At Godaisan in the east of the city, you'll find Chikurin-ji, Temple 31 of the 88. The extensive grounds feature a five-storey pagoda and thousands of statues of the Bodhisattva Jizō, guardian deity of children and travellers. The temple's Treasure House (¥400; 8am–5pm) hosts an impressive collection of Buddhist sculpture from the Heian and Kamakura periods; the same ticket gets you in to see the temple's lovely Kamakura-period garden opposite.
Temple 31: Chikurin-ji
Shikoku
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
2.85 MILES
Kōchi-jō is one of just a dozen castles in Japan to have survived with its original tenshu-kaku (keep) intact. The castle was originally built during the…
-
Kōchi Castle Museum of History
2.69 MILES
This new museum (opened in 2017), celebrating the history of Kōchi castle, is an architectural achievement in its own right. Entry is free to the museum…
-
2.56 MILES
Our favourite street market in Shikoku is 300 years old and takes place every Sunday along 1.3km of Ōte-suji, the main road leading to the castle. Around…
-
8.91 MILES
Discover the history and development of washi (Japanese paper) at Ino, about 10km west of downtown Kōchi. There are demonstrations of nagashizuki…
-
29.46 MILES
The Iya Valley's famous statue of a boy peeing into the gorge is turning 50! Put in place in 1968, 'Peeing Boy' has been photographed urinating into the…
-
10.37 MILES
This popular cave has some interesting stalactites and stalagmites, and traces of prehistoric habitation. The route gets quite steep in places. Visitors…
-
Sakamoto Ryōma Memorial Museum
3.47 MILES
At Katsura-hama, this museum tells the story of hometown hero Sakamoto Ryōma. Born in Kōchi in 1835, Ryōma brought about the alliance between the Satsuma …
-
0.14 MILES
Several kilometres east of the town centre is the mountain of Godaisan, where you can enjoy excellent views of the city from a lookout point (展望台). Near…
Nearby Shikoku attractions
1. Kōchi Prefectural Makino Botanical Garden
0.04 MILES
Next to Chikurin-ji entrance gates on the south side of Godaisan, east of the city centre, are the impressive Kōchi Prefectural Makino Botanical Gardens,…
0.14 MILES
Several kilometres east of the town centre is the mountain of Godaisan, where you can enjoy excellent views of the city from a lookout point (展望台). Near…
2.21 MILES
This tiny reconstructed bridge from the Edo period is renowned throughout Japan thanks to a romantic song in which it features. For older Japanese people,…
2.56 MILES
Our favourite street market in Shikoku is 300 years old and takes place every Sunday along 1.3km of Ōte-suji, the main road leading to the castle. Around…
5. Kōchi Castle Museum of History
2.69 MILES
This new museum (opened in 2017), celebrating the history of Kōchi castle, is an architectural achievement in its own right. Entry is free to the museum…
2.85 MILES
Kōchi-jō is one of just a dozen castles in Japan to have survived with its original tenshu-kaku (keep) intact. The castle was originally built during the…
3.34 MILES
Katsura-hama is a popular beach 12km south of central Kōchi at the point where Kōchi's harbour empties out into the bay. Strong currents prohibit swimming…
8. Sakamoto Ryōma Memorial Museum
3.47 MILES
At Katsura-hama, this museum tells the story of hometown hero Sakamoto Ryōma. Born in Kōchi in 1835, Ryōma brought about the alliance between the Satsuma …