Kochi

Kochi sits on Japan's Shikoku island, facing the Pacific. Kochi Castle is the main landmark, one of only twelve original castles surviving in Japan, with its black-walled tower dating to the 17th century. The red Harimaya-bashi bridge nearby has a folk tale attached to it involving a monk who bought a hairpin. The city has a quieter, more provincial feel than the bigger Japanese cities. The Sunday Market, held along a main street near the castle, stretches for over a kilometre and sells everything from fresh produce to garden knives and coral jewellery. Hirome Market, open daily, is an indoor food hall where locals eat katsuo no tataki (seared bonito) at shared tables. Chikurin-ji temple, set in a hillside forest, is one of the 88 temples on Shikoku's famous pilgrimage route. Buses connect the port to the city centre, about 20 minutes away.