8 spots โ sorted by traveller rating
Hirome Market is Kochi's communal canteen โ a cavernous, jovial indoor market where dozens of stalls serve local specialties to tables shared with strangers. The centrepiece is katsuo tataki: fresh skipjack tuna quickly seared over burning rice straw, sliced thick, and served with ponzu, grated ginger, and garlic โ the pure expression of Kochi's Pacific fishing culture.
Operating continuously for 300 years every Sunday along a 1-km stretch of Otemachi street, Kochi's Sunday Market sells vegetables, flowers, local crafts, antiques, and cooked food from 300+ stalls from 5 a.m. to 6 p.m. The enormous yuzu (citrus), dried katsuo (bonito), and local fruits unavailable elsewhere make this a genuine agricultural market rather than a tourist event.
Kochi's most iconic dish โ thick slices of bonito seared over flaming rice straw (wara-yaki), then served with pungent condiments including garlic, ginger, myoga, green onion, and citrusy ponzu. The tataki in Kochi is bolder, thicker-cut, and oilier than versions elsewhere in Japan.
Sawachi ryori is Kochi's traditional party cuisine โ a massive ceramic platter (sawachi) piled high with colourful arrangements of sashimi, grilled fish, sweet potatoes, and local delicacies. Originally served at village celebrations, it is now available at traditional Tosa restaurants in Kochi City.
Kochi's beloved covered food market near the castle โ a chaotic, lively collection of 60+ food and drink stalls surrounding communal tables. The atmosphere is uniquely festive from noon onwards. Must-try items: katsuo tataki, whale sashimi, Tosa gyoza, sea cucumber, and local sake on tap.
Kochi has Japan's highest per-capita sake consumption and a distinctive dry (karakuchi) sake culture. The Suigei (Drunken Whale) brewery is nationally famous, and local labels like Tsuki no Katsura and Tosa Jizake are sought by connoisseurs. Sake is traditionally drunk from wooden masu cups.
Kochi is Japan's largest producer of myoga (Japanese ginger buds), shiso, yuzu citrus, and numerous greenhouse vegetables. The Sunday market showcases the extraordinary variety of local produce, including rare regional varieties not found elsewhere. Yuzu from Kochi's Umaji village is nationally acclaimed.
Kochi has a long whaling history centred on the port town of Muroto, and whale meat remains part of local food culture. Hirome Market and specialist restaurants offer sashimi, sautรฉed whale, and whale bacon. The mild-flavoured dark meat has a texture between beef and tuna.
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