Photo: Saigen Jiro / CC0Updated 1 October 2026 · 29 official and operator sources · Researched from official timetables, operators and the port authority · Takumi Yamada
Kochi gives you three things in one day: an original castle keep, Hirome Market's straw-seared bonito, and Katsurahama beach with the Sakamoto Ryoma statue. Every ship docks at Kochi New Port, on Sanri No.7 Wharf, a working harbour about 25–30 minutes from the centre by shuttle. Nothing there is walkable. The three sights fit the typical 9-hour call because Katsurahama is not out past town, as many guides imply. It is 5.2 km from the gangway, about 10–15 minutes and from about ¥1,840 by taxi. The one decision is whether you do the beach first or last, and how you get between it and the ship.
Pick your ship from the official Kochi schedule — or just the hours you have — and this page picks the plan and the tours that fit, with the hour before all-aboard already set aside.
One of the twelve castles in Japan that still have their original keep, with the Honmaru palace buildings beside it. You climb its steep original stairs to the top floor for the view over the city.
From the ship Shuttle to Harimaya-bashi Kanko Bus Terminal (25–30 minutes), then about 20 minutes on foot through the covered arcade, or a ¥230 tram. Taxi from the ship about 9.5 km, from about ¥3,120.
A roofed food hall of stalls and shared tables 200 m from the castle gate, where Myojinmaru sears bonito over a straw fire in front of you. Katsuo tataki is Kochi's dish, and this is where to eat it: 45–75 minutes, and bring cash.
From the ship About 12–15 minutes on foot west along the Obiyamachi arcade from Harimaya-bashi, where the shuttle stops. Taxi from the ship about 9.6 km, from about ¥3,120.
A curve of Pacific beach below pines and a headland shrine, with the statue of Sakamoto Ryoma looking out to sea. The prefectural Ryoma Memorial Museum stands on the headland above it.
From the ship Taxi from the gangway: 5.2 km over Urado Bridge, about 10–15 minutes, from about ¥1,840. From town, the MY-YU sightseeing bus or the Tosaden Katsurahama-line bus, about 30–47 minutes.
Kochi is the port many passengers had not heard of before the itinerary arrived. Once you are off the ship, the day comes down to three things. Kochi Castle is one of only twelve castles in Japan that still have their original keep, and you climb its wooden stairs to the top. Hirome Market is a roofed hall of food stalls and shared tables, where bonito is seared over burning straw and served thick with salt. And Katsurahama is a Pacific beach under pines, where the statue of Sakamoto Ryoma looks out over the ocean.
The difficulty is the port. Kochi New Port is a working harbour on the edge of Urado Bay, 8–10 km from the centre, and you cannot walk anywhere from it. The town is a 25–30-minute shuttle ride away. But one fact changes the plan, and most cruise guides get it wrong. Katsurahama is beside the port. It is 2 km across the bay mouth and 5.2 km by road over Urado Bridge, a taxi ride of about 10–15 minutes. Guides that call it "35 minutes" or "a half-day with transport" are timing it from town.
So this guide starts from the ship. The answers come from Kochi Prefecture's own call schedule and records, the Japan Tourism Agency, the bus and tram operators' timetables, and the castle's, market's and museum's published hours, all checked on 30 September 2026.
Every call is at Kochi New Port (Kochi Shinko). The Japan Tourism Agency names the cruise berths as Sanri No.7 Wharf, Berths 1–4. The prefecture's schedule calls them by number, and two matter to you:
| Berth 7-3 (most ships) | Berth 7-2 (second ship) | |
|---|---|---|
| Who uses it | The single ship on a normal day. In FY2025 about 100 of 108 Kochi calls came here, including Ovation of the Seas (168,666 GT) | The second ship on two-ship days: 8 of the 51 calls from October 2026 to March 2027 |
| Where | Sanri No.7 Wharf, Kochi New Port | Next berth along the same wharf |
| Terminal | Cruise terminal opened March 2019; the prefecture says both berths have terminal facilities | As 7-3 |
The rule comes from the schedule itself. From 1 October 2026 to 31 March 2027 the remarks column says "7-2" on eight calls, and every one of them is a two-ship day: 7, 11 and 21 October, and 18, 20, 24, 27 and 30 March. Every other call carries no berth note, and the prefecture's FY2025 and FY2026 records show those calls at 7-3. For you the two berths are the same place: the same wharf, the same approach road and the same shuttle. We could not confirm the exact shuttle boarding point at 7-2, so follow the signs or the ship's staff.
