Japan has long been a popular travel destination before COVID and is one of the more anticipated destinations should COVID finish and borders reopen and tourism begins anew. However, with a newly reconstructed tourism industry and a new point of view regarding post-pandemic travel, there too will be a growing desire to find the places people could not find before– places without the congestion and travel pollution. One of these places to mark down in the post-COVID calendar is Kochi prefecture, Japan.
Located in the Shikoku region of Japan, Kochi is known for its warm climate, its mountainous terrain, and its access to the Pacific Ocean. Some of its most notable geographical features consist of the Shimanto and Nyodo Rivers, Muroto UNESCO Global Geopark, as well as the Ashizuri Uwakai and the Shikoku Karst National Park.
Shimanto River- Courtesy of Kochi Prefecture
And like many parts of Japan, Kochi has a vast and rich history of its own which one can see in its museums such as the Ekin Museum and the Kochi Castle Museum.
(Castle and museums here)
Enkin Museum- Courtesy of Kochi Prefecture
Natural landscapes like the Nakatsu and Yasui gorges with waters transparent enough to see the river stones beneath, provide a natural getaway from the restlessness and congestion of the city.
Nakatsu Gorge- Courtesy of Kochi Prefecture
And for the more adventurous, Kochi also has deep and vast caves like the Ryugado Cave equipped with projection mapping and music for a heightened experience.
Ryugado Cave- Courtesy of Kochi Prefecture
Travel post-pandemic will be different as people’s attitudes and general tourism-related policies affected by COVID will influence the go-to destinations. In pre-pandemic times, it almost seemed the most natural to go to the most congested bustling tourist spots, but that surely will not be the case once borders open up again. But this can be a great thing, for there are still so many spots awaiting to offer new experiences especially for the upcoming post-pandemic travel era.
