Experience the energy of Kochi: Sunday Market Tour includes Kochi Castle
Description
Get a true taste of Kochi on this 5-hour walking tour featuring the city’s famous Sunday Market and nearby highlights. Explore vibrant local stalls, sample regional specialties, and visit key cultural spots with a knowledgeable local guide. Perfect for those wanting to dive into Kochi’s lively market scene and rich heritage. ・Browse over 400 stands at Kochi’s historic Sunday Market offering fresh produce, local foods, and crafts ・Savor regional delicacies at Hirome Market and visit the iconic Kochi Castle for panoramic city views ・Stroll through Obiyamachi shopping street and discover the colorful Yosakoi Festival culture at the information center
Tour Options
Itinerary
On this tour, we will first visit the "Sunday Market" held in Kochi City every Sunday for over 300 years. There are about 420 stands, mainly supplied by country farmhouses and other local ventures, extending approximately 1,300m east from Kochi Castle and along the border of it. In addition to fresh vegetables, fruits and seafood unique to the local area, local gourmet items such as country style sushi, potato tempura and ice cream are available to eat while walking. There are also antiques, pottery and cutlery from Kochi prefecture, as well as a large souvenir selection.
"Hirome Market" is a large hall with food stalls from around 40 various restaurants, plus souvenir shops and other shops. Perhaps you will enjoy some of the famous “Katsuo no Tataki,” which is seared bonito fish. It is recommended that you put salt and sliced garlic on it before tasting. Do enjoy the local foods unique to Kochi. Just adjacent lies “W/O STAND KOCHI”, which is a hot new coffee spot with a unique façade. Feel free to stop by for a cup of coffee.
Kochi Castle, also known as "the best castle on the Nankaido (road)," is a symbol of Kochi City. Currently, there are only 12 castles from the pre-Edo period in Japan, but Kochi Castle is one of the most precious castles. The current main tower was rebuilt in August 1747. The greatest feature of Kochi Castle is that the cohesive entirety of the main building group, with the Tenshu, Goten, and Corridor Bridge, all being completely present along with the stone wall and so on. The gazebo on the top floor of the castle tower overlooks Kochi city.
After enjoying Kochi Castle, take a walk around Obiyamachi Old Town Shopping Street, Kochi's largest shopping street. The entire shopping street is covered, so there is no worry about getting wet, even on rainy days. There are restaurants, shops with interesting and daily goods, and there is also a large department store, so you can use this area as a souvenir spot or a break spot. Feel free to ask questions of the guide if you find something you are interested in or looking for.
At the end of the tour, we will visit the "Kochi Yosakoi Information Center". The “Kochi Yosakoi Information Center” is a facility that introduces one of the three major festivals in Shikoku (the “Yosakoi” festival), one that began in 1954. You can experience the pop culture and other symbols of each generation and the costumes of the gorgeous dancers while learning about the history of the festival. You can try on costumes, which is a good time to take a picture of your Kochi visit.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
Pick-up at hotels in Kochi City ONLY. For cruise passengers, Kochi port is not near central Kochi City, so we'll meet at Harimayabashi Bus Terminal. You can access this easily by shuttle bus from the port.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Wheelchair accessible
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
Reviews(17)
Our guide, Rimo, was excellent. Even with the heavy rain, we had an excellent time with her. She was knowledgeable about the area, friendly, and even surprised us with hand made gifts!
Dear valued guest, Thank you so much for your lovely review! We’re delighted to hear you enjoyed the Kochi Sunday Market Tour with Rimo, even in the heavy rain. We greatly appreciate your kind words and hope to welcome you again on another visit to Japan! Best regards, Kyoko
We loved our time in Kochi with our tour guide Rimo. We strolled thru Sunday Market and tasted the most delicious strawberries and then toured Kochi castle.
Dear valued guest, Thank you very much for joining our Kochi Sunday Market Tour! We’re delighted to hear you enjoyed your time with Rimo, from exploring the market to tasting those delicious strawberries and visiting Kochi Castle. We truly appreciate your kind review and hope to welcome you again! Best regards, Kyoko
Our guide Momo was good about discussing where to meet us for the tour and met us very promptly. She was pleasant and nice. While she may have a good grasp of the English language Momo was very difficult to understand due to her pronunciation. She also didn't really seem understand the kind of art we wanted to see. Overall, the tour did not meet our expectations.
Dear Eileen, Thank you for sharing your honest feedback about your recent tour with Momo in Kochi. On behalf of Omakase Tour, I would like to offer my sincerest apologies that our service did not meet your expectations. While I am glad to hear that Momo was punctual and pleasant, it is clear that we failed to provide the high standard of communication and personalized insight that we pride ourselves on. We take your comments regarding English pronunciation and the understanding of your artistic interests very seriously. We are currently intensifying our efforts in guide training and quality control to ensure that every guide we assign is fully capable of meeting the diverse interests and high expectations of our guests. Your feedback is invaluable as we strive to improve. I am committed to personally overseeing our guide development program so that we can deliver the professional hospitality that our clients deserve. We hope to have the opportunity to welcome you back in the future and provide you with the exceptional experience you initially expected from us. Sincerely, Takeshi Sakamoto CEO & Founder, Trip Designer Inc. (OMAKASE TOUR)
Be prepared for lots of walking and stair climbing. Climbing the castle is super memorable. Wonderful guide Peach chose local market to taste the Bonita fish and Buton fruit. Great tour.
