This is a private guided tour report by Japan Guide Agency (JGA Inc.), a network of 1,000+ government-licensed, English-speaking local guides across all 47 prefectures of Japan. Not affiliated with the Japan Guide Association.
Tour Itinerary
- 10:00 Meet at Harimayabashi Bus Terminal
- 10:20 Guest arrives, take the streetcar to Kochi Castle
- 10:40 Kochi Castle
- 11:40 Kochi Castle Museum of History
- 12:20 Lunch
- 13:00 Take a taxi to Makino Botanical Garden
- 13:20～14:30 Makino Botanical Garden
- 14:40～15:30 Chikurin-ji Temple
- 15:30 Disband at Chikurin-ji Temple (Guests take a taxi to Shinko, guide takes the bus to Harimayabashi Bus Terminal)
Tour Itinerary in Detail
The tour started at 10:00 at Harimayabashi Bus Terminal and ended at 15:30. The day ran to 5 hours and 30 minutes from start to finish. It included lunch at 12:20.
Over the course of the day the route took in Guest arrives, take the streetcar to Kochi Castle at 10:20, Kochi Castle at 10:40, Kochi Castle Museum of History at 11:40, Take a taxi to Makino Botanical Garden at 13:00, Makino Botanical Garden at 13:20 and Chikurin-ji Temple at 14:40.
Travel between the sites was by public transport: Harimayabashi to Kochi Castle-mae by Free Pass (900JPY); Makino Botanical Garden to Harimayabashi Bus Terminal by Free Pass (0JPY). Across 2 sections the fare came to 900JPY per person.
Title: What Is a Private Day Tour of Kochi City Like, Including Makino Botanical Garden and Chikurin-ji? A Licensed Guide's Report
The guests were a group from Oceania. The first shuttle bus was full, so they were unable to board it and arrived at the bus terminal by taxi. Although I had informed the guests of the itinerary in advance, the MY-YU sightseeing bus only runs once every one to two hours, so we ended up taking a taxi to visit the Makino Botanical Garden around midday. Since we were no longer bound by the bus schedule, we were able to take our time at the history museum and then have lunch at the shopping arcade. On the English menu, the guests noticed deep-fried whale meat (tatsuta-age) and clearly showed distaste for it, so I thought it might be worth suggesting to the restaurant that they adjust the menu if it risks making some guests uncomfortable. The cherry blossoms were in full bloom throughout the city center, the castle, and the botanical garden, and the guests were delighted. At the end, I called a taxi for the guests in front of Chikurin-ji Temple, and I returned to the city center on the MY-YU sightseeing bus an hour later.
The Makino Botanical Garden and Chikurin-ji Temple are located right next to each other, which is convenient for sightseeing, but they are on top of a mountain with infrequent bus service, and there is only one restaurant within the botanical garden, where lunch can involve a wait of up to an hour, so I found the itinerary management to be challenging.
Click here for more details: （Deactivate）Kochi Full-Day Private Trip with Government-Licensed Guide
Transportation cost per person
| No. | Transportation | Route | Fare |
| Section 1 | Free Pass | Harimayabashi～Kochi Castle-mae | 900JPY |
| Section 2 | Free Pass | Makino Botanical Garden～Harimayabashi Bus Terminal | 0JPY |
| Total | 900JPY | ||
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does this Kochi tour start and finish?
The guide met the guests at Harimayabashi Bus Terminal at 10:00, and the tour finished at Chikurin-ji Temple (Guests take a taxi to Shinko, guide takes the bus to Harimayabashi Bus Terminal) at 15:30.
How long does the tour last?
About 5 hours and 30 minutes in total, from 10:00 to 15:30.
Which places does this itinerary cover?
This tour visited Guest arrives, take the streetcar to Kochi Castle, Kochi Castle, Kochi Castle Museum of History, Take a taxi to Makino Botanical Garden, Makino Botanical Garden and Chikurin-ji Temple.
How much did transport cost on this tour?
Public transport came to 900JPY per person across 2 sections. Transport fares are paid by the guests and are not included in the guiding fee.
Is the guide licensed, and what language is the tour in?
Kay is a government-licensed national guide-interpreter of Japan and guided this tour in English. Japan Guide Agency (JGA Inc.) works with more than 1,000 licensed guides across all 47 prefectures. Not affiliated with the Japan Guide Association.
