Top Kochi Prefecture Outdoor Activities

This private full-day guided tour offers a convenient way to explore Kochi's key sights, including Kochi Castle, Makino Botanical Garden, and Chikurinji Temple. Enjoy hotel pickup and travel by public transport with an English guide, making it easy to experience local culture and history without the hassle of planning.

Discover the rich culture of Kochi on this private 6-hour tour, featuring essential highlights such as Kochi Castle, a historic samurai residence, and the vibrant Hirome Market. Tailor your journey with a licensed local guide who shares insider knowledge of Kochi's hidden gems and traditions. Enjoy personalized pacing as you explore the serene Chikurinji Temple and the Makino Botanical Garden. This tour is perfect for small groups of up to 6 people, ensuring a comfortable and intimate experience, with flexibility for your interests and needs. Private tour with a local guide in a luxury minivan (up to 6 guests) Visit iconic attractions like Kochi Castle and Hirome Market Enjoy complimentary digital photos taken during the tour Convenient pick-up from Kochi New Port, hotels, or stations included The itinerary is flexible. Spots like Katsurahama Beach or a traditional paper making experience in Ino Town can be swapped in based on your interests and schedule.

Experience Niyodo River in SUP. Join one of our guides on a trip down Japans finest water quality river, the Niyodo river, on a SUP tour. On the tour you will learn the techniques for River SUP which differs from ocean or lake techniques.If you look around you will see the magnificent mountains and scenery, and on a sunny day the famous Niyodo Blue can be witnessed! Beginner friendly with professional instruction. Beginners will be taught the foundation skills so you can enjoy your time on the river! Instruction will take place in gentle parts of the river where you can master the basic movements, even first timers can enjoy SUP! Enjoy the feel of the wind over your body and enjoy experiencing nature how you want! Located just 30 minutes from Kochi by car! “ENJOY NOW”

Kochi's Niyodo river has become a famous sightseeing spot over the last few years. The best way to experience it is paddling down it. With our tour, you packraft down rapids suitable for beginners which makes our tour a great experience for adventure and outdoor lovers without needing prior experience. However, make no mistake, this is an active tour! Please ensure that you are active enough and have good swimming skills.

The 196 km Shimanto River is one of Japan's last remaining undammed rivers, famous for its clear water, unspoilt surroundings and distinctive chikabashi submersible bridges, built to withstand flooding. Enjoy the region’s incredible natural beauty as you journey from the headwaters of the mighty river all the way along the lowly flowing river to the Pacific Ocean. It is a wonderful way to glimpse the lives of people who have long lived in harmony with nature in an environment largely unchanged for centuries.

Discover the best of Kochi in a compact, full-day tour that weaves together nature, history, and local charm. Start at Chikurinji Temple. Return to the city for lunch at Hirome Market, where the lively, communal atmosphere invites spontaneous encounters and a real taste of local life. Then explore Kochi Castle, one of Japan’s few original castles. Its preserved wooden interiors and hilltop views offer a rare, authentic glimpse into samurai-era Japan. Finish at Katsurahama, a beautiful beach known for its crashing waves and the iconic statue of Sakamoto Ryoma—a striking place where nature and history meet.

Well known today as a ninja, Mohei was a real person who lived in the old village Kusaka-mura, which is the centre of the modern village of Hidaka-mura. According to the legend, he was a poor peasant who fell in love with the daughter of a rich landowner. The affair was doomed, and while he was walking about desperately looking for a place to die, Mohei came upon the cave called Sarudado, where a fantastic creature called a tengu was pursuing an ascetic lifestyle. Mohei became its disciple. So diligent was he that he learned everything his mentor taught and travelled to the town surrounding Kochi castle, where he did such things as giving rice to the poor. This activity is in the footsteps of the Ninja Mohei. You will wear a Ninja costume and try training in the cave! After the caving, you will relax with a coffee, local black tea and some sweets or fruits.

You will meet your guide near the cruise port and take a brief shuttle to the Niyodo river mouth. While watching surfers where the river meets the sea, you will get an easy e-bike tutorial. Even for infrequent cyclists, the e-bike makes it easy to ride hilly terrain and experience Japan's landscape on this one-day trip. Time to ride! As we start, you can see Kochi’s scenery where mountains meet the sea. After a warm-up, we will arrive at Shoryu-ji Temple, tucked into the hillside of the Yokonami peninsula. Leaving the temple, we will ride through tranquil coastal villages with unique historic storehouses. Later, we will pass through an amazing bamboo forest before reaching the ferry. Onboard, you can observe the busy Kochi port and a vista of mountains surrounding this coastal city. Disembarking, we will climb to Chikurin-ji Temple. Known as one of the most beautiful temples in Kochi, its colorful exterior will captivate your senses and soothe your mind

This is a multi-activity tour that explores the Shimanto river valley. You will travel first by train, then by bike, and finally by raft, through the natural splendor of this untrammeled region of Kochi. Along the way you will meet an artisan iron-worker practicing his traditional craft. You will see the inner-workings of his workshop and hear how his trade has passed down through the generations. Later you will have lunch overlooking the valley, and finally you will board a raft for a thrilling ride on the river.

