Tosa Kokubun-ji is temple No. 29 on the Shikoku pilgrimage, or Henro. Each prefecture has a temple named Kokubun-ji, which are official state temples, founded by order of Emperor Shomu in 741, and Temple 29 was the state temple established in the province of Tosa, today’s Kōchi Prefecture. It stands in a flat suburban agricultural…
Dainichi-ji is temple No. 28 on the Shikoku pilgrimage, or Henro. The temple is located on a hill with lush sub-tropical greenery, not far from the tourist attractions of Kōnan, including ACT Land, the Shikoku Automobile Museum, and the Ryūgadō Caves. It’s one of three temples with the same name on the pilgrimage, the others…
Kōnomine-ji is temple No. 27 on the Shikoku pilgrimage or Henro. Each prefecture has a ‘sekishodera’, a temple considered the most difficult to access in the days when pilgrims only walked. Kōnomine-ji is the sekishodera of Kōchi. It’s located on the hillside around 430 m above sea level on Mt. Kōnomine. It’s accessed by road…
Kongōchō-ji is temple No. 26 on the Shikoku pilgrimage, or Henro. It’s one of the three temples in Muroto known collectively as Muroto Sanzan. It stands in woodland high on Cape Gyōdo, one of several promontories that protrude from the west side of the Muroto Peninsula. What to see A flight of steps leads up…
Shinshō-ji is temple No. 25 on the Shikoku pilgrimage. It’s one of the three temples in Muroto known collectively as Muroto Sanzan. It stands at the top of a steep flight of steps above the port of Murotsu on the Muroto Peninsula, and since the narrow entrance to the temple is tucked away in a…
Hotsumisaki-ji is temple No. 24 on the Shikoku pilgrimage or Henro. It stands at an elevation of 300 m on the tip of Cape Muroto, a warm place where subtropical plants grow. For walking pilgrims, it’s a welcome spot since it marks the end of one of the longest stretches between temples on the pilgrimage…
A town in the wilds of Kōchi with a fine architectural heritage.
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.
A fascinating look at the whaling history of Kōchi and the ecology of cetaceans.
The UFO Line is a road that runs on the border between Kochi and Ehime prefectures on the Kochi side. It runs for 27 km and offers spectacular views of Mt. Ishizuchi and the summits of Higashikuromori and Nishikuromori.