Walk in the footsteps of samurai in Aki

Our last post about the samurai houses in Aki was quite popular, so we wanted to share a little bit more about this former castle town!

Aki is on eastern side of Kochi, just over an hour by train from Kochi City. While there used to be a castle here, now the massive walls and moat of the ruins just hint at what the building must have looked like. However, the houses of the samurai who served the castle lord still stand, and in the Doi Kachu area you can explore lanes lined with traditional houses and attractive bamboo walls. Nearby is a large, four-faced field clock completed in 1887, housed in a wooden tower perched on an elegant home. A nearby field blooms with sunflowers, cosmos or red spider lilies, depending on the season.

Be sure to stop by Uchiharano Park, located about 5km away from Aki Station. This park and the large manmade lake were once part of the garden of the Goto family, and are thought to have been established between 1673 to 1680. In early summer the ponds full of purple and white irises are a must-see.

Find out how to get to Aki from Kochi City here: https://visitkochijapan.com/en/see-and-do/10006