The red painted Harimaya Bashi (bridge) originally used to link wealthy merchants over the river (today is a cemented open drain). The statue to my right represents the characters of a local love story. 150 years ago a monk fell in love with a girl called Ouma. Monks were forbidden to fall in love and were both banished when it become public knowledge he had bought her a hairpin from the shop next to the bridge.
This clock overlooks the bridge, when it strikes the hour the castle on top, red bridge and countryside on each side and figures of people on the bottom appear to reinforce the love story. Unfortunately the electrical cables for the trams partly obscure the clock.
I have pocked my face through the board. The painting is of cartoon characters made famous by Japan's noted cartoonist who came from Kochi.
Several statues in the streets of Kochi celebrate the popular comic art form, known as manga.
Shopping heaven in the form of these covered malls.
Display of various types of boxed sushi.
Kochi Castle.
Once a land of exile where political dissidents lived out their lives after being banished from the Emperor's court in Kyoto, Kochi saw the rise of the Samurai resulting in territorial wars and battles in the middle ages. The castle became a fortress 400 years ago. Although destroyed by fire in 1727, it was rebuilt. Today its wooden interior, castle tower and entrance are still intact. The town became the centre of pro-imperial ideology helping to restore imperial rule in Japan in 1868.
Ote-mon Gate to Kochi Castle.
Kochi Castle
Not far from the Castle is this interesting Temple. It had a lot of roosters walking around the grounds.
Samurai memorabilia at the temple.
Interesting trams running around the city area.
These style of boxy cars are very popular.
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