Kochi in four days: stay in Kochi or one night in Ino?
Keep a Kochi base for coast/gorge on different days. For one Ino night, move after two Kochi nights and use the gorge bus. This connects JR and bus on moving day; for less hurry, compare five days with two Ino nights.
Choose a 3 nights, 4 days itinerary
A: separate city, coast and gorge days
Keep one Kochi accommodation for three nights and give coast/gorge a day each. Day 2 visits Ryoma museum/Katsurahama, day 3 uses a hire car for Nikobuchi and the final day visits the castle.
A: separate city, coast and gorge days →3 nights, 4 daysB: one night in Ino
Without a car, spend two nights in Kochi then one in Ino for Nikobuchi. Move to Ino after coastal day and use the gorge bus; choose this when an early JR train connects to it.
B: one night in Ino →A: separate city, coast and gorge days
Keep one Kochi accommodation for three nights and give coast/gorge a day each. Day 2 visits Ryoma museum/Katsurahama, day 3 uses a hire car for Nikobuchi and the final day visits the castle.
Day 1: dine in the city
Spend three Kochi nights: museum/coast by bus on day 2 and Nikobuchi by vehicle on day 3. Include the final castle only if departure leaves time.
- JR Kochi Station → Hirome Market entrance
Tourism-association guidance gives about 15 minutes from JR Kochi to Hirome Market. By tram, alight at Ohashidori and walk about 2–3 minutes. The market’s official map shows direct access from Obiyamachi/Ohashidori.
Official market access and stop walksKochi tourism-association station walk, shared dining and closures
- Hirome Market entrance → Market shops and shared dining seats
Read shop menus/prices, order food and eat at shared tables. Whole-market and individual-shop hours differ. For late arrival, check your chosen shop’s last order; on closure days, choose another open city restaurant.
Official market shops and menusKochi tourism-association station walk, shared dining and closuresMarket hours and closures
- Hirome Market → Obiyamachi shopping street
Walk Obiyamachi shopping street if you want more time outside after eating. Choose the return route from the market’s official access map and your accommodation address.
Day-1 food and accommodation↔market transport are excluded. If the final-day castle does not fit, compare its admission deadline/closures with actual day-1 entrance arrival. Otherwise omit the castle while retaining sea/gorge days.
Day 2: Ryoma museum and coast
Visit the museum before the coast; leave time to return to its bus stop afterwards.
- JR Kochi Station → Kochi Tabi Hiroba MY Yu stand
Board MY Yu at Kochi Tabi Hiroba south of JR Kochi. Buy the adult JPY 1,500 Katsurahama one-day pass before boarding and check that day’s stand/operation. Ordinary seats are unreserved; if full, adjust visits/return around the next bus.
Bus and accessibility guideDate-specific boarding-stand changes
- Kochi Station MY Yu stand → Ryoma-Kinenkan-Mae stop
Take a Katsurahama-bound MY Yu and alight at Ryoma-Kinenkan-Mae. Check a morning departure and the following bus together so the coast fits after visiting.
Bus and accessibility guideApril 2026–March 2027 timetable, page 2Date-specific boarding-stand changes
- Ryoma-Kinenkan-Mae stop → Sakamoto Ryoma Memorial Museum
Walk uphill from the stop to the museum and allow about 90 minutes visiting. Adult admission is JPY 500 or 900 depending on the exhibition date. Museum walking, visits and meals are outside bus travel time.
- Sakamoto Ryoma Memorial Museum and Ryoma-Kinenkan-Mae stop → Katsurahama Park
Return after visiting to Ryoma-Kinenkan-Mae and take MY Yu towards Katsurahama. Museum and beach do not share an entrance; allow museum-to-stop walking separately. The coastal park is free; swimming is prohibited.
- Katsurahama stop → JR Kochi Station
After the coast, take MY Yu from Katsurahama towards Kochi Station. Distinguish weekday/holiday return services in the official timetable. The final Saturday/Sunday/public-holiday return arrives at the northern terminal rather than the southern stand.
