Tatsukushi Coast

TatsukushiMinokoshimarine parkfossil ripple marksTosashimizu

Kochi · Tosashimizu

32.7961°N, 132.8703°E

Tatsukushi is a shore of eroded sandstone laid down in the Paleogene and worked by the sea into shapes that have all acquired names — folding screens, honeycomb, dragons. Round concretions weather out of the rock and fossil ripple marks, preserved wave patterns from an ancient seabed, are exposed as a national natural monument. It was the first area in Japan designated a marine park, in 1970.

The further half is called Minokoshi, meaning the part left unseen — a headland reachable only by boat, with a sixty-minute walking circuit round the formations at the end of it. Glass-bottomed boats run from Tatsukushi to Minokoshi roughly every forty minutes, taking thirty minutes for the round trip and passing over coral on the way. It is the far south-west of Shikoku and it sees very little traffic.

Essential Information

Opening Hours

Coast open access | Boats roughly every 40 minutes, 8:30 AM to around 3:10 PM

Closed: Boats cancelled in rough seas

Entrance Fee

Coast free | Glass-bottomed boat around ¥2,000 junior high school age and above, ¥1,000 children aged 6–12

Best Season

Year-round | Calm clear days for the coral viewing

Visit Duration

2–3 hours including the boat and the Minokoshi circuit

Getting There

Access Information

Misaki, Tosashimizu. Car recommended. Glass-bottomed boats run between Tatsukushi and Minokoshi with departures roughly every 40 minutes from 8:30 AM to around 3:10 PM; the round trip on the water takes about 30 minutes and costs around ¥2,000 for junior high school age and above and ¥1,000 for children aged 6–12. The Minokoshi walking circuit is about 60 minutes. Sailings are weather-dependent.

Insider Guide

Premium

**Take the boat to Minokoshi and walk the circuit.** The headland is only reachable by water and the hour-long loop round the formations at the far end is the better half of the coast. Doing the boat trip without landing wastes it. **Look for the fossil ripple marks.** Preserved wave patterns in the rock, designated a natural monument — an ancient seabed surface turned on its side. They are signposted. **Glass bottom, so calm water matters.** The coral viewing on the crossing depends on clarity. Rough days both cancel sailings and cloud the water. **It is the far corner of Shikoku.** Tosashimizu is a long drive from anywhere. Combine with Cape Ashizuri, twenty minutes away. **Last boat mid-afternoon.** Departures stop around 3:10 PM. This is a morning or early-afternoon plan.

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