Fastest: fly from Haneda (about 1h 20m)
ANA and JAL fly from Tokyo Haneda to Kochi Ryoma Airport about 9 times a day. The flight takes about 1 hour 20 minutes.
- Haneda → Kochi
- ANA · JAL, about 9 flights a day, about 1h 20m
- Narita → Kochi
- Jetstar, 1 flight a day, about 1h 40m
From the airport to central Kochi
An airport bus runs from Kochi Ryoma Airport to JR Kochi Station in about 35 minutes. Check the bus timetable, as departures are timed to match the flights.
By train: shinkansen + Nanpu express (about 6 hours)
Take the Tokaido–Sanyo Shinkansen from Tokyo to Okayama (Nozomi, about 3h 13m–3h 20m), then change to the Nanpu limited express to Kochi (14 trains a day, about 2h 24m–2h 42m).
Without the transfer time, the whole trip is about 5h 40m to 6 hours. The Nanpu runs along river valleys through the Shikoku mountains, so the ride itself is part of the trip.
- Tokyo → Okayama
- Shinkansen Nozomi, about 3h 13m–3h 20m
- Okayama → Kochi
- Nanpu, 14 trains a day, about 2h 24m–2h 42m
Which should you choose?
Short trip or tight schedule: fly. You can be at Kochi Castle before lunch.
Rail pass holders or train lovers: take the shinkansen and the Nanpu. You can also stop in Okayama on the way.
Tip: arrive on a Saturday
Kochi's Sunday Market runs only on Sunday mornings, with about 300 stalls along Otesuji street. Arrive on Saturday and you can walk the market, Kochi Castle and Hirome Market on Sunday.
Information checked in September 2026. Times and prices can change, so please check the official sites before you go.
