Kochi, Kochi
Encyclopedia
is the capital city
of Kōchi Prefecture
on Shikoku
island of Japan
.
Kōchi is the main city of the prefecture with over 40% of its population. As of May 31, 2008, the city had an estimated population
of 340,515 and a density
of 1100 /km2. The total area is 309.22 square kilometres (119.4 sq mi).
A symbol of the city is its most famous dish, katsuo
tataki
, made by lightly searing and seasoning tuna.
The area of Kōchi has three distinct geographic sections. The major settled part of the city lies at the head of Urado Bay, in a narrow alluvial plain
crossed by several rivers, notably the Kagami River and Kokubu River. The plain is bounded by mountains to the north and a range of hills to the south and west.
The northern mountains form the least densely populated part of the city, with the only settlement being along narrow river valleys. The highest point in Kōchi is Kuishi-yama at 1176 m.
To the south of the city centre, Urado Bay cuts through the hills to its outlet into the Pacific Ocean
. The land surrounding the bay and a small strip of the coastline form the third part of the city. This area, although hillier and less dense than the plain, is nevertheless a major location of housing and port-related industry
.
Kōchi has a very wet climate, receiving twice as much rainfall as Shikoku’s other chief cities Matsuyama and Takamatsu
. It is also the most typhoon-prone of Japan’s major cities owing to its location directly exposed to the open Pacific Ocean from which the storms enter the country, and has twice received over 20 inches (508 mm) in a day from a typhoon.
The river plain now containing the city centre was originally settled as a castle town around the seat of the lords of Tosa Province
, Kōchi Castle
. The castle site was chosen by Lord Yamauchi Kazutoyo
in 1601. The city takes its name from that of the castle. As the centre of administration for the province, and the prefecture which succeeded it, the town rapidly grew to become the largest settlement of the region.
During the time of the Meiji Restoration
, Kōchi became famous as a centre of pro-imperial ideology, and later for incubating democratic
and human rights
movements.
The city was incorporated on April 1, 1889.
Tram
service began in the city on May 2, 1904, and the city was connected to the national rail network
on November 12, 1951.
On April 1, 1998, the city was designated as the first core city
on Shikoku.
On January 1, 2005 the villages of Kagami
and Tosayama
, both from Tosa District
, merged with the city, and on January 1, 2008 the town of Haruno
from Agawa District
also merged with the city.
, Kōchi University
and Kōchi Women's University
, and four junior college
s. The city directly administers Kōchi Commercial High School
, and 15 other high schools are located within the city boundaries.
which is held in August. Teams of dancers dance to traditional and modern songs at various places around Kōchi. The total number of dancers is in the thousands.
Kōchi Castle
still exists in its pre-restoration
form, and is one of the main tourist attractions. Other places of interest in the city centre are the shopping arcade, the regular Sunday street markets which are close to a kilometre in length, and , a bridge that featured in a famous Kōchi song about the forbidden love of a Buddhist priest.
The mountain holds a public park with views of the city, and is home to stop 31 on the Shikoku Pilgrimage
, , as well as the Makino Botanical Garden
.
The Shinto Shrine Tosa jinja
is located west of the city, not far from the Buddhist temmple
Zenraku-ji.
Off of Museum Road (Kenritsu Bijutsukandori) is the Kōchi Art Museum, where the main collection is composed of expressionistic works related to Kōchi.
At the mouth of Urado Bay, the remnants of Urado Castle (an earlier provincial seat) stand above , a famous beach
with an aquarium
and statue
of the Kōchi hero Sakamoto Ryōma. Nearby on the grounds is the Sakamoto Ryōma Memorial Museum.
service run by Tosa Electric Railway
. Its three lines with historic cars service the major north-south and east-west axes of the city.
The city also has an extensive bus
network.
Kōchi is located on the JR Shikoku
's Dosan Line
connecting it to northern Shikoku, and via interchanges with the Tosa Kuroshio Railway
to the eastern and western parts of Kōchi Prefecture. JR's central station in Kōchi is Kōchi Station
.
