Private Tour
Port Pick-Up: Kochi Tour with Licensed Guide and Vehicle
Overview
Available languages
6 hours
Mobile ticket
This tour is designed for the travelers who visit Kochi by cruise ship. We will pick you up at Kochi Shin Port or hotels near the port.
Kochi is a smart, compact city with a deserved reputation for enjoying a good time. The castle here is largely undamaged and remains a fine example of Japanese architecture. Excellent access to Muroto-Misaki, Ashizuri-misaki and the Iya Valley, and easy day trips to caves, beaches and mountains make Kōchi a perfect base for travels around the island.
Let us know what you would like to experience and we will customize a six-hour tour that's best for you!
Note*1: Please select your must-see spots from a list in the tour information to create your customized itinerary.
Note*2: The National Government Licensed Guide Interpreter certification is issued by the Japanese government requires a good knowledge and understanding of Japanese culture and history.
Additional Info
Specialized infant seats are available
Service animals allowed
Public transportation options are available nearby
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
Wheelchair accessible
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
There are only a limited number of car seats and booster seats. Rear-facing car seats are not available. You must contact us directly if you need them.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What‘s Included
Private vehicle
Licensed Local Guide
Customizable Tour of your choice of 2-3 sites from 'What to expect' list
Entrance fees, Lunch, and Other personal expenses
You cannot combine multiple tour groups.
Guide Entry fees are only covered for sights listed under What to Expect.
What To Expect
Kochi Castle
Kochi Castle is one of the few remaining original castles in Japan, meaning that it survived both the Edo and Meiji eras when many castles were destroyed. Even amongst the original castles, Kochi is notable for being one of only three where the original main gate survives. Kochi Castle is unique in one other way: it is the only castle where the lord's reception suite remains. The castle has a long history, with construction starting in 1600 though most of the keep was rebuilt in 1748. While it is on the smaller side when compared to Himeji or Matsuyama, it is well preserved with nice displays inside and beautiful views. The castle itself is set in a pleasant park that is a popular picnic and hanami (cherry-blossom viewing) spot. Kochi Castle is a short walk from Kochijomae tram stop or you can walk in about twenty minutes from the Harimayabashi area.
Kochi Castle Museum of History
While most castles in Japan double as a museum, Kochi actually has a separate museum dedicated to the history of the castle. The museum chronicles the history of the Tosa kingdom from the Warring States period through the Meiji Reformation. It includes the typical artwork, historical documents, and national treasures, and kids can also get the chance to dress up in samurai armour. The third floor also houses an observatory with a beautiful view of the castle. History buffs will no doubt enjoy learning more about the castle and its town as well as the Tosa kingdom. A combined ticket with the castle costs 730 yen for permanent exhibits only or 890 yen during special exhibits. By itself, it's 700 or 500 yen for special exhibits or permanent only respectively though the My Yu bus pass offers a discount. The museum is located right across the street from the castle, making it easy to combine the two.
Options
Regular Car (up to 2 pax)
Regular Car (up to 2 pax)
Pickup included
Van (Up to 7 Pax）
Van (Up to 7 Pax）
Pickup included
Reviews
26 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Best Tour of our Entire Trip to Japan
Brad M,
Jun 19, 2025
- Viator
5.00We had such a great time on our tour in Kochi. Keiko was an amazing, fun, knowledgeable and kind tour guide, and Mr. O was a great driver. The van was modern, spacious and comfortable. Kochi Castle was a great start to the day and we enjoyed all the views and climbing to the very top. The museum was also very nice and a good way to escape the heat. Lunch in Hirome Market was so much fun. Keiko took us to the different shops and stalls and helped us pick out our lunch, and make sure we didn’t accidentally buy any items that we were allergic to. We then went to Chikurinji Temple and Makino Botanical Garden. They were both beautiful and worth the trip. Keiko made a big difference, keeping the tour fun and also teaching us about Japan along the way. At the end she even gave us some lovely origami cranes she had personally made. Such a nice touch! The entire family (3 teenage boys) agreed that this was the best tour of the our trip to Japan (and we had been on many!). We loved it and would recommend it to anyone.
Kochi experience
Kari J,
Apr 5, 2025
- Viator
4.00We had a very nice tour with Yoshi. We saw many wonderful sights and he shared a lot of information about what we were experiencing. We really enjoyed the castle and the view. We did have a little bit of a communication issue when asking some questions. Though he speaks decent English I think some things threw him off. All in all a nice tour.
A nice day in Kochi
Yvonne B,
Mar 30, 2025
- Viator
5.00My spouse, 13-yr old daughter and I toured Kochi, Japan with Yoshi. We enjoyed ourselves very much. We had a limited amount of time in Kochi and I set a very aggressive agenda of all the things I wanted to see in a short period of time. Yoshi was able to cover my whole agenda and also throw in an observatory and the museum of dance. Despite having very little time, we felt that we got a comprehensive view of the city. Yoshi even brought a gift made in Japan for my daughter, which was a nice touch. We would recommend this tour.
Worst Guide Ever
Annette K,
Mar 23, 2025
- Viator
2.00Yoshi was the worst guide of our 6 week trip. He literally read from a piece of paper at every stop including a lookout over the city to explain what buildings were where. The gardens weren’t really in season, but he had a script he was going to follow, and he would stop in front of a bare plant and talk for 10 minutes about what it would be. There were some beautiful flowering trees and then he took us to a green house. We had already spent way too much time looking at bare plants and dirt and then we get to the greenhouse full of beautiful orchids and other plants and he runs through there. We all wanted to enjoy the beautiful plants, and he raced right past them. He said later “they weren’t Japanese”. After spending way too much time looking at plants that were not in season and he says we now only have 30 minutes at the temple. He wasn't able to answer simple questions. (language barrier or lack of knowledge?) Unlike yesterday where the guide was so helpful in assisting us with ordering lunch, he was useless. It was a food court with lots of choices and of course all in Japanese. He just kept saying what do you want? We wanted to know what they had and what are the various things we were seeing. He would just point at something and say chicken or pork. I saw one thing that looked good, and it was chicken of some kind and I asked if it came with rice and his answer was "do you need rice"? Greg got sushi and I set out to find my own lunch. I saw a rice dish that looked good, and it turned out to be Biryani (Indian dish) and they had some amazing garlic naan. (they spoke English, so it was easy) It was all cooked fresh and hot and everyone had already finished eating when I just got mine. The guide comes over and says we need to meet up front. I explained I just got my food and said we would be there asap. (we had 15 minutes before the meet time anyway) We were supposed to have time to shop here but he ran past everything. The tour was over, and we had an hour left in our tour time so we asked about the shopping arcade we were supposed to visit. So, he took us back there and gave us like 20 minutes. He was always running way ahead of us instead of guiding us. He raced back to the port and most of us were a block or more behind him. He passed us as he left, and we still had a long way to reach the ship. Kochi was a nice stop, but we would have enjoyed it more with a guide we could converse with and one who guided and not read from a sheet of paper.
Kochi private tour
Patrick P,
Sep 26, 2024
- Viator
5.00We had a very good tour in Kochi. The castle was very impressive but lots of stairs. It was worth the effort. Nori was very informed of Kochi.
Related Experiences
Operated by Japan Guide Agency