A third berth, 1-6, appears in the records only for small expedition ships (Le Soléal, Heritage Adventurer). No call in this season's schedule uses it.
There are two ways off the wharf: a shuttle to Harimaya-bashi Kanko Bus Terminal, in the centre, or a taxi. Nothing else serves the terminal. The nearest mapped bus stops are about 1.9 km away across industrial lots, and the prefecture asks sightseers not to walk the port roads.
The shuttle. The national transport ministry's Shikoku bureau describes a free shuttle run by Kochi Prefecture and Kochi City to Harimaya-bashi, alongside the cruise lines' own paid buses. Its cost to the authorities has become a problem, and in early 2026 they surveyed passengers on what they would pay and met to review it. The shuttle is part of the prefecture's reception contract to March 2027, but whether it stays free this season was not settled when we checked. Princess lists its Kochi shuttle as paid, and Holland America sells one "to Harimayabashi Bus Terminal (approximately 30 minutes)" from US$18. Ask at the gangway which buses run and what they cost before you buy.
Two rules in the prefecture's specification shape the day. The first bus leaves about an hour after the ship arrives. The last bus arrives back at the port about an hour before departure, so it leaves town about 90 minutes before sailing. The frequency is not published.
| To | How | Time | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harimaya-bashi (city centre) | City shuttle, or the ship's paid shuttle | 25–30 min | Free in early 2026 (fare under study) / from US$18 (Holland America) |
| Harimaya-bashi | Taxi | about 25 min in traffic | from about ¥2,720 |
| Kochi Castle | Taxi | about 13 min without traffic, longer in town | from about ¥3,120 |
| Hirome Market | Taxi | about 14 min without traffic | from about ¥3,120 |
| JR Kochi Station | Taxi | about 30 min by the tourism agency's figure | from about ¥3,040 |
| Katsurahama | Taxi, over Urado Bridge | about 10–15 min | from about ¥1,840 |
| Makino Botanical Garden | Taxi | about 15 min | from about ¥2,640 |
Taxi times are map-routing estimates without traffic; expect 1.2–1.5 times longer in the city. Fares are the floor of the official Kochi-city tariff for the distance: ¥560 for the first kilometre, then ¥80 per 269 m, plus time charges when slow. Hourly hire is ¥3,150 per 30 minutes, which is worth knowing if four of you want a car for the day. A fare increase has been requested (to ¥680 for the first kilometre), and in July 2026 the Transport Bureau decided a revision is needed. The new fares had not been published at the end of September, so treat every taxi figure here as likely to rise. We could not confirm that taxis wait on every call, so arrange one through the port desk or your ship.
From Harimaya-bashi Kanko Bus Terminal, Hirome Market is about 12–15 minutes' walk west along the covered Obiyamachi arcade. The castle gate is 200 m beyond it, and the keep about 1.3 km (20 minutes) from the terminal, uphill at the end. You can walk the whole centre, and the arcade keeps you dry.
Tosaden trams cost ¥230 flat in the city zone, which includes Harimayabashi, Kochijo-mae and Kochi-Ekimae. You pay when you get off, at the front door. The fare box gives no change, and the changer on board takes ¥1,000 notes only. Tosaden's riding guide names only its own Desuca card and says nothing about Suica or ICOCA, so carry coins.
This is the part cruise guides most often get wrong, and it decides how your day goes.
