One of Kochi's most iconic sights is the Chinese Fishing Nets, or Cheena vala, which have been associated with the region for centuries. These massive, cantilevered fishing contraptions, introduced by Chinese explorers during Kublai Khan's reign, are still used by local fishermen today. The nets operate with a mesmerising ballet of precision and balance, elegantly lowered and raised with the tide, often requiring several men to pull the catch. At sunset, the silhouette of these age-old devices against the horizon creates a mystical atmosphere, turning the act of fishing into a spectacle of heritage and ingenuity.

Ishiteji, as it's known in Japanese, is No. 51 of the 88 temples that form the Shikoku Pilgrimage, and you can usually see a few pilgrims in their white garb and cone hats. The main hall and pagoda are built in the architectural style of the Kamakura Period (1192-1333). Behind the temple buildings is a doorway to a dark hole in the mountain which forms the backdrop to Ishite. This leads to a series of tunnels filled with peculiar Buddhist statuary, leading out to an inner courtyard area containing a strikingly modern golden dome.

Cesare Lombroso was an Italian criminologist, physician and phrenologist, who posed that crime is a characteristic trait of human nature. His role as the creator of criminal atavism remains controversial. You are invited to learn about the errors in his scientific method. In 2009, to mark the centenary of his death, the museum was revamped to better showcase the macabre collections: anatomical specimens and drawings, photographs, as well as valuable craft and artistic works created by asylum and prison inmates.