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How to travel between Kochi and Tokyo
By air
JAL and ANA operate multiple flights per day between Tokyo's Haneda Airport and Kochi Ryoma Airport. Flight duration is 90 minutes. The regular one way fare is around 32,000 yen, but discount tickets are usually available for between 12,000 and 27,000 yen.
Kochi Ryoma Airport is connected with central Kochi (JR Kochi Station) by airport bus. The one way trip takes about 40 minutes and costs 700 yen.
By train
Take the JR Tokaido/Sanyo Shinkansen from Tokyo to Okayama (3.5 hours) and transfer to a JR Nanpu limited express train for Kochi (2.5 hours). The entire one way trip takes around six hours and costs about 20,000 yen.
Because the Japan Rail Pass is not valid on nozomi trains, pass holders have to use hikari trains between Tokyo and Okayama, which can add more than an hour to the travel time. Otherwise, the pass fully covers the trip.
By highway bus:
Several overnight highway buses operate between Tokyo and Kochi. The regular one way fare is 12,500 yen for the 11.5 hour journey. Discount buses, such as those operated by Willer Express can be considerably cheaper.
Above fees and schedules are subject to change. For the current Yen exchange rate, click here.
Orientation
Even though Kochi is a small city, its sights are spread over a wide area. Kochi Station lies at the north end of town. While Kochi Castle and the downtown area around Harimayabashi are within walking distance of the station, Mount Godaisan (4 kilometers southeast of Kochi Station) and Katsurahama Beach (8 kilometers south of Kochi Station) are not centrally located.
Kochi is served by two tram lines, operated by Tosaden, the local railway company. One line runs north-south (Sambashi Line) and the other runs east-west (Ino Line). They meet each other at Harimayabashi in the city center. The fare is a flat 190 yen per ride in the city center.
Trams are used in a similar way as local buses: You enter through the rear door and take a ticket, and you leave through the front door after depositing the fare into the box next to the driver. Passengers transferring between the two lines need to ask the driver for a transfer ticket ("norikai") when exiting the first tram.
In addition to the two tram lines, there is a bus network operated by Tosaden and Kochiken Kotsu, providing access to Katsurahama Beach.
My Yu Bus
Furthermore, there is the My Yu Bus, a bus line for tourists, which connects central Kochi with Godaisan and Katsurahama. However, it operates only on weekends and during holiday seasons. The cost is 600 yen for a day of unlimited rides between Kochi Station and Godaisan or 900 yen for a day of unlimited rides between Kochi Station and Katsurahama.
Kochi Ryoma Airport, named after local hero Sakamoto Ryoma, is located to the east of the city. It is connected to Kochi Station via an airport bus (40 minutes, 700 yen one way). The airport offers flights to half a dozen destinations across Japan.
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