The shape that works: the beach at one end of the day, by taxi from or to the ship, and the town at the other end by shuttle. Going out to Katsurahama from town and coming back, then riding the shuttle to the port, costs an hour or more, and that hour is the one you need for the castle.
At the beach. The bronze statue of Ryoma, by the sculptor Motoyama Hakuun and paid for by young local volunteers in the early Showa era, is 5.3 m tall and 13.5 m with its base, and looks out at the Pacific. The statue and the sweep of sand take 45–60 minutes. Above the beach, the Sakamoto Ryoma Memorial Museum opens 9:00–17:00 every day (last entry about 16:30). It costs ¥500, or ¥900 during special exhibitions, and is free for under-18s. It takes cash, cards, e-money and QR payment, and suggests about 90 minutes for both buildings. Its permanent gallery is closed 14–21 January 2027, which falls on Mitsui Ocean Sakura's call on 19 January. The Katsurahama Aquarium opens 9:00–17:00 (last entry 16:30). The beach itself is open-air and free. Swimming is widely reported to be prohibited, so treat it as a beach for looking at the Pacific.
Kochi Castle opens 9:00–17:00, with last entry at 16:30, and closes only from 26 December to 1 January. Adults (18 and over) pay ¥500; under-18s are free. The senior discount is only for holders of a local pass, not for visitors. The ticket office accepts credit cards, e-money and transit IC cards, and the grounds are free. Allow 60–90 minutes for the keep, the Kaitokukan palace hall and the view. The stairs inside the keep are the originals and steep; the tour operators warn about them, and anyone who struggles with steps should see the palace and grounds and skip the upper floors. As of August 2026 anti-termite work was under way at the Tsumemon and Rokamon gates, so expect some scaffolding.
Hirome Market is 200 m from the castle gate, so the two make one block of about three hours in town. It opens Monday to Saturday at 10:00 and on Sunday at 9:00, until 23:00, and each stall keeps its own hours. Entry is free. The stall to know is Myojinmaru, which sears katsuo (bonito) over burning straw in front of you. Order the shio-tataki, with salt. Its Hirome branch serves 11:00–21:00 (Sundays 10:00–20:00) and lists only PayPay and Alipay, so plan on cash. Mid-morning is usually quieter: the hall is known for filling at lunch and again in the evening with a drinking crowd.
Hirome's closure days: in 2026 the market closes on 1 January, 3–5 February, 3–4 June and 7–8 October. The 7 October closure falls on a two-ship day, with Azamara Pursuit and Silver Moon in port. That day, eat at Myojinmaru's Obiyamachi branch in the arcade (lunch 11:30–14:00, cards and Suica/ICOCA accepted) or its Honten on Honmachi. The 2027 dates had not been published at the end of September 2026. Check nearer the time for the 22 February call.
The Sunday Market (Nichiyoichi) is the third thing in town, and it only happens on Sundays. The city counts 409 stalls along about 900 m of Otesuji, the avenue running up to the castle, selling produce, yuzu and snacks. From October to March it runs 5:30–16:00, except 1–2 January. Seven calls this season fall on a Sunday: 4 October, 11 October (two ships), 8 November, and 7, 14 and 21 March. Carry cash.
Godaisan, the hill between town and Katsurahama, is on the MY-YU route about 20 minutes from Harimaya-bashi. It has Chikurinji, temple 31 of the Shikoku pilgrimage, and Makino Botanical Garden, which costs ¥850 and opens 9:00–17:00. The garden charges ¥1,700 during its orchid show from 6 to 28 February 2027, which covers the 22 February call. Its closure days miss every cruise call this season. It is a good addition on a 10-hour call.
Our full list, with the time each takes from the berth, is on the Kochi top 10. Note that its Katsurahama time assumes you start from town. From the ship, the beach is the quickest of the ten. In brief:
For how passengers get around at other ports on their first morning, see The First Ten Minutes Ashore.
Fits 08:00–17:00 on a weekday, the commonest pattern here (16 of the 51 calls; 27 of the 51 are 9 hours long, including Norwegian Jade, Celebrity Millennium and Westerdam), at berth 7-3 or 7-2. Shift every time by your arrival.