April 2026–March 2027 timetable, page 2Bus and accessibility guide
Day 3: Nikobuchi by vehicle
Make a vehicle gorge trip and return to Kochi.
- Kochi City → Signed Nikobuchi parking spaces
Tourism-council guidance gives about 70 minutes driving from Kochi City to Nikobuchi. Allow collection, parking, path walks and visiting separately. Set navigation for the officially recommended Green Park Hodono, then follow Nikobuchi signs to marked spaces. Check on-the-day parking fees/vacancies.
Nikobuchi driving, parking, paths and sightseeing taxisCurrent place, crowding and transport links
- Nikobuchi parking area → Gorge and the same parking area
Follow the sloping/stepped path from your car down to the gorge. Do not enter the water or eat/drink there; return the same way and eat outside. Check your date’s access; rain, light and water volume can change the colours.
- Signed Nikobuchi parking spaces → Kochi City
Eat outside the gorge, then drive back to Kochi. Return the booked car at its specified office/deadline with required fuel. If access restrictions prevent the visit, omit it. Changing to buses requires separate Ino outbound/return connections.
Nikobuchi driving, parking, paths and sightseeing taxisCurrent place, crowding and transport links
Day 4: Kochi Castle and departure
Visit the castle’s paid buildings before departure only if visits and onward access leave margin.
- Kochi-Ekimae tram stop → Kochijo-Mae stop and castle park
Take a tram from Kochi-Ekimae towards Harimayabashi, then change there towards Ino. Alight at Kochijo-Mae and walk to the castle park. For cash transfers, follow the first tram’s transfer-ticket rules at designated stops. From Obiyamachi/Ohashidori, also compare walking directly to the park.
- Kochi Castle park → Keep and Kaitokukan
Climb the park steps and buy a ticket at the keep/Kaitokukan entrance. Paid buildings run 09:00–17:00, last entry 16:30, JPY 500 for ages 18+. Closed 26 December–1 January. Allow the stop-to-entrance walk and stairs too.
Current fees and closuresKochi Castle ascent, steps and slopes
- Kochi Castle → JR Kochi Station
After visiting, take a tram from Kochijo-Mae towards Harimayabashi and change there towards Kochi-Ekimae for JR Kochi. For more city time, you can also descend on foot towards Obiyamachi/Ohashidori.
Included items: The subtotal includes JPY 500 for the castle, JPY 500 or JPY 900 for the museum, depending on the exhibition, and JPY 1,500 for the MY Yu Katsurahama pass.
Extra costs: Flights, accommodation, meals, airport/onward travel, accommodation-to-boarding access, luggage storage, city trams outside the MY Yu day and optional paid facilities cost extra. Hire car, insurance, fuel, tolls and parking are also separate. Nikobuchi’s JPY 100 is voluntary and excluded from mandatory fees.
The subtotal varies by museum exhibition and excludes vehicles. Nikobuchi’s JPY 100 is a voluntary environmental contribution.
Current fees and closuresMuseum admission and exhibitionsBus and accessibility guideJPY 100 contribution guidance
B: one night in Ino
Without a car, spend two nights in Kochi then one in Ino for Nikobuchi. Move to Ino after coastal day and use the gorge bus; choose this when an early JR train connects to it.
Day 1: Kochi city
Spend two Kochi nights then one in Ino. Seeing the gorge on moving day requires an early JR/bus connection. For a less hurried move, compare two Ino nights with separate days.
- JR Kochi Station → Hirome Market entrance
Tourism-association guidance gives about 15 minutes from JR Kochi to Hirome Market. By tram, alight at Ohashidori and walk about 2–3 minutes. The market’s official map shows direct access from Obiyamachi/Ohashidori.
Official market access and stop walksKochi tourism-association station walk, shared dining and closures
- Hirome Market entrance → Market shops and shared dining seats
Read shop menus/prices, order food and eat at shared tables. Whole-market and individual-shop hours differ. For late arrival, check your chosen shop’s last order; on closure days, choose another open city restaurant.
