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Best of Kochi Half-Day Tour: Castle & Hirome Market
A four-hour small-group walk around Kochi Castle, Hirome Market and Hachimangu Shrine, starting at JR Kochi Station, for a half-day call.
US$150 each · US$300 for two · Taxi ~20 min from the ship
Most listings let you reserve now and pay later, and cancel free up to 24 hours before. Your ship's berth or time can change; a reservation costs nothing to hold.
Checked · price, reviews and availability from the operator’s Viator listing · Takumi Yamada
The day, stop by stop
- 30 minKochi Hachimangu Shrine
- 30 minObiyamachi Ichibangai
- 1 hrKochi Castle
- 1 hrHirome Ichiba
Not at the pier: about 20 minutes by taxi
Measured from Kochi New Port cruise terminal.
- Taxi
- ~20 min · 9.1 kmAbout ¥2,900–3,700 (US$18–25) one way on the meter
- Meeting point
- Three Tosa Samurai statues, JR Kochi Station South Exit →The taxi ride in Google Maps
- Show your driver
- JR高知駅南口 土佐三志士像
- Other ways there
- Free city/prefecture shuttle (or the ship's paid shuttle) from Kochi New Port to Harimaya-bashi Kanko Bus Terminal, 25–30 min, then ~1 km north to Kochi Station (walk or Tosaden tram). Taxi from the port ~9 km.
- Coming back
- The same ~20 minutes; be at the ship an hour before all-aboard.
Fare from the official meter tariff in force since 2024-02-19, for the road distance; traffic, tolls and night surcharges are extra.
- Castle admission is included, and the guide gives you an hour inside with the history explained.
- An hour at Hirome Market, where the operator points you to seared bonito (katsuo no tataki), plus Hachimangu Shrine and the Obiyamachi arcade, which on Sundays can include the Sunday Market.
- It is a shared small group of up to twelve, and citrus juice and biscuits are included.
Travellers on a medium-length call who are happy to join others and want the castle and market with a guide.
It meets at JR Kochi Station, 20-30 minutes from the port; the guide can meet you at the port only by arrangement, and the taxi fare is extra. Lunch is at your own cost (the operator says many stalls prefer cash). The castle has steep stairs. 34 reviews average 4.5, the lowest of the guided Kochi walks.
What you will see
~3h via shuttleKatsuo tataki, flame-seared
Bonito seared over burning straw, salted, and eaten before the smoke clears — Kochi’s defining dish done theatrically at Myojinmaru’s Hirome Market stall.
Our guide to it
~3.5hKochi Castle
One of only twelve original castles — keep, gates and palace all survived.
Our guide to it
~3hHirome Market
Sixty stalls, shared tables, day-drinking locals who will toast you — Kochi’s living room.
Our guide to itCheck dates and book
Booked through Viator (a Tripadvisor company); there is rarely a tour desk at the pier. We may earn a small commission if you book, at no extra cost to you.
What Princess Cruises charges for a day like this in Kochi
Princess Cruises prices from its public Kochi excursion page, 25 October 2026, per person. Tour prices here are the operator’s current from price.
Before you book
Is the Best of Kochi Half-Day Tour: Castle & Hirome Market worth it from the Kochi cruise port?
A four-hour small-group walk around Kochi Castle, Hirome Market and Hachimangu Shrine, starting at JR Kochi Station, for a half-day call. Best for: Travellers on a medium-length call who are happy to join others and want the castle and market with a guide.
How long a port call do I need for this tour?
About 7 hours. The tour runs 4 hr; add half an hour to get off the ship, about 20 minutes each way between the pier and the start and keep the hour before all-aboard free. Starts at JR Kochi Station; add the shuttle or taxi from Kochi New Port, 20-30 minutes each way.
Can I cancel if my ship skips the port?
The operator's policy: For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time. The operator may cancel for bad weather, with a refund.
What should I know before booking?
It meets at JR Kochi Station, 20-30 minutes from the port; the guide can meet you at the port only by arrangement, and the taxi fare is extra. Lunch is at your own cost (the operator says many stalls prefer cash). The castle has steep stairs. 34 reviews average 4.5, the lowest of the guided Kochi walks.
Does this tour pick up at the cruise pier?
No: the start is at Three Tosa Samurai statues, JR Kochi Station South Exit, about 20 minutes from the ship by taxi (about ¥2,900–3,700 on the meter).
Will I be back on board before all-aboard?
The operator makes no written on-time promise, so the margin is yours to keep. This site only shows the tour as fitting a call of about 7 hours or more, which already includes half an hour to get ashore and the hour before all-aboard. Free cancellation up to 24 hours before means a reservation costs nothing to hold if your ship’s hours change.
Is the price per person or per vehicle?
Per person, from about US$150, in a group of up to 12.
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Best of Kochi Half-Day Tour: Castle & HiromeUS$150 each · US$300 for two · Free cancellation 24h ahead · needs a 7-hour call · 4.5★ · 34 reviewsFrom US$150 ppFree cancellation 24h · needs 7-h callCheck dates on Viator →Check dates →