Your ship has docked and the gangway beckons you down to Kochi, with a mountainous backdrop and, on many calls, local music carrying across the quay. On a cruise to Kochi, the experience begins before you step on land.

Once you are ashore, Kochi offers a different side of Japan from its largest urban centers. Kochi, Japan, sits on Shikoku’s southern coast, with a castle at its heart and the Pacific shaping everything from its food to its shoreline. This guide covers the practical side of visiting by ship, so you’ll know what to expect at the port and how to make the most of your time ashore.

Key Takeaways

Kochi Castle is about a 25-minute drive from Kochi Port, with Hirome Market just a short walk from the castle.

Princess® shore excursions provide transportation to Kochi’s major sights, so guests can explore without arranging their own transportation from the port.

Kochi Castle, Hirome Market and Katsurahama Beach are great sightseeing options for guests to learn about the city’s history, regional food and Pacific coast during a single port call.

Arriving at the Kochi cruise port

Cruise ships dock at Kochi New Port near the entrance to Urado Bay, outside the city’s downtown core. This is a working port rather than a cruise terminal surrounded by shops and attractions, so most sightseeing begins after guests leave the immediate port area.

What the terminal lacks in city-center bustle, Kochi often makes up for with its festive welcome. The city organizes events around cruise calls, which can include local performances, regional products and visitor information. Depending on the ship and date, guests may find music or dancing on the quay as they come ashore. Kochi is the birthplace of yosakoi, an energetic style of dance traditionally performed with wooden naruko clappers, so catching a performance is an early glimpse of one of the city’s best-known traditions.

The port area itself is straightforward to navigate. From the port, most guests continue into central Kochi or toward sights outside downtown rather than spend their port day near the terminal. Kochi Castle is about a 25-minute drive away, while Katsurahama Beach lies closer to the port on the coast.

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Getting from the port to the city

Since Kochi Port sits outside downtown, you’ll need transportation to reach most of the city’s major sights. For Princess guests, a shore excursion is the simplest option. Transportation is arranged from the ship, and guided itineraries cover destinations throughout the region, from Kochi Castle and Katsurahama Beach to Ryugado Cave and gardens farther afield.

The excursion that calls to you might depend on both what you want to see and how much of your port day you want planned. Some Kochi excursions combine several stops, such as Kochi Castle & Katsurahama Beach or Ryugado Cave & Katsurahama Beach, so there’s no need to coordinate separate rides between sights.

Independent exploration is possible as well. Taxis and shuttle services may be available at the port, with exact arrangements dependent on the cruise call. If you choose to head out on your own, confirm the day’s transportation options after arrival and allow enough time for the return trip to the ship.

A high-angle street-level view of downtown Kochi, Japan, featuring a green and orange retro streetcar running on tracks down the center of a wide multi-lane road lined with modern buildings under a sunny blue sky.
 Navigate the vibrant streets of Kochi, Japan.

Kochi Castle is a rare original fortress

Only 12 castles in Japan still have towers that date to the Edo period or earlier, and Kochi Castle is one of them. The current 61-foot (18.5-meter) tower was completed in 1749 after a fire destroyed its predecessor, with the reconstruction following the castle’s original design. Even more unusually, Kochi is the only one of the 12 where all of the original buildings in the main citadel remain intact.

Inside, it feels like stepping back in time. The six-floor wooden interior includes tatami rooms, carved wooden panels and steep stairs that lead toward the top of the keep. It’s one of the best things to do in Kochi, Japan, if history calls to you. Step onto the upper-level lookout and you’ll have a 360-degree view across Kochi City.

A striking low-angle view of the multi-tiered main keep of Kochi Castle set against a deep blue sky with fluffy white clouds, surrounded by sculpted Japanese pines, cycads and manicured hedge gardens.
Marvel at the grand architecture of Kochi Castle (Kōchi-jō) in Japan, where pristine white plaster walls and traditional dark-tiled roofs rise above manicured pine trees.

Hirome Market and Katsurahama Beach

Just a short walk from Kochi Castle, Hirome Market puts dozens of food stalls around large communal tables where locals and visitors eat side by side. The specialty to look for is katsuo no tataki, Kochi’s signature seared bonito. At some stalls, chefs sear thick pieces of fish over blazing rice straw, which chars the outside while leaving the center raw. Beyond bonito, the market is a good place to try local dishes such as inaka-sushi (vegetable-based country-style sushi) and aonori seaweed tempura.

Closer to the Pacific, Katsurahama Beach curves along a pine-lined stretch of coast with a monument to Kochi-born samurai Sakamoto Ryoma overlooking the ocean. The statue and its pedestal together stand 44 feet (13.5 meters) tall. Ryoma played a role in the political changes that preceded Japan’s Meiji Restoration and remains closely associated with Kochi. The beach has also been celebrated as a moon-viewing spot since ancient times.

Katsurahama is a place for the view rather than a swim. Strong currents and large waves mean swimming is prohibited, so visitors come to walk the shore, take in the Pacific and explore Katsurahama Park.

A wide landscape view of Katsurahama Beach showing a sandy shoreline bordering blue ocean waves, leading toward rocky cliffs topped with pine trees, a small arched bridge and a traditional red-roofed shrine under a clear sky.
Stroll along the scenic shores of Katsurahama Beach (Katsurahama) in Kochi, Japan, where pine-covered rocky promontories, a small red shrine and the Pacific frame a picturesque crescent of sand.

Practical tips for your day ashore

Before you head to Kochi’s shimmering shore, keep these basics in mind:

  • Bring some yen - Japan uses the Japanese yen. Credit cards are accepted at many shops and attractions, but cash is still the norm at smaller shops and at most Hirome Market food stalls.
  • Don’t worry too much about the language barrier - Major visitor attractions provide English-language information, while Princess shore excursions include guidance throughout the itinerary. A translation app is useful for smaller independent shops and restaurants.
  • Check the weather before you leave the ship - Kochi has a warm, rainy climate, so an umbrella or light rain layer can be useful depending on the forecast. Comfortable walking shoes are also a good idea for places such as Kochi Castle, where the visit includes stone paths and steep wooden stairs.
  • Know your all-aboard time - Kochi New Port sits outside downtown, so factor the return journey into any independent plans. Give yourself additional time if you venture beyond the city center.
  • Plan farther-away stops in advance - If Katsurahama Beach or another attraction outside central Kochi is on your list, decide how you’ll get there and back before setting out rather than arranging each leg as you go.

Don’t forget that Princess excursions coordinate transportation with the ship’s port schedule, so if you want a completely stress-free time ashore, let us do the logistics for you.

For more ideas, explore our things to do in Kochi, Japan, guide, then find the itinerary that takes you there on a Japan cruise with Princess.

Kochi cruise port FAQs