Day 1: Enjoy the bounty of the sea in the Ashizuri area
- Not just bonito! Enjoy the local specialty, Shimizu mackerel, at Ashizuri Kuroshio Market
- Learn while enjoying the ocean at Ashizuri Aquarium SATOUMI
- Admire the strange rock formations at Tatsukushi Marine Park
- Experience the roundness of the earth. Cape Ashizuri, a spectacular spot representing Kochi
- Retreat to an ocean view inn "Asizuri Thermae"
Day 2: Enjoy the clear waters and historic streets of Shimanto
- Take a photo at the iconic Shimanto River landscape of Sada Submerged Bridge
- Eat Takachi's famous bonito dishes at the "Kurei Taishocho Market"
- "Sagawa Town Aoyama Bunko" and the historic castle town. Stroll through the historic streets
- Take a stroll through the scenic Nakatsu Valley, which is also designated as a prefectural natural park.
- Stay at the hot spring inn "Nakatsu Valley Yunomori," convenient for exploring the Nakatsu Valley
Day 3: Experience the gourmet food and history of Kochi City
- Start your morning off right at Nishinaka Shoten. Experience Kochi's morning culture
- Head to the waterfall basin "Nikobuchi" where you can see the crystal clear "Niyodo Blue" water
- Discover your favorite local Kochi gourmet food at Hirome Market
- Visit the famous castle "Kochi Castle" built by Yamauchi Kazutoyo
- Be soothed by vibrant plants at the popular Makino Botanical Garden
Day 2: Enjoy the clear waters and historic streets of Shimanto
On the second day, we will explore the pristine scenery of the Shimanto River, known as "Japan's last clear river," and trace the atmosphere of good old Tosa. You will be sure to be satisfied with your heart and stomach by the unique food culture and the beauty of the valley created by nature. Immerse yourself in a moment away from your daily life while thinking about history and unraveling the culture.
9:00 Take photos of the iconic Shimanto River scenery at Sada Submerged Bridge
After enjoying the coastline on the first day, we'll drive along the river on the second day. We'll head to the sunken bridge over the Shimanto River. A sunken bridge is a bridge designed to be submerged in the water without a railing so that it won't be washed away when the water level rises. The Shimanto River is said to be the last clear river, and even today there are 48 sunken bridges over it, including its tributaries. All of these are known as representative views of the Shimanto River, and the one at the very bottom is the Sada Sunken Bridge.
If you want to capture the simple bridge stretching in a straight line against the deep mountain range in your camera, we recommend taking the photo from the riverbank. It's also a popular tourist spot, so you can relax by visiting early in the morning when there are fewer people around.
Sada Submerged Bridge
| address | ： | Sada, Shimanto City, Kochi Prefecture |
|---|---|---|
| phone | ： | 0880-34-1783 (Shimanto City Hall, Mayor's Office, Tourism and Commerce Division, Tourism Section) |
| access | ： | 15 minutes by taxi upstream from Nakamura Station on the Tosa Kuroshio Railway |
| web | ： | https://www.city.shimanto.lg.jp/soshiki/13/1454.html |
| Travel time | ： | Approximately 30 minutes |
About 1 hour 30 minutes by car
11:30 - Eat Takachi's famous bonito dishes at the Kurei Taishocho Market
For lunch, we enjoyed some bonito dishes, a specialty of Kochi. Kure, Nakatosa-cho, is known as the town of bonito in Kochi. In the center of the town is the "Kurei Taisho-cho Market," which is lined with delicious seafood, greengrocers, dried fish, and other delicacies, and is popular as the locals' kitchen.
The market is located close to the fishing port where bonito is landed, so the bonito is very fresh. You can enjoy bonito in a variety of ways, such as sashimi bowls topped with plenty of freshly caught bonito, seared bonito grilled over straw, and skewers of harambo, a rare cut of bonito that can only be obtained in small quantities from a single bonito. You can enjoy the best bonito dishes in Kochi.
