The FLOPS 2016 Conference will be held in Eikoku-ji Campus of Kochi University of Technology, which is at the center of Kochi city.
Getting To Kochi
Kochi is located approximately 600 km west of Tokyo and 200 km southwest of Osaka, at the south of Sikoku area. The local organizer recommends most of the attendees to come to Kochi by plane. (Trains or buses would be possible, but they take much longer time.)By Plane (Recommended)
You can find a nice summary and links for the travel by planes at the website of Kochi Airport.
Via Tokyo
Many attendees from abroad will take a flight to either "Haneda International Airport" or "Narita International Airport". The flights between Tokyo and Kochi are only available from "Haneda" (No flights from "Narita"). If you arrive at "Narita", then you need to move to "Haneda" by (direct) bus or trains. (Here is a webpage for the information of the access between Narita and Haneda.)
Between Tokyo (Haneda) and Kochi, there are 10 flights a day. Here are the careers that operates flights between Haneda and Kochi.
- Japan Airlines (including code-share flights with one-world alliance)
- All Nippon Airways (including code-share flights with star alliance)
Flight careers in either one-world alliance or star alliance would provide reasonable connecting flights to Kochi. If you cannot book those flights, then you can book domestic flights in a reasonable price (around 15,000 yen for a single ticket) directly on the above websites. Please note that those discount tickets are only available 28 days before the departure, and you will be charged more when you cancel them.
Via Osaka
Some attendees will take a flight to "Kansai International Airport". The flights between Osaka and Kochi are only available from "Itami International Airport" (No flights from "Kansai International Airport"). If you arrive at "Kansai International Airport", then you need to move to "Itami" by (direct) bus or trains.
Between Itami (Osaka) and Kochi, there are 6 flights a day. Note that only All Nippon Airways (including code-share flights with star alliance) operates the flights between Itami and Kochi. Flight careers in star alliance would provide reasonable connecting flights to Kochi. If you cannot book those flights, then you can book domestic flights in a reasonable price (around 11,000 yen for a single ticket) directly on the above website. Please note that those discount tickets are only available 28 days before the departure, and you will be charged more when you cancel them.
Via Fukuoka
Some attendees from Asia will take a flights to "Fukuoka International Airport".
Between Fukuoka and Kochi, there are 2 flights a day. Note that only Japan Air Commuters (A sub-company of Japan Airlines) operates the flights between Fukuoka and Kochi. Even if you book domestic flights in the above website, discount tickets are not so reasonable (about 19,000 yen).
In Kochi
Here is a map of the center of Kochi city, with marks of conference venue, hotels, and bus stops. MAP OF CITY CENTER (Map of city center with ATMs)Airport to City Center
BUS: From the Kochi Airport to the center of Kochi city, you can take a direct bus (about 40 minutes, 720 JPY). To get on the bus, go out the airport building, and then go left (you will find busses). There is a vending machine for the bus ticket and you should buy a ticket before getting on. There are two lines: one goes to "Kochi Station Bus Terminal (高知駅バスターミナル)" and the other to "Kencho-mae (県庁前)". Both buses stops at "Harimayabashi (はりまや橋観光バスターミナル)". Some buses may not stop at "Hasuike-Dori (蓮池通り)".
TAXI: If you take a taxi from the airport to city center, it will cost around 4500 JPY. Please note that most taxi drivers do not understand English. If you want to come to the conference venue, you should tell "Kochi Kouka-Daigaku EIKOKUJI CAMPUS (高知工科大学 永国寺キャンパス)". If you just tell "Kochi Kouka-Daigaku (高知工科大学)" only, then you will come to another campus.
Inside of City Center
City center of Kochi city is not so big, and the conference venue is in a walking distance from hotels. There are tram lines: one goes from JR Kochi Station to the south and the other goes east--west beyond the city center. (I think trams are not convenient for the conference participants.) When you take a trum, you should take a small ticket (it shows where you get on) and pay when you get off (200 JPY for inside of city center).
Venue
Kochi University of Technology (Eikokuji campus)Please look at the MAP OF CITY CENTER for the conference venues.
- Conference: Kochi University of Technology (Eikokuji Campus), 2nd floor.
- Banquet (on 2nd day): Sansui-En (三翠園)
- Excursion (on 3rd day): Kochi Castle (高知城)
Wifi at Conference Venue
The conference venue provides access to eduroam. For participants who do not have an access to eduroam, local wireless network will be provided. The places of banquet or excursion (probably) DO NOT provide wireless network.
Other Information
- If you want to use some short-term SIM card, then please find it at Narita/Kansai airport. There is no such service at the Kochi airport.
- Some restaurants accept cash only.
- There is no ATM in the campus. A nearest ATM of Japan Post Bank is 400m away from the campus.
- I recommend you to withdrow enough money at Tokyo or Osaka. There are a few Seven-Bank ATMs (in 7-11 stores) and some Japan Post ATMs in the city center (marked in the map). The only ATM available 24/7 is the Seven-Bank ATM between the Nishitetsu-Inn Hotel and the Ohashi-Dori Bus stop.
Contact address
flops2016 at logic.cs.tsukuba.ac dot jp