Discover Shikoku
Still on Shikoku in Japan and moving on from Kochi, we visited Takamatsu, Zentsuji & the island of Naoshima using train and ferry. Here are some practical tips, ideas for what to do & info on the delicious, local cuisine - udon noodles. Also find some essential information about using the Takamatsu Airport bus...
(originally published in 2017 - not updated)
Visiting Takamatsu, Zentsuji and Naoshima
The scenic train from Kochi to Takamatsu
Spanning from the south coast of Shikoku to the very north of the island, the train journey from Kochi to Takamatsu by limited express takes around 130 to 140 minutes. Passing through gorges and along rivers as it winds north, the route is incredibly scenic and, if you want to explore the Oboke Gorge area, fit in some hiking or kayaking, there are plenty of stops and transportation options along the way to get you to some fantastic places. The official Tourism for Shikoku website has lots of useful info.
Hopping off at Zentsuji & options to get to Takamatsu from there...
Still using our All Shikoku Rail Pass, we decided to reserve seats to Zentsuji for a look around before moving on to Takamatsu using either the JR Dosan Line trains or one of the Limited Express passing through. The first train to come after we arrived at the station was one of the slower ones running on the Dosan line, so we took that to Sakaide and transferred onto a Marine Liner Ltd Exp to speed the journey up a little.
Although Kotohira is nearby, walking was becoming increasingly painful and difficult for me and the weather was really wet and cold so we had decided to delay our visit for another trip - there was no way I was going to be able to climb the 1,368 steps of the Konpira-san shrine. I was a bit upset and frustrated to be honest, but it’s another good excuse to return in the future!
Zentsuji
Zentsuji is the birthplace of Kobo Daishi, a revered figure in Japanese Buddhism. The temple is one of three holy sites related to him, along with Mount Koya and Toji Temple in Kyoto. 75th of the 88 sacred places of Shikoku pilgrimage (Shikoku Henro), the temple also houses earth taken from all 88 sites for worship.
We were interested to visit the 45000 square metre site, which lies mostly on the flat, to learn more. Having deposited our bags (small hand luggage) in the rail station lockers, we headed off on a 20 min walk to the temple complex. Apparently there is a bus but we couldn’t determine whether it was running or not. Most shops and restaurants seemed to be closed and there was nobody around - the town seemed deserted. The temple complex is split into two and took some time to explore; it was a tranquil and interesting morning.
On the way out,we found the old sweet shop, Kumaoka Kashiten to buy some of their famous, rock hard katapan sweets (find out more on the Setouchi Finder website) and set off to find a noodle shop.
Sanuki Udon
Udon noodles are a speciality of the Kagawa area of Shikoku. Sanuki noodles, as they are known due to the historical name of the area, are thick and served slightly firmer than in other areas of Japan in iriko dashi, a broth made from dried sardines.
Miyagawa Seimensho is a traditional, down-to-earth, family run shop where the noodles are freshly hand-made on site. After telling the owner how many portions of noodles you would like, to make a small, medium or large serving, you prepare your dish yourself (with help, if needed) - dip your noodles in a vat of hot water to warm them up, shake well and tip them back into your bowl.
Next, ladle in some hot broth from another vat. I didn’t dig too deep, so didn’t get any fish, but there were some lurking in there somewhere! You can choose tempura if you wish, but we just stuck to the noodles - I had one/small portion and it was amazingly filling. I was expecting the stock to be very salty or fishy but it was light and tasty.
Given the weather was really cold and wet, it really hit the spot! The owners were lovely people and rightly very proud of their food - after we had finished our meal they were very keen to know what we thought and spent some time having a quick chat, despite it being very busy. We had no hesitation in letting them know how much we enjoyed it and their friendliness made our day!
Takamatsu & Naoshima Island
When we arrived into Takamatsu it was odd to be somewhere with so much hustle and bustle again. There is plenty to see and do in and around Takamatsu. Being attached to the mainland via road and rail via the Seto Ohashi Bridge, ferry to islands of the Seto Inland Sea and well connected by air to the rest of Japan, South Korea, China, Taiwan and Hong Kong, the city draws plenty of visitors and passing travellers.
The rest of the evening was pretty uneventful - we rested then spent the evening exploring the city area and huge shotengai (shopping arcades).