Kōchi is also serviced by the Kōchi interchange
of the Kōchi Expressway which connects to the national expressway system
.
Kōchi Ryōma Airport
in nearby Nankoku
serves Kōchi.
, Indonesia - Kitami
, Japan - Fresno, California
, USA
Cities of Japan
||A is a local administrative unit in Japan. Cities are ranked on the same level as and , with the difference that they are not a component of...
of Kōchi Prefecture
Kochi Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located on the south coast of Shikoku. The capital is the city of Kōchi.- History :Prior to the Meiji Restoration, Kōchi was known as Tosa Province and was controlled by the Chosokabe clan in the Sengoku period and the Yamauchi family during the Edo period.- Geography...
on Shikoku
Shikoku
is the smallest and least populous of the four main islands of Japan, located south of Honshū and east of the island of Kyūshū. Its ancient names include Iyo-no-futana-shima , Iyo-shima , and Futana-shima...
island of Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
.
Kōchi is the main city of the prefecture with over 40% of its population. As of May 31, 2008, the city had an estimated population
Population
A population is all the organisms that both belong to the same group or species and live in the same geographical area. The area that is used to define a sexual population is such that inter-breeding is possible between any pair within the area and more probable than cross-breeding with individuals...
of 340,515 and a density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
of 1100 /km2. The total area is 309.22 square kilometres (119.4 sq mi).
A symbol of the city is its most famous dish, katsuo
Skipjack tuna
The skipjack tuna, Katsuwonus pelamis, is a medium-sized perciform fish in the tuna family, Scombridae. It is otherwise known as the aku, arctic bonito, mushmouth, oceanic bonito, striped tuna, or victor fish...
tataki
Tataki
Tataki , also called tosa-mi, is a manner of preparing fish or meat in Japanese cuisine. The meat or fish is seared very briefly over a hot flame or pan, briefly marinated in vinegar, sliced thinly and seasoned with ginger .The method originated in Tosa Province, now part of...
, made by lightly searing and seasoning tuna.
Geography and climate
Alluvial plain
An alluvial plain is a relatively flat landform created by the deposition of sediment over a long period of time by one or more rivers coming from highland regions, from which alluvial soil forms...
crossed by several rivers, notably the Kagami River and Kokubu River. The plain is bounded by mountains to the north and a range of hills to the south and west.
The northern mountains form the least densely populated part of the city, with the only settlement being along narrow river valleys. The highest point in Kōchi is Kuishi-yama at 1176 m.
To the south of the city centre, Urado Bay cuts through the hills to its outlet into the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
. The land surrounding the bay and a small strip of the coastline form the third part of the city. This area, although hillier and less dense than the plain, is nevertheless a major location of housing and port-related industry
Industry
Industry refers to the production of an economic good or service within an economy.-Industrial sectors:There are four key industrial economic sectors: the primary sector, largely raw material extraction industries such as mining and farming; the secondary sector, involving refining, construction,...
.
Kōchi has a very wet climate, receiving twice as much rainfall as Shikoku’s other chief cities Matsuyama and Takamatsu
Takamatsu, Kagawa
is a city located in central Kagawa Prefecture on the island of Shikoku in Japan, and is the seat of the prefectural government. It is designated a core city by the Japanese Government. It is a port city located on the Seto Inland Sea, and is the closest port to Honshu from Shikoku island...
. It is also the most typhoon-prone of Japan’s major cities owing to its location directly exposed to the open Pacific Ocean from which the storms enter the country, and has twice received over 20 inches (508 mm) in a day from a typhoon.
History
Tosa Province
is the name of a former province of Japan in the area that is today Kōchi Prefecture on Shikoku. Tosa was bordered by Iyo and Awa Provinces. It was sometimes called .-History:The ancient capital was near modern Nankoku...
