There’s something about Matsuo

In southwestern Kochi, a maze of narrow streets cling to the side of the Ashizuri Peninsula above a tiny fishing port. Matsuo was once filled with factories making sodabushi (dried frigate tuna) used to make broth that is essential to much of Japanese cuisine. Tosashimizu City, in which Matsuo is located, still produces about 80% of Japan’s sodabushi, mostly used to make soup for noodle dishes. However, Matsuo’s boom years are in the past, and, although you can still catch a whiff of smoked fish from the one or two factories that remain, it is now a quaint place where life moves slowly. Just a short distance from Cape Ashizuri, it’s an interesting place to explore for those who love to get off the beaten track

Pick your way through the winding streets down to the towering 300-year-old Akou tree. After one look at another impressive Akou tree that grows on a beach, you will certainly feel a deep appreciation toward nature’s complex patterns and creative architecture

Any locals you bump into will no doubt urge you to go down to the port to see the emerald waters of Ebido Cave. Cafe 69 Log which overlooks the port is a must-stop too! Run by a friendly surfing couple, it’s a great place to kick back over coffee or light lunch, and maybe even pick up local info from their regular customers

To dive deeper into Tosashimizu City’s fascinating history, call on the services of local guide Masami Muramatsu (who we recently featured in our “We are Kochi-ke” series). She knows pretty much everyone in the town (including the leather craftsman at Atelier 923 shown in the bottom left photo), has so many stories to share and can give you special access to some very fascinating places and activities

Learn more about Masami's story: https://www.facebook.com/visitkochijapan/posts/pfbid04Ne36vMGWhcsJ9xxBYUyePbjeETSQXhL5xgtGK9pf36qJAyFobjbTZp8MK6PUdh5l
Cape Ashizuri is the best place to base yourself if you are interested in visiting Matsuo: https://visitkochijapan.com/en/see-and-do/10033