The beach is beside the ship and town is 25 minutes further, so start at the beach, ride a timetabled bus into town and take the shuttle back. Times assume 08:00–17:00, all-aboard 16:30, and a target of back at the gangway by 15:30. Arrange the morning taxi through the port desk or your ship's shore team: we could not confirm that taxis wait at the terminal on every call. For ¥1,500 you can buy the MY-YU Katsurahama ticket on the Jorudan app the night before. It covers the bus into town, a day of trams and the museum's group rate.
Fits 07:00–15:00 on a Sunday (Diamond Princess on 4 October 2026) and other 8-hour calls. Sunday calls: 4 and 11 October, 8 November, 7, 14 and 21 March. Shift every time by your arrival.
The town day, with no taxis and no Katsurahama. On a Sunday the 300-year-old street market runs along Otesuji to the castle gate, so it lies on your way. Times assume 07:00–15:00, all-aboard 14:30 and a target of back at the gangway by 13:30.
Fits 09:00–15:00 (Mitsui Ocean Sakura on Saturday 12 December 2026, the season's shortest call) and the 7.5-hour Mitsui Ocean Sakura call on 19 January 2027. Shift every time by your arrival.
Six hours leave about 2 hours 20 minutes in town once the shuttle is counted, which is enough for the castle keep and a fast plate of katsuo, and not for Katsurahama as well. Times assume 09:00–15:00, all-aboard 14:30 and a target of back at the gangway by 13:30.
Work backwards from the ship. Your all-aboard time is usually 30 minutes before departure (check the daily programme), you want to be back at the gangway an hour before that, and the first half hour after arrival goes on getting off. So the time you can actually use is the call length minus about two hours.
Kochi takes a little more. The first city shuttle leaves about an hour after arrival, which matches the time it takes to get off anyway. But the last one gets back to the port only an hour before departure, 30 minutes later than your gangway target. Plan on the bus before the last one. Berths 7-3 and 7-2 are on the same wharf and use the same shuttle, so the table applies to both.
| Call | Usable | What fits (berth 7-3 or 7-2) |
|---|---|---|
| 4 hours | about 2 | Katsurahama by taxi only: 10–15 minutes each way, 45–60 minutes at the statue and beach. The town does not fit once the shuttle wait and ride are counted. |
| 6 hours | about 4 | One of two: the castle and Hirome by shuttle (about 2¼ hours in town), or Katsurahama and the Ryoma museum by taxi, unhurried. Both only by taxi throughout, for about ¥9,000–10,000 for the car. |
| 8 hours | about 6 | The castle and Hirome by shuttle, plus Katsurahama by taxi at the start or end of the day, or Godaisan by the MY-YU bus. On a Sunday, add the market. |
| 9 hours | about 7 | All three: Katsurahama, the castle and Hirome, with one taxi leg between the beach and the ship. |
| 10 hours+ | about 8 | All three plus Godaisan (Makino Botanical Garden or Chikurinji), using the MY-YU bus for town → Godaisan → Katsurahama and a taxi to the ship. |
The 2026–27 season from October to March has 51 calls: 13 in October, 7 in November, 4 in December, 2 in January, 1 in February and 24 in March. 27 of them are 9 hours, and the median is 9. The shortest is Mitsui Ocean Sakura on 12 December (09:00–15:00). The longest are Westerdam on 14 October (to 21:00) and Silver Muse on 27 March (to 22:00). On those two, an evening at Hirome, which stays open until 23:00, is possible. There are no overnights. The full list is on cruises to Kochi.
Every pick opens our own page first — what the operator actually includes, who should skip it, and which upcoming Kochi calls it fits. Prices are the operator's "from" price as of 26 Sep 2026.
Both start in town or need a named pickup, so you still take the shuttle or a taxi from the port. Tell whoever meets you your all-aboard time.
