museum: Tosa washi history and papermaking
Checks before departure and FAQs
Does the Ryoma museum always cost ¥500?
No. Admission for ages 18 and over costs ¥900 during special exhibitions and ¥500 at other times. There is no cheaper ticket for the permanent displays alone during a special exhibition.
Can I get to Nikobuchi by bus?
From Ino Station, take a bus towards Hodono-Iriguchi or Nagasawa, get off at Hodono-Iriguchi and walk roughly 2 km. Walking there and back alone totals about 4 km, so plan time at the gorge and your return service together. Check the operator’s separate timetables to avoid choosing a weekday-only service for a weekend return.
Ino Tourism Association bus guideWeekday timetable revised in OctoberWeekend and public holiday timetableReturn timetable from the stop
Official sources and check dates
- Current admission and closures ·
- Check tram routes ·
- Market opening hours and closures ·
- Operator fare revision notice ·
- Park visitor information ·
- 2026 access and parking leaflet ·
- Museum admission and exhibitions ·
- Buses and accessibility ·
- Nikobuchi driving, parking, paths and sightseeing taxis ·
- Ino Tourism Association bus guide ·
- Current visitor information, crowding and transport links ·
- ¥100 voluntary contribution information ·
- Weekday timetable revised in October ·
- Weekend and public holiday timetable ·
- Return timetable from the stop ·
- Current connecting fare table ·
- Garden admission and directions ·
- Museum admission, hours and access from JR Ino Station ·
- Extended temporary closure notice ·
- April 2026–March 2027 timetable, page 2 ·
- Tram transfer information ·
- Market official access and walk from the tram stop ·
- Market official stalls and menus ·
- Kochi Tourism Association: station walk, shared dining and closures ·
- Ryoma museum admission and operating notices for your date ·
- Ryoma museum permanent gallery closure notices for fiscal 2026 ·
- Kochi Castle approaches, steps and slopes ·
- Kochi Castle’s historic buildings and keep views ·
- Makino Botanical Garden conservatory and viewing deck ·
- Paper Museum: Tosa washi history and papermaking ·
- Papermaking workshop and registration conditions ·