Originally built in the early 1600s, this castle was rebuilt in 1753 after a fire in 1727.  However, by this time Japan was at peace as it was the Tokugawa Period, so the lord of Kochi built his living quarters on the first floor, with its doors opening into the garden.  I couldn't enter since it was at night, but that's alright 'cause I just wanted a quick picture and to stroll around the grounds a bit.

This is an izakaya (Japanese-style bar/restaurant) where they serve alligator.  I ordered a dish with some spicy alligator meat and these little round things which looked like beans, but I think maybe they were alligator eggs.  I'm not sure.  The meat was good, but I can't recommend the beans/eggs/whatever.

Onagadori translates literally as "long bird," so named because of its incredibly long tail.  After once again practicing my ability to ask for directions in Japanese, I came to this little ranch in Nankoku (just east of central Kochi, where I slept in my car overnight) where they're kept.  I was the only visitor, and an old lady gave me a tour.  She spoke absolutely no English and talked really fast.  I barely understood anything, but that's okay.  She was really friendly and looked really happy to show me her birds.  She showed me some old newspaper articles about the birds, and in one of the pictures was her when she was young.  She was really beautiful then, but now she's like 80 or so.  It's amazing how much we change over time.

By the way, before I came here I tried to find another place to take a bath, but couldn't find one.  So I did what any self-respecting guy would do:  I put on a bunch of deoderant and stopped thinking about it.

I'm not quite sure, but I think the lady asked me to visit again before she dies.  I bought a little onagadori doll as a souvenir, which had real onagadori feathers on it.  That was a gift for Mizue's mom.  For Mizue I had bought some sea shells at the museum in Mugi.  Now I just needed to get things for her dad and her nephew, Sohei.