Couples & solo · per person · shared, max 12 · meets at JR Kochi StationBest of Kochi Half-Day Tour: Castle & Hirome MarketThe cheapest guided option: four hours on foot around the castle, Hirome and Hachimangu Shrine, with castle entry and a snack. Its 30 reviews average 4.6, the castle stairs are steep, and a port meeting is only by arrangement, with the taxi extra.Why it is on this site →
Groups up to 9 · per group · car and driver, no guidePrivate Kochi Shore ExcursionAbout $77 a head for six, for five hours covering Katsurahama, the castle and Hirome. The driver speaks Japanese only and uses a translation app, castle entry is extra, and no pickup point is named, so confirm Kochi New Port in writing.Why it is on this site →A way to get all three sights with a guide and no shuttle: the car collects you at the port, so Katsurahama, beside the ship, costs you minutes rather than an hour.
Calls of 10 hours or more: Seabourn Encore (21 October, 15 and 29 March), Diamond Princess (21 November), and in March Azamara Pursuit, Silver Moon, Norwegian Jade and Sapphire Princess, plus Asuka III on 20 March (11 hours), Westerdam on 14 October (13 hours) and Silver Muse on 27 March (14 hours).
First visit · per person · private, max 9 · meets at the shuttle stop in town1-Day Kochi Highlights Tour with local guideKochi's most-reviewed guided day, 198 reviews at 4.9: the castle, Hirome, Makino Botanical Garden and Chikurinji, with castle and garden admission and public transport between stops included. It runs 6 hours 30 from Harimaya-bashi, too long for a 9-hour call, so ask for a shorter version or book it on a longer call. It skips Katsurahama.Why it is on this site →
Families & groups up to 8 · per group · licensed guide · port pickupShore Excursion Full Day Private Kochi Tour from Kochi portThe only Kochi listing that promises in writing to get you back to the port on time. The guide fee is $490, but the car is billed separately in cash at ¥100,000 for up to five people or ¥120,000 for up to eight. Work out the full total before you compare.Why it is on this site →Tours are booked through Viator (a Tripadvisor company). If you book, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. It never decides what we recommend — which is why each tour page has a "think twice" note.
About the return to the ship. Only one Kochi listing, 409671P11, writes it down: "Cruise ship guests are welcome & timely return to the port is guaranteed", and none of the other Kochi tours says anything about getting you back. Several also start in town (at Harimaya-bashi or JR Kochi Station), so the city shuttle or a taxi stands between the tour and your ship, and the last shuttle gets back later than is safe. Three habits protect you. Choose a tour with port pickup when you can. Tell the guide your all-aboard time when you meet. And agree to be back at the gangway an hour before it, which on a shuttle day means catching the bus before the last. For a group choosing between a car and a guide, see A Car With a Driver at Japan's Cruise Ports and our guided options for Kochi.
Kochi is more cash-bound than the big cities, and the places that matter most on a port day are the ones that want coins.
| Place | Pay with |
|---|---|
| Trams | ¥230 in coins when you get off (no change; changer takes ¥1,000 notes only), or the local Desuca card |
| City shuttle | Free in early 2026; ask whether a fare applies |
| MY-YU sightseeing bus | Buy the ticket before boarding; the Jorudan mobile ticket takes cards |
| Taxis | Cash is safest; card acceptance is not confirmed officially |
| Kochi Castle | Cards, e-money and transit IC cards |
| Ryoma Memorial Museum | Cash, cards, e-money, QR |
| Myojinmaru, Hirome branch | PayPay and Alipay listed, no cards: bring cash |
| Myojinmaru, Obiyamachi branch | Cards, Suica/ICOCA, PayPay |
| Other Hirome stalls and the Sunday Market | Mostly cash |
Cash machines. There is nothing within about 1.3 km of the terminal. The nearest are convenience stores and a post office 1.3–1.5 km away, which you cannot reach on foot. Get cash in town. Around Harimaya-bashi Kanko Bus Terminal, where the shuttle stops, there is a FamilyMart about 300 m away (open 24 hours), 7-Elevens at about 430 m and 550 m, and two post offices within 250 m (open Monday to Friday). 7-Eleven and Japan Post machines generally accept foreign cards.