Dear Stephanie, Thank you very much for joining our Kochi Sunday Market Tour and for sharing your review! We’re glad to hear that Peach made the day memorable — from the castle climb to tasting local bonito and buton fruit at the market. We truly appreciate your feedback and hope to welcome you again! Best regards, Kyoko
Our tour and guide ( Rimo) was excellent! Smart, enthusiastic, educational, flexible, welcoming, spoke good English we could easily understand. Felt market, castle and great local market lunch was a fun day. We also dropped by the local Yosakoi dance museum. We strongly recommend this tour and Rimo in this smaller area.
Dear John, Thank you very much for joining our Kochi Sunday Market Tour and for sharing your review! We’re so glad to hear that Rimo made the day fun, flexible, and informative. We truly appreciate your recommendation and hope to welcome you again! Best regards, Kyoko
Our guide, Komiko, was waiting for us when we got off the ship transfer bus. After introductions she took us to the botanical garden and explained the different species of plants as well as providing us with a history lesson about one of the local botanists who was well represented at the gardens. After touring the gardens Komiko took us to learn the local dance and see the amazing costumes before taking us to a food market (the Sunday Market was closed due to the festival). She had advised us that by changing the order of the visits we could avoid long lines. We finished our tour at the Kochi Castle which was amazing. The tour operator was outstanding by keeping in touch with us prior to the tour and advising us of modifications as they presented themselves. This is a tour well worth the cost. I recommend this tour to anyone going to Kochi.
Dear Robert, Thank you for sharing your experience in details and leaving us lots of stars! It is our greatest pleasure to hear that you were satisfied with our guide Kumiko and the tour. We sincerely appreciate the recommendation and hope to see you back for more tours in the future! Best regards, Kyoko
During a cruise stop in Kochi, I had booked a tour and met our guide, Miyo, at the cruise terminal. A brief taxi journey took us to the city center for an outstanding visit to the Sunday Street Market. Spanning several blocks, Miyo proved invaluable in communicating with the vendors. After ample time exploring and shopping at the market, we proceeded to Kochi Castle, followed by a delightful local meal at Hirome Ichiba. The afternoon included visits to various sites, such as the Yasakoi Matsuri Information Exchange Center, an intriguing venue dedicated to the annual Kochi Yasakoi Matsuri dance festival. A quick taxi ride to the port culminated our day at the South Horizon Brewery. As a beer enthusiast, it was the perfect finale, especially since the brewery boasts views of the dock and is merely a five-minute stroll to the ship. Miyo was an exceptionally knowledgeable and considerate guide who tailored the experience to our interests. It was a memorable day, and Miyo's efforts were central to its success. For anyone in Kochi on a Sunday, the street market is an absolute must-visit.
Dear Mark, Thank you for your detailed review! I can tell from it that you enjoyed Kochi with a great guide like Miyo and that you could appreciate all of the area's charms and rich history. It is our strength to tailor the tour on site, so we're happy that you felt it. Thank you again for recommending the tour and we look forward to welcoming you back in the future! Best regards, Kyoko
During a cruise stop in Kochi, I had booked a tour and met our guide, Miyo, at the cruise terminal. A brief taxi journey took us to the city center for an outstanding visit to the Sunday Street Market. Spanning several blocks, Miyo proved invaluable in communicating with the vendors. After ample time exploring and shopping at the market, we proceeded to Kochi Castle, followed by a delightful local meal at Hirome Ichiba. The afternoon included visits to various sites, such as the Yasakoi Matsuri Information Exchange Center, an intriguing venue dedicated to the annual Kochi Yasakoi Matsuri dance festival. A quick taxi return to the port culminated our day at the South Horizon Brewery. As a beer enthusiast, it was the perfect finale, especially since the brewery boasts views of the dock and is merely a five-minute stroll to the ship. Miyo was an exceptionally knowledgeable and considerate guide who tailored the experience to our interests. It was a memorable day, and Miyo's efforts were central to its success. For anyone in Kochi on a Sunday, the street market is an absolute must-visit.
Dear Mark, Thank you for your detailed review! I can tell from it that you enjoyed Kochi with a great guide like Miyo and that you could appreciate all of the area's charms and rich history. It is our strength to tailor the tour on site, so we're happy that you felt it. Thank you again for recommending the tour and we look forward to welcoming you back in the future! Best regards, Kyoko
Kumiko was wonderful! We learned much about Kochi history and culture. We thoroughly enjoyed learning traditional Japanese dancing. It was a lot of fun. We highly recommend Kumiko.
Dear valued guest, Thank you for your review and kind words for Kumiko! We are so happy to hear that you enjoyed not only the history of Kochi but also dancing! We are looking forward to help you again in the future. Best regards, Kyoko
Yuriko was a fun and very informative guide. She adjusted to our needs and made the entire tour so well worth the price. Perfect!
Dear valued guest, Thank you for your kind review! It is our pleasure to know that you were satisfied with our tour with Yuriko. Being able to adjust the tour on the spot is one of our strength, so we are glad you felt it. We hope to see you back for more tours in the future! Best regards, Kyoko