, Kōchi Castle
Kochi Castle
is a castle located in Kōchi, Kōchi Prefecture, Japan.-History:Following the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600, Kōchi Castle was constructed in what was then the province of Tosa. It was built by Yamanouchi Kazutoyo, who took control of the province after the Tokugawa victory. The castle was constructed...
. The castle site was chosen by Lord Yamauchi Kazutoyo
Yamauchi Kazutoyo
' also spelled Yamanouchi , was born the son of Yamanouchi Moritoyo in Owari Province at the end of the Sengoku period of Japan. Kazutoyo held the title of Tosa no kami....
in 1601. The city takes its name from that of the castle. As the centre of administration for the province, and the prefecture which succeeded it, the town rapidly grew to become the largest settlement of the region.
During the time of the Meiji Restoration
Meiji Restoration
The , also known as the Meiji Ishin, Revolution, Reform or Renewal, was a chain of events that restored imperial rule to Japan in 1868...
, Kōchi became famous as a centre of pro-imperial ideology, and later for incubating democratic
Democracy
Democracy is generally defined as a form of government in which all adult citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives. Ideally, this includes equal participation in the proposal, development and passage of legislation into law...
and human rights
Human rights in Japan
Japan is a constitutional monarchy. According to Ministry of Justice figures, the Japanese Legal Affairs Bureau offices and civil liberties volunteers dealt with 359,971 human rights related complaints and 18,786 reports of suspected human rights violations during 2003...
movements.
The city was incorporated on April 1, 1889.
Tram
Tram
A tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...
service began in the city on May 2, 1904, and the city was connected to the national rail network
Rail transport in Japan
Rail transport in Japan is a major means of passenger transport, especially for mass and high-speed travel between major cities and for commuter transport in metropolitan areas.-Overview:...
on November 12, 1951.
On April 1, 1998, the city was designated as the first core city
Core city
A is a class of Japanese city created by the first clause of Article 252, Section 22 of the Local Autonomy Law of Japan. Core cities are delegated many functions normally carried out by prefectural governments, but not as many as designated cities...
on Shikoku.
On January 1, 2005 the villages of Kagami
Kagami, Kochi (Tosa)
was a village located in Tosa District, Kōchi, Japan.On January 1, 2005 Kagami, along with the village of Tosayama, also from Tosa District, was merged into the expanded city of Kōchi and no longer exists as an independent municipality....
and Tosayama
Tosayama, Kochi
Tosayama was a village located in Tosa District, Kochi, Japan.On January 1, 2005 Tosayama, along with the village of Kagami, also from Tosa District, was merged into the expanded city of Kōchi and no longer exists as an independent municipality....
, both from Tosa District
Tosa District, Kochi
is a district located in Kōchi, Japan.As of the January 1, 2005 merger but with 2003 population estimates, the district has an estimated population of 5,348 and a density of 17.4 persons per km²...
, merged with the city, and on January 1, 2008 the town of Haruno
Haruno, Kochi
was a town located in Agawa District, Kōchi, Japan.On January 1, 2008 Haruno was merged into the expanded city of Kōchi.As of 2003, the town had an estimated population of 15,645 and a density of 348.13 persons per km². The total area was 44.94 km²....
from Agawa District
Agawa District, Kochi
is a district located in Kōchi, Japan.As of January 1, 2008, the district has an estimated population of 35,108 and a density of 43.7 persons per km²...
also merged with the city.
Government
The administrative functions of the city of Kōchi are directed by an elected mayor and 42-member assembly. The current mayor (since 2003) is Seiya Okazaki.Education
Kōchi is home to two universitiesUniversity
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
, Kōchi University
Kochi University
is a national university in Kōchi, Kōchi, Japan. The predecessor of the school was founded in 1922, and it was chartered as a university in 1949.-External links:*...
and Kōchi Women's University
Kochi Women's University
is a public university for women in Kōchi, Kōchi, Japan. The predecessor of the school was founded in 1944, and it was chartered as a university in 1949....