Opening days to check against your date.
Tourist help. On ship days the prefecture's reception team, which runs the shuttle, gives guidance from arrival until an hour before departure, in the passengers' languages. Ask them first about the shuttle fare and the last bus.
| Month | Average high / low | Rain | Calls 2026–27 |
|---|---|---|---|
| October | 25.0 °C / 15.6 °C | 208 mm | 13 |
| November | 19.6 °C / 9.7 °C | 130 mm | 7 |
| December | 14.4 °C / 4.2 °C | 83 mm | 4 |
| January | 12.2 °C / 2.1 °C | 59 mm | 2 |
| February | 13.2 °C / 3.1 °C | 108 mm | 1 |
| March | 16.3 °C / 6.4 °C | 175 mm | 24 |
More on timing: Cherry Blossom by Cruise Port.
Things you will read about Kochi elsewhere — in older port guides, forum posts and some cruise-line pages — set against what the official source says today.
| You may read | What the official source says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Ships dock at Nishi-Harima (or Nakamura) Wharf in Urato Port, a 10-minute shuttle ride from Harimaya-bashi. | Kochi's cruise berths are Berths 1–4 of Sanri No.7 Wharf at Kochi New Port. The Japan Tourism Agency puts the Harimaya-bashi Kanko Bus Terminal 25 minutes away by car and JR Kochi Station 30 minutes, so allow 25–30 minutes each way, not 10. | Japan Tourism Agency — Cruise Port Guide of Japan: Kochi Port |
| Kochi has no public transport, so you walk or take a taxi from the port and around town. | Nothing serves the terminal itself, so you start with a shuttle or taxi. But the city has a full tram network: Tosaden trams run through Harimaya-bashi, Kochi-jo-mae and Kochi Station for a flat ¥230 in the city zone (raised from ¥200 on 1 November 2024). | Tosaden Kotsu — Tram fare revision |
| The city's welcome shuttle is always free and runs every 15–30 minutes. | Kochi Prefecture and Kochi City do run a shuttle from the terminal to Harimaya-bashi and have paid for it so far. Because calls keep increasing, they began studying a fare for it in January 2026, and no official timetable or frequency is published. Ask at the gangway what runs that day and what it costs before you buy the ship's own bus. | MLIT Shikoku Regional Development Bureau — Kochi New Port shuttle trial (press release, 7 Jan 2026) |
| The MY-YU bus is cash only, and foreign visitors get 50% off by showing a passport at Kochi Station. | The official MY-YU page lists no passport or foreign-visitor discount (half price is for disability certificate holders). The Katsurahama ticket is ¥1,500 and the Godaisan ticket ¥1,000, bought before boarding at Kochi Station, the Harimaya-bashi service centre or tourist desks, or as a mobile ticket in the Jorudan app, which takes credit cards. | Kochi Visitors & Convention Association — MY-YU bus |
At Kochi New Port (Kochi Shinko), on Sanri No.7 Wharf, on the east side of the mouth of Urado Bay and about 8–10 km by road south-east of the city centre. The normal berth is 7-3. In the prefecture's October 2026–March 2027 schedule, 8 of 51 calls use berth 7-2 next door, and every one is a day with two ships in port. A cruise terminal opened there in March 2019.
Yes. Kochi Prefecture and Kochi City have run a shuttle from the terminal to Harimaya-bashi Kanko Bus Terminal, taking 25–30 minutes. It was free in early 2026, but a fare is being studied. Some lines sell their own: Princess lists a paid shuttle and Holland America charges from US$18. The last bus gets back to the port only about an hour before departure.
No. The port is 8–10 km from the centre among industrial lots, and the nearest bus stops are about 1.9 km away along industrial roads. Take the shuttle or a taxi. A taxi to Harimaya-bashi costs from about ¥2,720 and takes about 25 minutes in traffic.