Official market shops and menusKochi tourism-association station walk, shared dining and closuresMarket hours and closures
- Hirome Market → Obiyamachi shopping street
Walk Obiyamachi shopping street if you want more time outside after eating. Choose the return route from the market’s official access map and your accommodation address.
Day-1 food and accommodation↔market transport are excluded. If the final-day castle does not fit, compare its admission deadline/closures with actual day-1 entrance arrival. Otherwise omit the castle while retaining sea/gorge days.
Day 2: museum then coast
Visit museum/coast and return to Kochi. Move to Ino tomorrow.
- JR Kochi Station → Kochi Tabi Hiroba MY Yu stand
Board MY Yu at Kochi Tabi Hiroba south of JR Kochi. Buy the adult JPY 1,500 Katsurahama one-day pass before boarding and check that day’s stand/operation. Ordinary seats are unreserved; if full, adjust visits/return around the next bus.
Bus and accessibility guideDate-specific boarding-stand changes
- Kochi Station MY Yu stand → Ryoma-Kinenkan-Mae stop
Take a Katsurahama-bound MY Yu and alight at Ryoma-Kinenkan-Mae. Check a morning departure and the following bus together so the coast fits after visiting.
Bus and accessibility guideApril 2026–March 2027 timetable, page 2Date-specific boarding-stand changes
- Ryoma-Kinenkan-Mae stop → Sakamoto Ryoma Memorial Museum
Walk uphill from the stop to the museum and allow about 90 minutes visiting. Adult admission is JPY 500 or 900 depending on the exhibition date. Museum walking, visits and meals are outside bus travel time.
- Sakamoto Ryoma Memorial Museum and Ryoma-Kinenkan-Mae stop → Katsurahama Park
Return after visiting to Ryoma-Kinenkan-Mae and take MY Yu towards Katsurahama. Museum and beach do not share an entrance; allow museum-to-stop walking separately. The coastal park is free; swimming is prohibited.
- Katsurahama stop → JR Kochi Station
After the coast, take MY Yu from Katsurahama towards Kochi Station. Distinguish weekday/holiday return services in the official timetable. The final Saturday/Sunday/public-holiday return arrives at the northern terminal rather than the southern stand.
April 2026–March 2027 timetable, page 2Bus and accessibility guide
Day 3: move to Ino and take the gorge bus
Move by JR and visit the gorge by bus/on foot. If the connection is difficult, separate moving and visiting days as in the two-Ino-night option.
- JR Kochi Station → JR Ino Station
Take a Dosan Line train from JR Kochi stopping at Ino. For the gorge on moving day, compare JR’s date-specific times with the bus weekday/holiday table and choose an early connecting train.
Check JR operationJR Kochi departures, revised 14 March 2026
- Ino Station bus stop → Hodono-Iriguchi bus stop
From Ino Station, take a bus towards Hodono-Iriguchi (程野入口) or Nagasawa (長沢), alighting at Hodono-Iriguchi. Adult single JPY 1,430, return 2,860. Check your date’s outbound and Ino return in the operator’s timetable first.
Ino tourism-association bus guideOctober revised weekday timetableWeekend/public-holiday timetableCurrent linked fare table
- Hodono-Iriguchi bus stop → Nikobuchi
Allow about 2 km/30 minutes one way from Hodono-Iriguchi to Nikobuchi. The descending path has slopes and steps. Do not enter water or eat/drink in the gorge. Allow return walking and bus waits too.
Ino tourism-association bus guideNikobuchi driving, parking, paths and sightseeing taxis
- Nikobuchi → The same Hodono-Iriguchi stop
Retrace your route to Hodono-Iriguchi. The tourism association also gives about 30 minutes walking back. Allow for surface conditions/your pace, arrive before your selected departure and check the Ino-bound boarding position.
