Walking Japan: DIY Excursions in Kochi and Kagoshima (Sakurajima View!)

Our Transpacific Cruise on the Discovery Princess (Sep/Oct 2025)! In this episode, we explore the beautiful southern ports of Kochi and Kagoshima, Japan. Instead of booking expensive excursions, we decided to explore these cities on foot to see the sights and soak up the local culture.

📍 Port 1: Kochi, Japan Our day started with a shuttle from the ship to the central bus station. From there, it was a great walkable day:

Kochi Castle: We walked over to explore one of the few Japanese castles with its original donjon (main keep) still standing.

Hirome Market: After the history, we headed to this famous market to check out the local food scene.

📍 Port 2: Kagoshima, Japan Known for the active volcano Sakurajima, Kagoshima was an adventure!

We took the shuttle into downtown.

The Hike: We walked uphill (about 300 feet elevation gain) to reach the Shiroyama Park Observation Deck.

The View: The climb was worth it for the stunning panoramic views of the city and the smoking volcano, Sakurajima, which erupted 2 weeks after we got back to Canada

🚢 About this Cruise:

Ship: Discovery Princess

Route: Seattle to Singapore (Transpacific Crossing)

Date: Sep/Oct 2025