, and four junior college
Junior college
The term junior college refers to different educational institutions in different countries.-India:In India, most states provide schooling through 12th grade...
s. The city directly administers Kōchi Commercial High School
Commercial high school (Japan)
A , called or shōgyō for short, is a Japanese high school which concentrates more on the teaching of business and commerce knowledge and skills rather than the college preparatory courses taught in most Japanese high schools. Most students who graduate from a commercial high school directly enter...
, and 15 other high schools are located within the city boundaries.
Events
Kōchi's most famous festival is the YosakoiYosakoi
Yosakoi is a unique style of dance that originated in Japan. Yosakoi started in the city of Kōchi in 1954, as a modern rendition of Awa Odori, a traditional summer dance. Yosakoi-style dancing has spread throughout much of Japan. The style of dance is highly energetic, combining traditional...
which is held in August. Teams of dancers dance to traditional and modern songs at various places around Kōchi. The total number of dancers is in the thousands.
Tourism
For the most relevant tourist information regarding what to do, where to eat, and art/music events updated by local authors, the Kochi Beat is the best English guide that exist for the prefecture. It is a must check resource for anyone interested in visiting or living in Kochi.Kōchi Castle
Kochi Castle
is a castle located in Kōchi, Kōchi Prefecture, Japan.-History:Following the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600, Kōchi Castle was constructed in what was then the province of Tosa. It was built by Yamanouchi Kazutoyo, who took control of the province after the Tokugawa victory. The castle was constructed...
still exists in its pre-restoration
Meiji Restoration
The , also known as the Meiji Ishin, Revolution, Reform or Renewal, was a chain of events that restored imperial rule to Japan in 1868...
form, and is one of the main tourist attractions. Other places of interest in the city centre are the shopping arcade, the regular Sunday street markets which are close to a kilometre in length, and , a bridge that featured in a famous Kōchi song about the forbidden love of a Buddhist priest.
The mountain holds a public park with views of the city, and is home to stop 31 on the Shikoku Pilgrimage
Shikoku Pilgrimage
The or is a multi-site pilgrimage of 88 temples associated with the Buddhist monk Kūkai on the island of Shikoku, Japan. A popular and distinctive feature of the island's cultural landscape, and with a long history, large numbers of pilgrims still undertake the journey for a variety of ascetic,...
, , as well as the Makino Botanical Garden
Makino Botanical Garden
The , also known as the Kochi Prefectural Makino Botanical Garden, is a botanical garden located at Godaisan 4200-6, Kōchi, Kōchi Prefecture, Japan. It is open to the public daily except Mondays; an admission fee is charged....
.
The Shinto Shrine Tosa jinja
Tosa jinja
, also known as Tosa nimasu jinja, Tosa takakamo Taisha, is a Shinto shrine located in the west of Kōchi in Kōchi Prefecture in Japan.Japan's government has designated the sanctuary as an Important Cultural Property.-History:...
is located west of the city, not far from the Buddhist temmple
Buddhist temples in Japan
Along with Shinto shrines, Buddhist temples are the most numerous, famous, and important religious buildings in Japan.The term "Shinto shrine" is used in opposition to "Buddhist temple" to mirror in English the distinction made in Japanese between Shinto and Buddhist religious structures. In...
Zenraku-ji.
At the mouth of Urado Bay, the remnants of Urado Castle (an earlier provincial seat) stand above , a famous beach
Beach
A beach is a geological landform along the shoreline of an ocean, sea, lake or river. It usually consists of loose particles which are often composed of rock, such as sand, gravel, shingle, pebbles or cobblestones...
with an aquarium
Aquarium
An aquarium is a vivarium consisting of at least one transparent side in which water-dwelling plants or animals are kept. Fishkeepers use aquaria to keep fish, invertebrates, amphibians, marine mammals, turtles, and aquatic plants...
and statue
Statue
A statue is a sculpture in the round representing a person or persons, an animal, an idea or an event, normally full-length, as opposed to a bust, and at least close to life-size, or larger...
of the Kōchi hero Sakamoto Ryōma. Nearby on the grounds is the Sakamoto Ryōma Memorial Museum.