By taxi: it is 5.2 km over Urado Bridge, about 10–15 minutes, from about ¥1,840. No public transport runs from the port to the beach. Arrange your return, because we could not confirm that taxis wait at Katsurahama. From town, the MY-YU sightseeing bus and the Tosaden Katsurahama-line bus between them run 1–2 times an hour and take about 30–47 minutes.
About 45–60 minutes door to door by the shuttle. Ride it 25–30 minutes to Harimaya-bashi Kanko Bus Terminal, then walk about 20 minutes (1.3 km) west through the covered Obiyamachi arcade, uphill at the end, or take a tram to Kochijo-mae for ¥230 in coins. A taxi from the ship is about 9.5 km and from about ¥3,120, roughly 13 minutes without traffic. The castle opens 9:00–17:00, and Hirome Market is 200 m from its gate.
About 40–45 minutes: the shuttle takes 25–30 minutes to Harimaya-bashi Kanko Bus Terminal, and Hirome Market is 12–15 minutes' walk west along the covered Obiyamachi arcade. A taxi from the ship is about 9.6 km, from about ¥3,120. Inside Hirome, Myojinmaru (11:00–21:00, Sundays from 10:00) sears bonito over burning straw in front of you. Order the shio-tataki, with salt, and bring cash: the stall lists only PayPay and Alipay.
Possibly, but book one. We could not confirm that taxis wait at Kochi New Port on every call, or at Katsurahama for the ride back. Ask the prefecture's reception team at the terminal, which helps passengers from arrival until an hour before departure, or your ship's shore team. Fares start at ¥560 for the first kilometre: from about ¥1,840 to Katsurahama, ¥2,720 to Harimaya-bashi and ¥3,120 to the castle. Card acceptance is not confirmed, so carry cash.
Three things, and all three fit a 9-hour call. Kochi Castle is one of twelve castles in Japan with its original keep (¥500, 60–90 minutes). Hirome Market is a roofed food hall where Myojinmaru sears bonito over straw. Katsurahama beach, with the Sakamoto Ryoma statue, is 10–15 minutes by taxi from the ship. On Sundays the 300-year-old Sunday Market lines the way to the castle. With 10 hours or more, add Makino Botanical Garden or Chikurinji temple; with 4 hours, do Katsurahama only.
Yes. The town is a 25–30-minute shuttle ride from the ship, and from the shuttle stop at Harimaya-bashi you walk to Hirome Market in 12–15 minutes and to Kochi Castle in about 20, mostly under a covered arcade. Katsurahama is 10–15 minutes from the gangway by taxi, from about ¥1,840. What you give up is someone else watching the clock: catch the shuttle before the last one, which reaches the port only an hour before departure, and pre-arrange any taxi back from the beach.
Yes, on the typical 9-hour call, if you use a taxi for the Katsurahama leg. Go from the ship to the beach at 08:30, take the 11:00 bus into town, eat at Hirome, see the castle, and take the shuttle back at about 14:40. On 6-hour calls, choose the town or the beach.
The Kochi-city tariff starts at ¥560 for the first kilometre, then ¥80 per 269 m, plus time charges in slow traffic. That gives from about ¥1,840 from the ship to Katsurahama, about ¥2,720 to Harimaya-bashi and about ¥3,120 to the castle or Hirome. Hourly hire is ¥3,150 per 30 minutes. The Transport Bureau decided in July 2026 that fares need revising (¥680 for the first kilometre was requested), so expect them to rise.
¥230 flat anywhere in the city zone, which includes Harimayabashi, Kochijo-mae and Kochi Station. You pay when you get off, at the front. The fare box gives no change and the on-board changer takes ¥1,000 notes only. Tosaden names only its own Desuca card, not Suica or ICOCA, so bring coins.
9:00–17:00 with last entry at 16:30, closed 26 December to 1 January. Adults 18 and over pay ¥500, and under-18s are free. Cards, e-money and transit IC cards are accepted. The grounds are free. Inside the keep the original stairs are steep, and gate repairs were under way in 2026.