A useful city location for transport + exploring
Just before leaving the UK, we had re-visited our accommodation options to double check availability and prices; somehow we managed to get a room at the JR Clement Hotel right next to the station and harbour for less than the budget hotel we had originally booked. It was well placed for transport options, especially the airport bus (more about that later on). The view onto the waterside and of the ferries crossing to the various islands peeked our interest and the next morning we found ourselves crossing to Naoshima, the island of art.
The Ferry to Naoshima
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| inside the Naoshima ferry |
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| Naoshima ferry onboard vending machines |
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| Naoshima ferry |
The comfortable ferry journey takes around 50 - 60 minutes (there is also a high speed boat that takes half the time). Tickets are available from a window in the terminal - there may have been a vending machine too but I didn't think to look at the time.
Island of art
From the Naoshima Miyanoura port, a 100 yen bus travels via the Honmura area, near to the Ando Museum and Art House Project to Tsutsuji-so, near to Benesse House and other museums. It was very quiet and we spent some time exploring the peaceful streets, beautiful views and some of the art installations.
The highlight for me was 'Backside of the Moon' by James Turrell and Tadao Ando, which was thought provoking and made a lasting impression. I'd love to visit Naoshima again in the future to spend more time visiting the many art installations and museums. Unfortunately on this occasion, we were running out of time and needed to catch the ferry back.
Ritsurin Koen - One of the top 3 Gardens in Japan
After returning back to the city, we headed straight for Ritsurin Garden. We’d heard good things and had high expectations, as we’ve visited some incredible Japanese gardens in the past; we were certainly not disappointed.
How to get there within Takamatsu
Ritsurin Koen is located very close to the city centre. Getting to the garden is relatively simple, both the Takamatsu Kotoden Electric Railway (Kotohira Line to Ritsurinkoen Station) and JR lines (Tokushima Line to Ritsurinkoen-Kitaguchi Station) stop within a 5 - 10 minute walk.
Beautiful in all seasons
I was a little concerned that January may be too stark in the absence of the flora and fauna of the warmer months, but Japanese gardens are designed to reflect the beauty in every season; Ritsurin was stunning. It never ceases to astound me just how much dedicated work goes into developing and maintaining gardens like this and you can tell that it is done with love.
Accessible paths
The grounds were well laid out with clear routes to follow, including one suitable for those using wheelchairs. There were some steps, depending on the course taken, but these could be avoided. We spent a very tranquil late afternoon strolling, leaving when the light was fading and it closed, resolving to return again in the future.
Back to the hotel ready for an early flight to Tokyo. Takamatsu city is well connected by three lines of the Takamatsu-Kotohira Electric Railroad - otherwise known as Kotoden. Unfortunately, this doesn’t run to the airport, but the same company run an efficient airport bus service. The trains are covered by the All Shikoku Rail Pass (but the airport bus is not).
Takamatsu Airport Bus
The airport bus takes approximately 40 minutes and the bus timetable handily recommends which bus is best for scheduled departures. Payment is made directly to the driver and there are no seat reservations available. Staying at the JR Clement Hotel allowed us to get on at the first stop (the next is at the main train station).
By the time we got to the stop where we would have been getting on (if it hadn’t been for changing our hotel last minute), the bus was full to bursting and nobody else was able to board. It was morning commute time, so there were many business people travelling to the airport for various domestic flights. Other times may be quieter but I’d definitely recommend catching the bus at the earliest stop available or being ready with a plan B.
...and on to Tokyo
Like most Japanese airports, Takamatsu airport is efficient with all the usual amenities. The flight was busy and, as we had found on our previous domestic flights, the Japan Airlines staff were amazing. The stewardess went out of her way to chat with us, ensured that we understood everything and even took our phone to take pictures of the amazing view from the window when we banked over Mount Fuji on our approach into Tokyo Haneda.
That was our last domestic flight of these travels. Although I’m not keen on flying, the exceptional level of service reduced stress and made hopping around by plane to gain more ground and time a pleasurable experience rather than a means to an end.
Other Shikoku posts:
Tips for taking domestic flights in Japan: Japan Travel: Using domestic flights to experience more and spend less.
Information about getting to Shikoku: Hello Shikoku! Visit Kochi - a hidden gem in Japan.
More about our adventures on the island : Japan Travel. Shikoku by Train: Visiting Tosa Kure & Ino.