Transport
The most visible form of transport within Kōchi is the tramTram
A tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...
service run by Tosa Electric Railway
Tosa Electric Railway
The is a transportation company in Kōchi City, Japan. The private company operates tram and bus lines. It also operates as the agency of All Nippon Airways in Kōchi Prefecture....
. Its three lines with historic cars service the major north-south and east-west axes of the city.
The city also has an extensive bus
Bus
A bus is a road vehicle designed to carry passengers. Buses can have a capacity as high as 300 passengers. The most common type of bus is the single-decker bus, with larger loads carried by double-decker buses and articulated buses, and smaller loads carried by midibuses and minibuses; coaches are...
network.
Kōchi is located on the JR Shikoku
Shikoku Railway Company
, commonly known as , is one of the constituent companies of Japan Railways Group . It operates intercity rail services in the four prefectures on the island of Shikoku in Japan. The company is headquartered in Takamatsu, Kagawa Prefecture.- Lines :...
's Dosan Line
Dosan Line
is a railway line in Shikoku, Japan, operated by the Shikoku Railway Company . It runs between Tadotsu Station in Tadotsu, Kagawa and Kubokawa Station in Shimanto, Kōchi. The line links the city of Kōchi with northern Shikoku and the island of Honshū via the Seto-Ōhashi Line...
connecting it to northern Shikoku, and via interchanges with the Tosa Kuroshio Railway
Tosa Kuroshio Railway
The is a railway company in Kōchi Prefecture, Japan. The name comes from the province of Tosa and Kuroshio Current. The third sector company , founded in 1986, took a former Japanese National Railways line, Nakamura Line, and later two JNR planned lines those constructions were halted halfway...
to the eastern and western parts of Kōchi Prefecture. JR's central station in Kōchi is Kōchi Station
Kochi Station (Kochi)
is a railway station on the Dosan Line of the Shikoku Railway Company located in the city center of Kōchi, Kōchi Prefecture, Japan.In front of the station is Kōchi-Ekimae Station, a tram stop on the Tosa Electric Railway Sanbashi Line....
.
Kōchi is also serviced by the Kōchi interchange
Interchange (road)
In the field of road transport, an interchange is a road junction that typically uses grade separation, and one or more ramps, to permit traffic on at least one highway to pass through the junction without directly crossing any other traffic stream. It differs from a standard intersection, at which...
of the Kōchi Expressway which connects to the national expressway system
Expressways of Japan
The expressways of Japan make up a large network of freeway-standard toll roads.- History :Following World War II, Japan's economic revival led to a massive increase in personal automobile use...
.
Kōchi Ryōma Airport
Kochi Ryoma Airport
Kōchi Airport , also known as Kōchi Ryōma Airport , is a regional airport in Nankoku, a city in Kōchi Prefecture of Japan. It is located on the southeastern coast, east of the city of Kōchi....
in nearby Nankoku
Nankoku, Kochi
is a city located in Kōchi, Japan. Strong in the fishing industry and the market industry, Nankoku-shi supplies most of Kochi's agricultural needs, because of the amount of fields and plantations. Nankoku-shi's downtown is relatively small, has 2 major supermarkets, one major hospital, a tractor...
serves Kōchi.
Notable natives and residents
- Nakahama ManjirōNakahama Manjiro, also known as John Manjirō , was one of the first Japanese people to visit the United States and an important translator during the Opening of Japan.-Voyage to America:...
(1827 – 1898) was one of the first Japanese people to visit the United States and an important translator during the Opening of Japan. - Okada IzōOkada Izowas a Japanese samurai of the late Edo period, feared as one of the four most notable assassins of the Bakumatsu period. He was born in Tosa to the gōshi Okada Gihei, who had been a peasant but had bought the gōshi rank...