This 7-hour tour takes you to two of Kochi Prefecture's most beautiful gardens: Monet's Garden Marmottan and the Kochi Prefectural Makino Botanical Garden.In just one day, you can immerse yourself in the fantastical world that faithfully recreates the Giverny gardens where Claude Monet spent half his life and drew inspiration for his masterpieces, all set within Kochi's stunning natural scenery. You’ll also enjoy the vast botanical garden infused with the passion of Dr. Tomitaro Makino. Experience the feeling of stepping inside a painting, with expert guides sharing in-depth stories about plants and art that most visitors never hear. Perfect for adults who love art and nature, photography enthusiasts, families with children, couples seeking relaxation, and seniors looking for a peaceful escape. Step away from everyday life and immerse yourself in Kochi’s rich natural and artistic heritage for a truly special day.

Located at the foot of the Shikoku Karst, the Iwayagawa Gorge is a breathtaking canyon featuring a striking landscape of sharply split, massive boulders. The sight of water pouring vigorously from the crevices of these giant rocks and the crystal-clear pools are truly magnificent! Visitors can enjoy fresh greenery in spring and vibrant foliage in autumn while walking along the trail maintained as a prefectural park. After the hike, the program offers a chance to roast tea and taste "Irimochi," a traditional local tea sweet, providing a wonderful opportunity to interact with the locals..

Discover the hidden magic of rural Shikoku on this immersive day tour through a secluded village nestled within Niyodogawa town. Celebrated for its sweeping springtime cherry blossoms, dramatic autumn gorges, and the vibrant Akiba Festival in February, this remote community offers a rare glimpse into ancient Japanese traditions. Guests will walk the historic festival path to the local shrine, feast on Kochi’s traditional sawachi platter cuisine inside a beautifully preserved heritage home, and connect directly with local festival keepers. The journey concludes with a peaceful visit to a spectacular hillside tea plantation and a relaxing break for fragrant, artisan green tea and local sweets at a charming tea farmer’s restaurant.

Ashizuri remains one of Japan's lesser-known destinations. This cycling tour lets you experience the dramatic natural landscapes　and culture hidden at the southernmost tip of Shikoku. From strangler figs to historic mansions and the boulder-strewn coast, memories of this trip will stay with you for years. Even if you visited on your own, the sights here would amaze you. With the help of an expert local guide, you will also learn the fascinating history and culture of this remote territory. Even if you are not confident in your stamina, the electric-assist bicycles allow you to cruise up hills with ease while enjoying the scenery. For lunch, we provide local food that lets you fully immerse yourself in the flavors of the region.

Lose yourself in the Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage. While this journey evokes images of grand sanctuaries and solemn, robed monks, it offers far more than quiet contemplation. The true magic lies in the paths connecting the temples. You will venture down twisting backstreets, over wooded knolls, past local greenhouses, and even across coastal waters by ferry. This experience immerses you in the vibrant daily lives and warm hospitality of the Shikoku communities surrounding these sacred sites. The complete pilgrimage involves more than 30 days of walking around the entire island. While this remarkable journey may not be possible for everyone, this experience offers the opportunity to visit three temples and begin exploring the pilgrimage route. It may even inspire you to return one day and undertake the full 1,200-kilometer pilgrimage.

Modern Japan blends the ancient with the contemporary, the east with the west. On this exclusive journey, you will immerse yourself in this captivating fusion. Your day begins at one of the Shikoku 88 temple pilgrimage sites, Kokubunji, where a resident monk guides you through a serene meditation session to uncover the secrets of the sanctuary. Afterward, find peace in an exquisite garden while savoring traditional matcha. Next, stroll through historic local neighborhoods and verdant rice fields to reach the Wayfarer Brewing Company. Here, the Australian-Japanese owners serve distinct single-batch beers in local clay cups, paired with a curated light lunch.

There is no easy way to summarize this tour. Words like unique are not enough. You will enter into the world of a small collective of people making their own way of life in the mountains. They live with nature and fire and forego the normal comforts of modern life. Their everyday starts with a wood fire and ends in a hot bath with water heated over a fire. You will explore the natural area they live in and see the waterfalls and power spots that make up their daily lives. Along the way you can experience the process of roasting and brewing organic coffee over live coals. At the end you will feast on home-style cooking using local ingredients and a lot of love.