Statue of Kazutoyo Yamauchi

The Yamauchi Kazutoyo Statue is a bronze statue of Yamauchi Kazutoyo, the first lord of the Tosa Domain. It stands inside Kochi Castle grounds: after entering through Otemon Gate, it is located near the Prefectural Library. As ruler of Tosa, Yamauchi Kazutoyo built Kochi Castle and developed the castle town. He died of illness at Kochi Castle in 1605. The statue was created by Motoyama Hakuu, who also made the Sakamoto Ryoma statue at Katsurahama, and it was placed here in 1996. It is bronze with a forged finish and stands 4.3 meters tall. It is said to be one of the largest horse-riding spear statues in Japan—be sure to look for it when touring Kochi Castle. There is also a statue of his wife Chiyo inside the castle grounds, known for her supportive role. One legend says katsuo tataki began because Yamauchi Kazutoyo banned eating raw fish, leading people to sear fish over fire. Learning these stories before visiting can make it even more fun. Access is about a 20-minute walk from JR Kochi Station—find it when you visit Kochi Castle.