Kurei Taishomachi Market
| address | ： | 6372-1 Kure, Nakatosa-cho, Takaoka-gun, Kochi Prefecture |
|---|---|---|
| phone | ： | 0889-59-1369 *Office hours: 9:00-17:00 (excluding Wednesdays and Saturdays) |
| business hours | ： | 10:00-15:00 *Varies by store |
| holiday | ： | Varies by store * Most stores are closed on Wednesdays |
| access | ： | 5 minutes by car from Nakatosa IC on the Kochi Expressway |
| web | ： | https://久礼大正町市場.com |
| Travel time | ： | Approximately 1 hour |
Approximately 45 minutes by car
13:30 - Stroll through the historic streets of the Sagawa Municipal Aoyama Bunko Library
After enjoying the gourmet food, take a stroll around Sagawa-cho, where the townscape still retains its charm. The Sagawa Town Aoyama Bunko is a museum that displays materials related to the Meiji Restoration by Ryoma Sakamoto, Shintaro Nakaoka, Zuizan Takechi, and others, as well as materials from the Fukao family, the chief retainer of the Tosa clan, who were the lords of Sagawa during the Edo period.
Fans of the end of the Edo period can see some irresistible treasures, including a collection of calligraphy and paintings by patriots collected by Mitsuaki Tanaka, a former Minister of the Imperial Household who was a living witness to the Meiji Restoration and was born in Sakawa Town.
The Sagawa-cho Kamimachi district around the museum was the castle town of the Fukao family, the chief retainer of the Tosa clan during the Edo period. The townscape, consisting of traditional merchant houses and sake breweries, has been beautifully preserved to this day. Enjoy a stroll through the town while thinking about what life was like back then.
Sagawa Town Aoyama Library
| address | ： | 1453-1, Sakawa-cho, Takaoka-gun, Kochi Prefecture |
|---|---|---|
| phone | ： | 0889-22-0348 (Sagawa Town Aoyama Library) 0889-20-9500 (Sakawa Tourism Association) |
| business hours | ： | 9:00～17:00 *Last admission time is 16:30 |
| holiday | ： | Mondays (or the following day if Monday is a public holiday), December 29th to January 3rd |
| Fee | ： | Adults 400 yen, Junior and Senior High School Students 200 yen, Elementary School Students 100 yen |
| access | ： | Approximately 30 minutes by car from Ino IC on the Kochi Expressway Get off at JR Sagawa Station, then walk for about 6 minutes |
| web | ： | https://seizanbunko.com/ |
| Travel time | ： | Approximately 1 hour |
40 minutes by car
15:30 Take a stroll through the scenic Nakatsu Valley, which is also designated as a prefectural natural park
Nakatsu Valley boasts an unparalleled beauty of a gorge. The landscape, created over a long period of time by the rain that falls on Mt. Nakatsu Myojin, is like a natural sculpture. A promenade has been constructed that weaves through the magnificent water forest, allowing you to stroll through the valley feeling as if you are part of the magnificent scenery.
Nakatsu Valley is home to many natural masterpieces, such as Uryu Falls, Momiji Falls, Ryugu Pond, and Stone Pillars. Soak up the negative ions and experience everything floating in the water forest with all your senses.
Nakatsu Valley
| address | ： | Nananogawa, Niyodogawa-cho, Agawa-gun, Kochi Prefecture |
|---|---|---|
| phone | ： | 0889-35-1083 (Niyodogawa Town Industrial and Construction Division) |
| access | ： | Approximately 1 hour by car from Ino IC on the Kochi Expressway |
| Travel time | ： | Approximately 1 hour |
Approximately 1 minute by car
17:00 Stay overnight at "Nakatsu Valley Yunomori," a hot spring inn convenient for exploring the Nakatsu Valley
The lodging for the second night is Nakatsu Valley Yunomori, located at the entrance to the Nakatsu Valley, along a steep river. This lodging is perfectly located for those who want to soak in the afterglow of the Nakatsu Valley. It features an open-air bath with the scent of wood and an indoor bath with a spectacular view of the valley, allowing you to relax your tired body to the core.
The guest rooms, divided into Japanese-style rooms in the main building and cottages in a separate building, are all warmly constructed using local wood. In addition, the restaurant exclusively for guests serves not only Japanese meals, but also authentic French courses, which are rare at hot spring inns, and are highly acclaimed for their exquisite cuisine.
The sound of the river babbling, the birds chirping, the leaves rustling in the wind... they will remind you of the gentle feelings you may have forgotten in your busy daily life.
Nakatsu Valley Yunomori
| address | ： | 258-1 Nananogawa, Niyodogawa-cho, Agawa-gun, Kochi Prefecture |
|---|---|---|
| phone | ： | 0889-36-0680 |
| access | ： | Approximately 1 hour and 10 minutes by car from Ino IC on the Kochi Expressway |
| web | ： | https://www.yunomori.jp/ |
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The contents published are accurate at the time of publication and are subject to change.