- Hodono-Iriguchi bus stop → Ino Station bus stop
Take an Ino-bound bus from Hodono-Iriguchi and alight at Ino Station. Choose returns in the operator’s weekday/Saturday-Sunday-public-holiday tables. JPY 2,860 covers only these two bus trips, excluding accommodation access.
October revised weekday timetableWeekend/public-holiday timetableStop return timetableCurrent linked fare table
Allow transfer time after arrival in Ino. If leaving bags at accommodation, check acceptance and the detour time. If train/bus do not connect, omit the gorge that day or compare five-day option B’s separate moving/gorge days.
Day 4: return to Kochi for the castle
Return from Ino and depart Kochi. Check whether train arrival leaves time for the castle.
- JR Ino Station → JR Kochi Station
Take a Kochi-bound train from JR Ino. Check Kochi arrival and margin before your onward departure for the actual date. If castle/city travel does not fit, omit the castle and go towards departure.
- Kochi-Ekimae tram stop → Kochijo-Mae stop and castle park
Take a tram from Kochi-Ekimae towards Harimayabashi, then change there towards Ino. Alight at Kochijo-Mae and walk to the castle park. For cash transfers, follow the first tram’s transfer-ticket rules at designated stops. From Obiyamachi/Ohashidori, also compare walking directly to the park.
- Kochi Castle park → Keep and Kaitokukan
Climb the park steps and buy a ticket at the keep/Kaitokukan entrance. Paid buildings run 09:00–17:00, last entry 16:30, JPY 500 for ages 18+. Closed 26 December–1 January. Allow the stop-to-entrance walk and stairs too.
Current fees and closuresKochi Castle ascent, steps and slopes
- Kochi Castle → JR Kochi Station
After visiting, take a tram from Kochijo-Mae towards Harimayabashi and change there towards Kochi-Ekimae for JR Kochi. For more city time, you can also descend on foot towards Obiyamachi/Ohashidori.
Included items: The subtotal includes JPY 500 for the castle, JPY 500 or JPY 900 for the museum, depending on the exhibition, JPY 1,500 for the MY Yu Katsurahama pass and JPY 2,860 for return gorge buses.
Extra costs: Flights, accommodation, meals, airport/onward travel, accommodation-to-boarding access, luggage storage, city trams outside the MY Yu day and optional paid facilities cost extra. JR Kochi–Ino return is separate. Nikobuchi’s JPY 100 is voluntary and excluded from mandatory fees.
JR Kochi–Ino return is separate from the subtotal. To replace the gorge buses with a vehicle, deduct JPY 2,860 and add the actual vehicle-contract costs.
Current fees and closuresMuseum admission and exhibitionsBus and accessibility guideCurrent linked fare tableJPY 100 contribution guidance
Before-departure/on-the-day checks and FAQs
Can moving day to Ino also include Nikobuchi?
Only if an early JR arrival connects to the gorge bus. Compare date-specific JR with bus weekday/holiday tables. Otherwise, omit the gorge that day or use five-day B’s separate moving/gorge days.
Check JR operationOctober revised weekday timetableWeekend/public-holiday timetableJR Kochi departures, revised 14 March 2026
Official sources and confirmation dates
- Date-specific boarding-stand changes ·
- Current fees and closures ·
- Check tram routes ·
- Market hours and closures ·
- Park operation ·
- Museum admission and exhibitions ·
- Bus and accessibility guide ·
- Nikobuchi driving, parking, paths and sightseeing taxis ·
- Ino tourism-association bus guide ·
- Current place, crowding and transport links ·
- JPY 100 contribution guidance ·
- October revised weekday timetable ·
- Weekend/public-holiday timetable ·
- Stop return timetable ·
- Current linked fare table ·
- April 2026–March 2027 timetable, page 2 ·
- Tram transfer guide ·
- Check JR operation ·
- Official market access and stop walks ·
- Official market shops and menus ·
- Kochi tourism-association station walk, shared dining and closures ·
- Kochi Castle ascent, steps and slopes ·
- All Shikoku Rail Pass terms, 1 October 2026 ·
- JR Kochi departures, revised 14 March 2026 ·