by Diyana P.
It was the sweet, creamy smell that attracted me first to the shop.Yes, if it was not because of the smell, I would not have noticed the small shop.When my friend and I Read on...
by S. Minami
One day during Edo period, a Buddhist priest named Junshin was in a small accessories shop at the foot of Harimaya bridge with strained look. He wanted to buy a Read on...
The Most Earnest Biscuits on Earth
by Hanis Asmadi
“I can remember a hot mid-summer evening in Kochi,” says my classmate Yukiko. “The sun was shining brightly in the blue summer sky and the wind blow slowly, Read on...
The History of the Big Cedar in Otoyo Town
by Chisa Kawakami
The Osugi michinoeki is a two-story blue building with many banners flying outside advertising many different foods and drinks. Nearby stands a map with a picture of Read on...
by Y. Nishimura
One hot and humid afternoon, an exhausted baker in Kochi’s factor found that he forgot to put cookies on meronpan. He usually returned it to uncooked dough, but this Read on...
by A. Sakakibara
We are on a train to Susaki, about one and a half hours from Kochi city. It’s a humid Sunday in the middle of July. The view from the train is a rural scene. It’s Read on...
by H. Hattori
“What a hot day!” says one woman in front of her house. She and her neighbor are talking with. “Well, do you remember that today is Hange (半夏)?” says Read on...
by Jyo Syowai Villa
“Oh, you are here already!” said the fisherman with his professional smiling reception, “Please wait a minute for I am a little busy”
“No problem,” Read on...
by M. Yuki
Something is looking at me with the glare of eyes from a plate.....It’s a Chirimen Jako!!! I loved it before, but without notice, I became not to like it, even feel gross. Read on...
The Phantom Fermented Tea: Goishi Tea in Otoyo
by M. Watanabe
The women are talking cheerfully. “Irashai! Come in, welcome!” they say when we enter the roadside station (道の駅) named Osugi (大杉).
It’s a very Read on...
Tosa Jiro: Jiro to be like Jiro
By Keisuke Toda
It was sunny day that the sun beat down unsparingly, as if it was a sign of summer. I visited Mr. and Mrs. Komatsu to eat phantom chicken that is called “Tosa Read on...
by Y. Nakagoshi
Once upon a time, a young girl went to visit a house under a waterfall at night. “May I spend the night?” she asked the master.
“Yes, of course,” he said. Read on...
by K. Miwa
“Welcome, please come in,” says a smiling man in his 60’s who sticks his out out of the window.
The place was where the wonderful smells of a “history”. There Read on...
Beyond The River: A View of Life from Otoyo
by Telmen.B
The drive to Otoyo takes about an hour from Kochi, some forty kilometres along a highway where you see big mountains and clear nature streams. It's peaceful while Read on...
by Ami
Going along a coast road beside beautiful blue sea and sky, I reached Katsurahama. At Tosa token center here in Katsurahama park, we can see Tosa fighting dogs. Do you know Read on...
by Ryoko
As more time passed, the more beautiful nature appeared but at the same time there were a lot of winding road and I was hoping to arrive there soon. Just then a lovely sign Read on...
by Tanizaki Emiko
A tiny village and its fruit
"Are we there yet?" We are driving deep in the mountain. There are no konbini (convenience store), gas stations, no buildings of any kind, Read on...
by Emiko
The sun is dazzling as the temperature soars above thirty degrees Celcius. The day is too hot, but Obiyamachi is full of energy because it's Sunday the scene of the Sunday Read on...
by Kasumi
Sweat is running on my face under the glaring sun one day in the middle of July. My friend and I have walked around Sunday Market all morning, and we're now sitting in a Read on...
by Mako
Everyone is enjoyting this festival with the various street stalls and the beautiful and awful pictures. They are just Ekin! They are here and there illuminated by candle Read on...
by Sayana
When I was a little child and caught a cold, my mother would make ginger tea for me explaining why it was so good for me. "Of course it's good for you," she would say, "It Read on...
The forgotten heritage of Umajimura
by Nakahi
When we arrive at this village, the rain welcomes us. Umaji-village is surrounded by a lot of mountains, and the weather changes easily. Read on...
by Lee
The way to Umaji village from Kochi University takes us two and half hours. After one and half hours have past, we start lowering the car windows even though is summer, now in Read on...
Art of the Kayakuya: Fireworks
by Koike
Every August, at 7:00 pm on the eve of the Yosakoi festival, people wearing traditional yukata and waving uchiwa fans crowd the banks of Kagami-river and line Read on...
by Natsuki
Arriving in Umaji village, we can breathe the clean air. This village is surrounded by trees, we find the sign of Umaji village. We feel our souls healed and we have been Read on...
by Kazuto
Kochi is at the height of summer. The sun is shining very strongly. I am on a motor bike on my way to Ochi town. It takes more than one hour to get there from Kochi city. It Read on...
by Shinichiro
If you come to 鏡野 (Kagamino) park in 土佐山田 (Tosayamda) town on a Saturday or Sunday middle of October, you’ll find many people there. What are they doing? It Read on...
by He Fang
“It’s delicious! It’s great!” I hear many loud voices behind the door. There is a party with nearly 15 people. I’m late with a hungry stomach after a busy day at Read on...
Kochi : Japans’ haven for drinkers
by Rivan
It is a wet and humid night in Kochi city and many regulars enter the Okinawan bar where I work. They sit at the counter with a karaoke mic in one hand and an Awamori - on the Read on...
Ushioe: The Bridge Nobody Knows
by Yuri
When you cross the bridge, you will smell the ocean. The color of the bridge is difficult to tell.... It is not red. Brown is also wrong. Of course it is not yellow. It almost Read on...
by Saya
A car went through the lane, and a flag came into view. A shop was surrounded by private houses. I opened the door, the shop was jammed with big flags. Wherever I looked, there Read on...
by Maho
It’s five in the afternoon in the kitchens of Kochi “obiyamachi arcade”, and lots of women come and go, totting shopping bags with both hands. Delicious smell of Read on...
Alternative Lifestyles in Kahoku
by Mayura
One shiny Sunday morning at a market in Tosayamada,Katsutoshi Tsuzuki, 66 year-old-man is selling his bread to the local people as he always has. The market is held from Read on...
Kure: tiny fishing town with a long history
by Sakie
One hour from the city centre of Kochi, two Pachinko stores are either sides of the road and an old-looking sign of “welcome to Kure” looms over head. The day we visited, Read on...
by Rei
It was a heavy rainy day when I visited the sake factory in my home town of Kure. I went to that store after, I don’t know, several years, and it had not changed at all. Read on...
by Riyo
The sound of dripping water can be heard in a small room and a man who wears casual clothes and an old woman who wears an apron are working to make special paper. They rinse Read on...
by Diyana P.
It was the sweet, creamy smell that attracted me first to the shop.Yes, if it was not because of the smell, I would not have noticed the small shop.When my friend and I Read on...
The site is divided into roughly two sections: one, a collection of features about the the social and cultural life of Kochi (highlighted above); the other, a field guide to the Natural History of Kochi Prefecture. All entries are original work by students at Kochi National University.