Places of Interest

A fascinating look at the whaling history of Kōchi and the ecology of cetaceans.

The coastline of Kochi Prefecture is in the path of migrating whales of many varieties, and you can take small boats from ports along the coast to watch them.

Zenpuku-ji is a beautiful Zen temple, better known by its alias Yamada Yakushi.

Yamaguchi was the home of the powerful Ōuchi and Mōri clans who influenced national policy for centuries. The city once rivalled Kyōto for the sophistication of its culture.

Yamaoka Brewery, home of the Zuikan sake brand, stands by a river in the southeastern part of Miyoshi.

Yanai is a traditional merchant town with an Edo-period atmosphere. It's known for its quaint goldfish lanterns and goldfish-themed festival.

A dramatic, flat-topped mountain island bordering Takamatsu on its east side, Yashima is named the “roof island”, after its characteristic shape.

Yasugi is a town in Shimane, bordering the Nakaumi, a small inland sea on the Japan Sea coast.

Yawatahama is a port town in the lee of Japan’s longest peninsula, the Sadamisaki Peninsula that extends out of the western side of Shikoku, into the sea known as Uwakai.