Kochi in all its splendor

The appealing city of Kochi by the Pacific Ocean, on the southern coast of Shikoku, Japan, some 612 kilometers from Tokyo, was the destination for the first ever visit of Celebrity Cruises’ Celebrity Millennium.

It was a grand event, and it seemed like the entire close-knit neighborhood joined – rather early in the morning – the animated performers of the totally synchronized drum beaters, upbeat traditional dancers and blaring bands with energetic singers belting anthems to welcome the unsuspecting, ready-for-almost-anything holidaymakers.

From the ship’s open decks and private cabin balconies, we enthusiastically responded with loud applause and even louder cheers.

One could feel the sincere warmth and the infectious goodwill everywhere, and to think we had not even touched land!

After the seamless disembarkation procedures, the initial wave of beaming faces we encountered were of an informal grouping of ever-ready extra-hands-on-deck who simply call themselves the Kochi Volunteers. Blessed with the command of several languages, these tireless, dedicated walking encyclopedias on the area they love so much genuinely aim to assure every visitor of an unforgettable experience that is truly personal and absolutely memorable.

One of the guides emerged and quickly ushered us to the taxi queue. She softly whispered to the driver directions on where to take us. All we could hear was “Kochi-jo” repeated a number of times as she took a deep bow which was reciprocated. We were on our way to our first destination.

On the peaks of several adjacent rolling hills rests the 18.5 meter-high Kochi Castle, a feudal stronghold of Lord Yamauchi Kazutoyo in 1601, from which eventually evolved the city center. It has one of only 12 remaining surviving towers from the Edo Period, and it provides a breathtaking panorama of the entire locality. Perched on the roof is a mythical creature shachihoko, a magical beast which, according to local folklore, puts out fires by creating rain.

A leisurely stroll by the garrison are two monuments of interest. One is a bronze statue of Kazutoyo’s wife Chiyo, alongside a horse ready for a mission. She is revered as she shared crucial inner-sanctum intelligence during the Battle of Sekigahara. The other honors Itagaki Taisuke, a samurai who played a pivotal role during the Civil War until the Restoration Era. He suffered a horrifying death and remains one of the area’s most well-known heroes.

Our next stop was the nearby Hirome Market, an appetizing food court of over 60 stalls, each with unique selections to offer, where we had to make our first serious decision for the day – what to eat. “Why do we have to make these tough choices when we’re on  holiday?” a travel buddy teased. In addition to our own personal picks – thanks to the advice of another cheerful Kochi Volunteer – we all had an obligatory taste of katsuo no tataki – tuna lightly seasoned and seared. It was revealed that this particular dish is the city’s proud symbol.

As we roamed around the culinary emporium with our own getting-heavier-by-the-minute trays in hand, overflowing with washoku – gyoza, sushi, sashimi, miso, tempura, kastudon, unagi, yakitori, yakiniku, gohan, kani salad, mochi, manju, and taiyaki – a jovial Japanese family of five, most likely intrigued by our lost look, quickly adopted us to join in their feast. It turns out that the son-in-law of the patriarch has just returned for a well-deserved break from his job assignment in China, and they were celebrating. We paid no heed to the language barrier as we attempted to communicate with each other – with great success, I must say – via body language, hand gestures, infectious laughter, bows and more bows, and eventually exchanged contact information in hopes to shrink the world and cross paths once again.

We ambled down the streets of downtown Obiyamachi, headed towards the Chuo Koen Park to get a breath of fresh air. And in one little corner of the expanded greenery, we discovered several Filipino crew members of the ship, settled in comfort with their apps of choice, who sacrificed sightseeing in exchange for getting in touch with their much-missed family and friends in the Philippines and elsewhere. I could see the glow accented by feel-at-home laughter – even boisterous at times – as good news and stories of their loved ones reached them from across the not-so-narrow sea.

We crossed on foot to the eastern end of the district on the Harimayabashi Bridge, made famous by a ballad recounting the forbidden love of a Buddhist monk. Every hour on the hour, a clock full of revolving puppets provides a riveting performance.

We liked what we had seen so far, and we simply yearned for more. With our looming predicament of so little time, we asked one of the volunteers on where else we could go. His face lit up and he declared, “You haven’t seen anything yet – wait till you break away from the city central and embrace the metro’s borders.”

He hailed yet another cab and, after much deliberation and with his sheer persuasion, the driver – now converted into a tour guide – took us to several scenic places we would have otherwise missed.

We made a brief stop at Mount Godaisan, a public park, home to two picturesque attractions. Pointing to the Chikurinji Temple on the summit of the mountain, he told us it was built in the year 724, and continues to serve as one of the stops in the Shikoku Pilgrimage – a religious journey spanning 88 shrines in the Shikoku Island of Japan.

Meanwhile, the Daishi Hall was established to pay homage to Kukai, the founder of the aforementioned crusade.

The exploration adventure moved on to the nearby expansive Makino Botanical Garden, which houses over 3,000 rare flora, established to honor Tomitaro Makino, the father of Japanese botany.

It was likewise tempting to take a refreshing dip as we drove by Katsurahama Beach, with a panoramic view of the vast Pacific, surrounded by a bayside pine forest.

Near the port, off to the southwest of the community, the untenshu called our attention to the Sakamoto Ryoma’s Birthplace Memorial Museum. “It’s a gallery that delves into the childhood and life of Kochi’s founding hero,” he said. “Inside, one can see dramatic images, nostalgic videos and historical dioramas evoking grand local pride.”

Our triviaman had more sights in store for us, but alas, it was time to sail once again. As we found our way back to the wharf where our floating luxury resort, the Celebrity Millennium, was docked, we had visions of soft ice cream from a selection of 12 distinct flavors, a brief nap to refresh, revive, and re-energize ourselves, dinner even gourmets and gourmands may only dream of, and critically-acclaimed Broadway and West End-inspired extravaganzas. And to cap off the night, we settled in an arm chair by the cabin balcony, with the moon high above the glistening water, as we savor la buena vida at sea, counting our blessings and thanking the Almighty.

Even with our bed beckoning, just for tonight, sleep can wait.