Katsurahama Beach

Katsurahama is a pine-lined crescent beach at the entrance to Urado Bay, more appreciated for scenery than swimming since strong currents make the water off limits. The beach's most recognizable landmark is a bronze statue of Sakamoto Ryoma, a Kochi-born samurai who helped end the feudal system in the 1860s, depicted with arms folded and gaze fixed on the Pacific. The Sakamoto Ryoma Memorial Museum nearby documents his short but consequential life. Along the shore you will also find the Katsurahama Aquarium and a workshop selling coral and shell crafts. Sunset turns the sky dramatic colors over the water, which is why the beach has appeared in Japanese literature and art for centuries.