Monday to Saturday 10:00–23:00, and Sunday from 9:00, though each stall sets its own hours. Myojinmaru's Hirome branch serves 11:00–21:00 (Sundays 10:00–20:00). The market is closed on 7–8 October 2026, which catches the two ships in port on 7 October. Its 2027 closure days had not been published at the end of September 2026. Hirome opens on Wednesdays, but many smaller arcade shops close that day.
Yes. Trams take cash without change, the best-known katsuo stall at Hirome lists no card payment, and the Sunday Market stalls are mostly cash. The castle and the Ryoma museum take cards. There is no cash machine within about 1.3 km of the terminal. At Harimaya-bashi, where the shuttle stops, there is a 24-hour FamilyMart about 300 m away and 7-Elevens about 430 m and 550 m away.
A street market of about 400 stalls along some 900 m of Otesuji, the avenue leading to the castle, held every Sunday for about 300 years (except 1–2 January and 10–12 August). From October to March it runs 5:30–16:00. Seven calls in the 2026–27 season fall on a Sunday.
Sakamoto Ryoma was a samurai of the 1860s from Tosa, today's Kochi, whom the prefecture credits with opening the way to modern Japan. His bronze statue at Katsurahama is 5.3 m tall, 13.5 m with its base, and looks out at the Pacific. The Sakamoto Ryoma Memorial Museum on the headland opens 9:00–17:00 daily, costs ¥500 (¥900 during special exhibitions), takes cards and suggests about 90 minutes. It suits a 9-hour call that starts at the beach. Its permanent gallery closes 14–21 January 2027.
Partly. The easier stops are Hirome Market, the Katsurahama promenade and Makino Botanical Garden. Kochi Castle's keep has steep original stairs, so see the palace and the free grounds instead. From the shuttle stop, Hirome is 12–15 minutes' walk, mostly under a covered arcade, and the castle is uphill beyond it. The MY-YU sightseeing bus takes one wheelchair per bus, booked by 17:00 the day before on 0120-013-017. One private tour with port pickup, 92136P159, lists its vehicle as wheelchair accessible.
Mild to warm: average highs are 25.0 °C in October, 19.6 °C in November, 14.4 °C in December, 12.2 °C in January, 13.2 °C in February and 16.3 °C in March, by Japan Meteorological Agency normals. Kochi is one of Japan's wettest cities, with 208 mm of rain in October and 175 mm in March, so pack an umbrella. Cherry blossom normally opens around 22 March and peaks around 30 March. Typhoons are most likely in September and less often in October.
51 calls are scheduled from October 2026 to March 2027, 24 of them in March, in Kochi Prefecture's schedule updated 28 September 2026. The median call is 9 hours. Ships include Norwegian Jade, Celebrity Millennium, Westerdam, Diamond Princess, Seabourn Encore, Silver Muse, Azamara Pursuit and Mitsui Ocean Sakura. The shortest call is Mitsui Ocean Sakura on 12 December (09:00–15:00); the longest are Westerdam on 14 October and Silver Muse on 27 March. On eight days two ships are in port.
No. Kochi, Japan (高知) is the capital of Kochi Prefecture, on the Pacific coast of Shikoku, the smallest of Japan's four main islands, and cruise ships dock at Kochi New Port on Urado Bay, 8–10 km from the city centre. Kochi in Kerala, India, formerly Cochin, is a different port on the Arabian Sea. If your itinerary is in Japan, you are calling at Sanri No.7 Wharf in Kochi New Port.
For a 9-hour call, the private car tour with a licensed guide and port pickup (92136P159, 72 reviews at 4.9), because it can include Katsurahama, which is beside the ship. For 10 hours or more, the most-reviewed guided day (22178P48), which starts at the shuttle stop in town. Only one Kochi listing, 409671P11, promises in writing to return you to the port on time; keep your own hour of margin with the rest.
