Yuzu-filled Kitagawa Village

Perhaps the biggest draw in Kitagawa is Monet’s Garden Marmottan, just a 10-minute bus ride from Nahari Station. This is the only officially recognized Monet-inspired garden in the world and boasts over 100,000 different plants of 1000 different varieties. You can see the famous blue water lilies and weeping willows, as the gardens bring Claude Monet’s paintings to life. Be sure to stop for coffee (or lunch) at the cafe’ overlooking the multi-colored layers of color of the Flower Garden.

Other popular sightseeing spots are the thatched roofed home of Nakaoka Shintaro, one of the former samurai who helped overthrow the shogunate and usher Japan into the modern era, along with a number of retro railway bridges that were once used by the former Yanase Forest Railway.

Kitagawa is also one of the top yuzu citrus-producing regions in Kochi, and even exports the delightful fruit to Europe. One of the best ways to see the groves is to stay overnight at Yuzu no Yado, an onsen hotel, and then take a wander around the nearby country roads, perhaps extending your walk to the Fudo Waterfall.

For something really unique, head to the Shima area of Kitagawa to see the “scarecrow village,” a charming installation of cute handmade figures created by local residents that pop up in private yards, at the local bus stop and more!