Can the itinerary be changed for my own trip?
Yes. This report describes one private tour as it actually ran. Every Kochi itinerary is built around the guests, so the places, the pace and the starting point can all be changed before the tour.
Hi! I’m Kay.
It’s my pleasure to be your guide.
I was born and raised in Kochi city, and I worked for Kochi City Hall for nearly 30 years, so I think I know a lot about Kochi.
Firstly, I can guide you to the Kochi castle. Most castles you can find in Japan have been rebuilt after fires, wars, or natural disasters. However, Kochi Castle is one of the very few castles that still have the whole structure of its original tower and the mail palace from the Edo period (1603–1868). This makes it especially valuable for understanding Japan’s history and traditional architecture. You’ll like it!
Other major tourist sites are adventurous Ryugado limestone cave, Makino botanical garden, Chikurinji temple with historical stonesteps, Zenjibuji temple with the spectacular panoramic view, paper-making activity, Oboke gorge, Nakatsu gorge, Niyodo river with a historical bridge and so on.
If you like sake, you can visit sake brewery, and if you are interested in walking local streets, you can stroll my neighborhood.
Kochi is a small city, but it’s very popular among tourists for its beautiful nature and good food. I took my kids to rivers and mountains when they were little. If you are interested in those places, please ask me. And I know many good restaurants, too.
I’m looking forward to enjoying them together with you!
Jul 7, 2026
A_J
Viator review: Port Pick-Up: Kochi Tour with Licensed Guide and Vehicle
Excellent tour with Kay
Had an amazing time with our…
Jul 7, 2026
A_J
Viator review: Port Pick-Up: Kochi Tour with Licensed Guide and Vehicle
Excellent tour with Kay
Had an amazing time with our guide Kay in Kochi. She was very proactive and contacted me several weeks before to plan the itinerary for the day and also to help with our dietary requirements ( we are vegetarian). She involved us in the plan of the day at every step. She met us as we got off our cruise ship with a very nice vehicle and friendly driver. She was very knowledgeable about the local area and Japan in general and gave us lots of interesting information and could answer all of our questions. She took us to the Sunday market and helped us try some local vegetarian delicacies. The weather that day was very poor, with heavy rain but she readjusted our tour so that we were sheltered from the worst of it with a visit to the castle museum. The castle was a real highlight. We also went to the botanical garden and Shinto shrine which were also fantastic. Thank you very much Kay for being and excellent guide. We loved our day with you.
Jun 1, 2026
romankU9693SM
Tripadvisor review: Port Pick-Up: Kochi Tour with Licensed Guide and Vehicle
Our trip to Kochi
Kay was a wonderful guide, very…
Jun 1, 2026
romankU9693SM
Tripadvisor review: Port Pick-Up: Kochi Tour with Licensed Guide and Vehicle
Our trip to Kochi
Kay was a wonderful guide, very informative and knowledgeable. We had a great time on
our tour of Kochi.
May 28, 2026
nancykotr
Viator review: Port Pick-Up: Kochi Tour with Licensed Guide and Vehicle
Kay was a wonderful…
Kay was a wonderful guide. We…
May 28, 2026
nancykotr
Viator review: Port Pick-Up: Kochi Tour with Licensed Guide and Vehicle
Kay was a wonderful…
Kay was a wonderful guide. We visited the beautiful botanical gardens and Kochi castle. She climbed the steep stairs with us to the top of the castle.
She helped us navigate ordering food at the food stalls.
We truly enjoyed our day with her!
Apr 22, 2026
Jörg R
Tripadvisor review: Port Pick-Up: Kochi Tour with Licensed Guide and Vehicle
Ein toller Ausflug in Kochi
Pünktliche Abholung, kurze Transferzeiten…
Apr 22, 2026
Jörg R
Tripadvisor review: Port Pick-Up: Kochi Tour with Licensed Guide and Vehicle
Ein toller Ausflug in Kochi
Pünktliche Abholung, kurze Transferzeiten zu den Sehenswürdigkeiten und gute Erklärungen
in perfektem Englisch.
高知での素晴らしい小旅行でした。
時間どおりのピックアップ、観光地までの移動時間も短く、完璧な英語での分かりやすい説明でした