Aki from Kochi: A Quiet Day Among the Clock Tower and Hedged Lanes

This guide covers how to reach Aki from Kochi, the Nora Clock, the Doi Kakuchu district, the birthplace of Iwasaki Yataro, the museums, lunch and the practical details for a day out.

The Nora Clock in Aki was hand-built from all parts by a local landowner, who repeatedly took apart and reassembled an American-made octagonal clock. The sections below follow the route from Kochi, the Doi Kakuchu district, the birthplace of Iwasaki Yataro, the museums, lunch and the practical details.

Getting to Aki

The railway that serves Aki connects Nankoku and Nahari-cho in eastern Kochi Prefecture. Each stop along the railway has its own character designed by the manga artist Takashi Yanase, and a monument to that character stands at the stop.

The table below gives the time and fare from Kochi and from Gomen, then the last stretch by bicycle.

From	Line and operator	Time or fare
Kochi Station to Aki Station	Gomen-Nahari Line	About 1 hour 10 minutes, 1,150 yen
Gomen Station to Aki Station	Gomen-Nahari Line	About 45 minutes, 890 yen
Kochi Station to Aki Station	Route bus, Tosa Electric Railway	About 1 hour 30 minutes, 1,240 yen
Aki Station Jibasan Ichiba to the Nora Clock	Bicycle	About 10 minutes
Aki Station to the Aki City Museum of History and Folklore	Free rental bicycle	About 15 minutes

Doi Kakuchu and the Clay Walls

The Doi Kakuchu district in Aki is lined with hedges of ubame oak and doyo bamboo and with walls made from tile and pebbles.

Clay walls made from stacked broken roof tiles are common across the Aki area, and they were largely built from the late Edo period to the mid-modern period.

The Nomura house in Doi Kakuchu is open to the public, and its times are in the table at the end.

Iwasaki Yataro's Birthplace and the Museums

The Iwasaki Yataro birthplace is closed on Mondays, or on the next day when Monday is a holiday, and over the year-end and New Year period.

The Aki City Museum of History and Folklore is closed every Monday, or on the following weekday when Monday is a public holiday. The Aki City Calligraphy Museum follows the same pattern and is closed on Mondays, or on the next weekday when Monday is a public holiday.

Lunch and Jibasan Ichiba

A restaurant stands in the Doi Kakuchu district. The table below lists its times and the times of Jibasan Ichiba.

Place	Times
Restaurant in Doi Kakuchu, opening hours	9:00 to 16:30
Restaurant in Doi Kakuchu, meals	From 11:00, last order 14:30
Restaurant in Doi Kakuchu, closed days	Mondays (open when a public holiday), Thursdays and Fridays
Jibasan Ichiba, opening hours	7:00 to 19:30, no regular closing day

The restaurant holds a Wednesday market every Wednesday. Jibasan Ichiba sells souvenirs, vegetables, fruit, seafood, boxed lunches and bread.

Hours and Fees, and Planning the Day

It helps to settle the order of the stops before the day begins, using the tables below. Some trains on the line are cancelled for a period because of a driver shortage. Check the times before you travel.

Part of the day	Stop or leg	Duration or hours
Arrive	Kochi Station to Aki Station, by train on the Gomen-Nahari Line	About 1 hour 10 minutes
Visit	Aki Station Jibasan Ichiba to the Nora Clock, by bicycle	About 10 minutes
Visit	Nomura house in Doi Kakuchu, visiting hours	Around 8:00 to around 17:00
Visit	Iwasaki Yataro birthplace, opening hours	9:00 to 16:30
Visit	Aki Station to the Aki City Museum of History and Folklore, by free rental bicycle	About 15 minutes
Visit	Aki City Museum of History and Folklore, opening hours	9:00 to 17:00
Visit	Aki Station to the Aki City Calligraphy Museum, by free rental bicycle	About 15 minutes
Lunch	Restaurant in Doi Kakuchu, meals from, with last order	11:00, last order 14:30
Head back	Aki City Calligraphy Museum, last admission	16:30
Head back	Iwasaki Yataro birthplace, gate closes	17:00

Ticket prices for the museums come next.

Item	Detail
Aki City Museum of History and Folklore, individual admission	330 yen for adults, 110 yen for junior and senior high school students, 50 yen for elementary school students
Aki City Calligraphy Museum, individual admission	330 yen for adults, 110 yen for junior and senior high school students, 50 yen for elementary school students
Combined ticket for the two museums	550 yen for adults, 160 yen for junior and senior high school students, 80 yen for elementary school students
Saturdays, elementary to high school students	Free

If you would like a ready-made plan for the wider area, see tours around Kochi Prefecture.