Kochi Prefecture occupies the southern face of Shikoku island, where the Pacific Ocean meets rugged mountain wilderness. The capital city of Kochi preserves one of Japan's twelve original feudal castles while serving as the birthplace of Sakamoto Ryoma, the revolutionary who helped end the samurai era. Kochi's remote geography has kept its culture fiercely independent and its natural landscapes largely unspoiled, from the crystal-clear Shimanto River to the dramatic sea cliffs of Cape Ashizuri.
Kochi has a warm humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa) with hot, rainy summers and mild winters. The prefecture receives some of Japan's highest annual rainfall — over 2,500mm in many areas — driven by Pacific monsoon exposure. Summers are extremely hot and humid with significant typhoon risk. Winters are mild compared to mainland Japan, rarely dropping below 5°C (41°F) in the city. The best visiting periods are spring (March–May) and autumn (October–November).
Best time to visit
Best: Year-round
Avoid: None
Month-by-month weather
Typical conditions throughout the year.
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The seasons
What to expect in each part of the year.
Items
Crowds & peak times
When to expect tourists and when to avoid them.
- Items
- Month
- January
- Crowd level
- Very Low
- Price index
- Low
- Month
- February
- Crowd level
- Very Low
- Price index
- Low
- Month
- March
- Crowd level
- Medium
- Price index
- Medium
- Month
- April
- Crowd level
- High
- Price index
- High
- Month
- May
- Crowd level
- Medium
- Price index
- Medium
- Month
- June
- Crowd level
- Low
- Price index
- Low
- Month
- July
- Crowd level
- Medium
- Price index
- Medium
- Month
- August
- Crowd level
- Very High
- Price index
- Very High
- Month
- September
- Crowd level
- Low
- Price index
- Low
- Month
- October
- Crowd level
- Medium
- Price index
- Medium
- Month
- November
- Crowd level
- Medium
- Price index
- Medium
- Month
- December
- Crowd level
- Low
- Price index
- Low
Major events & festivals
Time your visit around what matters.