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Kōchi is the capital and largest city of Kōchi Prefecture, with other major cities including Nankoku, Shimanto, and Kōnan. Kōchi Prefecture is located on Japan's Pacific coast surrounding a large bay in the south of Shikoku, with the southernmost point of the island located at Cape Ashizuri in Tosashimizu. Kōchi Prefecture is home to Kōchi Castle, considered the most intact Japanese castle, and the Shimanto River, one of the few undammed rivers in Japan.
History
Antiquity
Before the Ritsuryō System
In the Kujiki, first recorded governments in Kōchi Prefecture were Hata (in the west) and Tosa (in the center). Hata was established first, so it is thought that it had more influence and contact with the Yamato court. Written records from this time period are sparse, however it is believed that the first governors of Hata and Tosa were from the Kamo clan based in modern Osaka.
After the Ritsuryō System
In the Nihon Shoki, the first report from an official in the Kōchi region described the damages caused by the 684 Hakuhō earthquake. From this report, it can be inferred that by 684 at the latest, the Tosa Province (a predecessor to modern-day Kōchi Prefecture) had been established. The first report from a named official was written by Hiketa no Mushiro in 743.
Up until the Genpei War, 106 governors were appointed to govern the Tosa Province. Eventually, like many other provinces Tosa also was appointed absentee governors, given additional rights, and began amassing wealth. Due to being located far from the capital, many prisoners were exiled to the Tosa Province.
Middle Ages
Kamakura period
The Kamakura Shogunate was established at the end of the 12th century. Since Tosa Province was allied to the winning Minamoto Clan in the Genpei War, it quickly fell under the influence of the shogunate. Kajiwara Tomokage was appointed as the first military governor of the Tosa Province. Eventually, the Hōjō Clan began serving as the military governor for the province.
Muromachi period
After the fall of the Kamakura Shoguante, Ashikaga Takauji was defeated in battle and forced to retreat to Kyushu. Shikoku Island later fell under the control of the Hosokawa Clan.
Kōchi Prefecture was historically known as Tosa Province and was controlled by the Chōsokabe clan in the Sengoku period and the Yamauchi clan during the Edo period.
Kōchi city is also the birthplace of noted revolutionary Sakamoto Ryōma, who became one of the main instigators of the Meiji Restoration.
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Geography
Kōchi Prefecture comprises the southwestern part of the island of Shikoku, facing the Pacific Ocean. It is bordered by Ehime to the north-west and Tokushima to the north-east. It is the largest but least populous of Shikoku's four prefectures. Most of the province is mountainous, and in only a few areas such as around Kōchi and Nakamura is there a coastal plain. Kōchi is famous for its many rivers. Inamura-yama in Tosa-cho is the highest peak in Kōchi prefecture with an altitude of 1,506 meters above sea level.
Kōchi Prefecture has the highest percentage of land covered in mountains out of all Japanese prefectures at 89% with the national average being 66%. Due to its location in the Shimanto Group geological area, Kōchi Prefecture has many sedimentary rocks and is prone to landslides. Kōchi Prefecture has many rivers such as the Shimanto River in the western part of the prefecture, Niyodo River flowing from Mount Ishizuchi into the Tosa Bay, and Yoshino River flowing into Tokushima Prefecture.
Historically, Kōchi Prefecture has not suffered from a lack of water, however river management has been a consistent issue. In the early Edo Period, samurai Nonaka Kenzan oversaw large scale improvements to the Tosa Domain's major rivers. Modern Kōchi Prefecture is known for its river management and minimal water damage despite receiving a large amount of rainfall.
The Kuroshio Current flows by Kōchi Prefecture's coast. The climate of Kōchi Prefecture is heavily influenced by the Kuroshio Current. Even during the winter the water is still warm, and causes frequent typhoons. Kōchi Prefecture experiences the 2nd most typhoons out of all the Japanese prefectures after Kagoshima Prefecture. The 1934 Muroto Typhoon was especially notorious, with the lowest central pressure of any recorded typhoon in Japan at 911.6 hPa when it made landfall on the Muroto Cape. The Ashizuri and Muroto capes are known for their strong winds.
As of April 1, 2012, 7% of the total land area of the prefecture was designated as Natural Parks, namely the Ashizuri-Uwakai National Park; Ishizuchi, Muroto-Anan Kaigan, and Tsurugisan Quasi-National Parks; and eighteen Prefectural Natural Parks.
Cities
Eleven cities are located in Kōchi Prefecture:
Towns and villages
These are the towns and villages in each district:
Mergers
Tourism
- Aki Castle and samurai's residence district called Doi Kachū
- Anpanman Museum
- Godaisan
- Katsurahama
- Katsurahama Aquarium
- Kōchi Castle, one of only 12 original castles left in Japan
- Kōchi Prefectural Museum of History, Historical Museum located on Okō Castle
- Muroto Schoolhouse Aquarium
- Okō Castle, Chōsokabe clan's prime castle ruins.
- Ryūga Cave, one of Japan's top three caves
- Sakamoto Ryōma Memorial Museum
- Shimanto River, the only undammed river in Japan
Media
Various movies have been set in Kōchi. These include the following:
The 1993 Studio Ghibli movie Ocean Waves (Umi ga Kikoeru).
The 2009 movie The Harimaya Bridge starring Danny Glover.
The 2013 movie Hospitality Department (Kencho Omotenashi Ka), which shows views of Kōchi Prefecture.
The 2021 movie Belle (Ryū to Sobakasu no Hime).
Culture
Food
Like most areas of Japan, Kōchi advertises itself as specializing in a major food item, often known as meibutsu. Kōchi's is katsuo no tataki – skipjack tuna or bonito which is lightly seared. Traditionally this is done over the straw generated as a by-product of the rice harvest.
Sawachi is a term which refers to "a style of meal" in Kochi prefecture, according to Kochi-City Tourism Association. It says that the characteristic of the style of eating is "its freeness in the arrangement of food on a large dish" People eat Sawachi in the situation of "Enkai" which refers to a gathering of family, friends and relatives. They surround "Sawachi", feasts on large dishes, and take own portions by themselves. The style represents the cultural climate of Kochi Prefecture, which dislikes formal arrangements and respects freedom.
Festival and events
- Festival
- Yosakoi Festival - Yosakoi (よさこい) is a unique style of dance that originated in Japan and that is performed at festivals and events all over the country.
Sports
The sports teams listed below are based in Kōchi.
- Baseball
- Kōchi Fighting Dogs
- Football
- Kōchi United SC