(1832 – 1865) was a samurai of the late Edo period, feared as one of the four most notable assassins of the Bakumatsu period. - Sakamoto RyōmaSakamoto Ryomawas a leader of the movement to overthrow the Tokugawa shogunate during the Bakumatsu period in Japan. Ryōma used the alias .- Early life :Ryōma was born in Kōchi, of Tosa han . By the Japanese calendar, this was the sixth year of Tenpō...
(1836 – 1867) was a leader of the movement to overthrow the Tokugawa shogunateTokugawa shogunateThe Tokugawa shogunate, also known as the and the , was a feudal regime of Japan established by Tokugawa Ieyasu and ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family. This period is known as the Edo period and gets its name from the capital city, Edo, which is now called Tokyo, after the name was...
during the Bakumatsu period. - Itagaki TaisukeItagaki TaisukeCount was a Japanese politician and leader of the , which evolved into Japan's first political party.- Early life :Itagaki Taisuke was born into a middle-ranking samurai family in Tosa Domain, , After studies in Kōchi and in Edo, he was appointed as sobayonin to Tosa daimyo Yamauchi Toyoshige,...
(1837 – 1919) was a politician and leader of the Freedom and People's Rights MovementFreedom and People's Rights MovementThe was a Japanese political and social movement for democracy in 1880s....
, which evolved into Japan's first political party. - Tsutomu SekiTsutomu Sekiis a Japanese astronomer, born in Kōchi, Japan.He has discovered a number of comets, including the celebrated bright C/1965 S1 .He has also discovered a large number of asteroids, including the Amor asteroid 1992 JE and the Trojan asteroid .Many of his discoveries are named after famous sites in...
(born 1930) is an astronomer who has discovered a number of comets and asteroids. - Nobuo UematsuNobuo Uematsuis a Japanese video game composer, best known for scoring the majority of titles in the Final Fantasy series. He is considered as one of the most famous and respected composers in the video game community...
(born 1959) is a video game composer, best known for scoring the majority of titles in the Final Fantasy series. - Ryōko HirosueRyoko Hirosueis a Japanese actress and pop star, best known in the West for her roles in the Luc Besson-produced Wasabi and the Academy Award-winning Japanese film Departures. She also starred in a comedy series Yasuko to Kenji in 2008.- Early life :...
(born 1980) is an actress and pop star, best known in the West for her roles in the Luc Besson-produced Wasabi and the Academy Award-winning Japanese film Departures. - Aaron ZagoryAaron ZagoryAaron Zagory is a former college football player, and the starting kicker for Stanford University in 2006 and 2008. In 2006, he led the Cardinal in scoring with 37 points. He is also the Stanford record-holder for career field-goal percentage...
(born 1985) is a Kōchi-born former US college football player, and the starting kicker for Stanford University in 2006 and 2008.
Sister cities
- Wuhu, China - SurabayaSurabaya
Surabaya is Indonesia's second-largest city with a population of over 2.7 million , and the capital of the province of East Java...
, Indonesia - Kitami
Kitami, Hokkaido
is a city located in Okhotsk Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan. It is the most populous city and the commercial center in the subprefecture, although the subprefectural capital is Abashiri.Kitami is in central Okhotsk Subprefecture. The Kitami Mountains are nearby....
, Japan - Fresno, California
Fresno, California
Fresno is a city in central California, United States, the county seat of Fresno County. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 510,365, making it the fifth largest city in California, the largest inland city in California, and the 34th largest in the nation...
, USA
External links
- Kōchi official website in Japanese
- Kōchi official website in English
- Kochi Visitors and Convention Association official website in English
- Kochi International Association official website in English
- The Kochi Beat in English
- Kōchi Castle official site in Japanese
- Kōchi Asakura Website in Japanese
- Kochi wikiJET