#Shikoku

The Ritsurin-kōen landscape park is in the city of Takamatsu on the island of Shikoku. It is one of Japan’s designated places of scenic beauty and, at nearly 75 hectares, it’s also the largest of its kind.

You’ll be impressed right at the entrance. The greenery of the garden blends seamlessly into the densely wooded Mount Shiun. This “borrowed scenery” (shakkei) gives visitors the impression that the park stretches all the way to the horizon.

There are several ponds where you can take a stroll along the banks, or even explore some of them by boat. You can order a tea in the teahouses and enjoy it in peace with a fantastic view of the garden. And of course, there are plenty of photo ops waiting to be discovered.

You can easily reach Ritsurin-kōen on foot in about 20 minutes from Takamatsu Station. On the way, you’ll pass the ruins of Takamatsu Castle and the city’s shopping street. Alternatively, you can take the Tokushima Line from the station to Ritsurin-Kōen-Kitaguchi (栗林公園北口駅) station. Entry costs 410¥ (excluding the boat ride and teahouse visit).

Uchiko is a tiny town on the main island of Shikoku, about a 25-minute ride on the Uwakai Express from the prefectural capital Matsuyama. It’s home to the Uchiko-za, a historic theatre building.

The theatre was built back in 1916 as a two-storey wooden building in a traditional Japanese style. In 1985, it reopened after a major refurb. Nowadays, it occasionally puts on evening Kabuki and Bunraku theatre shows for a bit of fun.

But popping by during the day is totally worth it too, as the theatre opens its doors for a peek behind the scenes. You can roam freely around the building, grab a spot on one of the wooden seats, step up onto the stage or even try on costumes. Down in the basement, you can see how the historic revolving stage and the stage lift are operated.

The theatre is just a 5-minute walk from Uchiko station. The entrance is tucked away down a little side street. Entry is 400¥. With a 900¥ combo ticket, you can also check out the local history museum and the Kamihaga residence. Don’t forget a good pair of socks, ‘cause you have to take your shoes off before you go in! 😉

In the north of the island of Shikoku, you’ll find the city of Takamatsu, the capital of Japan’s smallest prefecture, Kagawa.

A massive tourist highlight in town is the grounds of the old Takamatsujō castle. It was built in 1590 and kept being expanded right up until the end of the 17th century. Then, in 1884, the castle tower and other buildings were torn down. Today, all you can admire from the original site is the castle’s stone base, a gate, and a couple of corner turrets. There are plans to rebuild the castle from scratch, though.

In the park grounds right next to it is the Hiunkaku building. Originally built as a government building, its inviting tatami rooms are now used for exhibitions.

You can easily walk to the site from JR Takamatsu Station in just a few minutes. Entry costs 200¥.