Places That You Should Visit In Shikoku
Shikoku is Japan’s smallest main island, and while it’s easy to reach from Honshu, it’s often overlooked by international visitors. Its name means “four provinces,” and it consists of four prefectures: Kagawa, Tokushima, Kochi, and Ehime. The largest city on the island is Matsuyama in Ehime Prefecture, while Takamatsu and Tokushima are the main entry points from Honshu, connected by large bridges.
At JAPAN ROAD TRIP, we offer long-term discounts to help you make the most of your travels. You can rent your camper van from our main office and enjoy a scenic drive around Japan! Here’s a list of must-visit places in Shikoku!
Shodoshima Olive Park of Shōdo Island
Shodoshima is the birthplace of olive cultivation in Japan, thanks to its Mediterranean climate. The first successful cultivation occurred in 1908, making it a top producer of olives and olive oil, earning the nickname “Olive Island.”
Today, olives are a major tourist attraction, best experienced at Shodoshima Olive Park. This working olive grove features walking paths, a replica Greek windmill which is the setting for the movie “Kiki’s Delivery Service”, and a small museum about olive cultivation. You can also enjoy a restaurant, café, and shops selling olive products like olive oil, candy, cosmetics, noodles, and ice cream.
The park also includes Sun Olive, a public bathhouse with hot spring water from 1.6 kilometers deep. The gender-separated baths offer eight tubs, some with beautiful views of the island and sea.
Visit there website for more information:
https://www.olive-pk.jp/en/index.html
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Tokushima Prefecture Naruto Park
The Naruto whirlpools are located along the Shikoku coast in the Naruto Strait. They are formed by large volumes of water moving between the Seto Inland Sea and the Pacific Ocean during high and low tides, influenced by the strait’s unique underwater geography.
The whirlpools appear roughly every six hours, typically twice a day for one to two hours. Their size varies with the tide, being larger in summer and during spring tides, when the sun, earth, and moon align. They are safe for boats and best viewed from sightseeing cruises. Two companies operate tours from Shikoku and one from Awaji Island.
On Shikoku, Uzushio Kisen offers small boat tours from Naruto Park, while Uzushio Kankosen provides medium and large boats, including the “Wonder Naruto,” which has an upper deck for the best views. Tours last 20-30 minutes and run about twice per hour.
For great views without a boat, visit Uzu no Michi, an enclosed walkway under the Onaruto Bridge, which overlooks the whirlpools from 45 meters above. Naruto Park features walking trails and viewpoints, with the best views from the Senjojiki Observatory and Eska Hill, accessed via a paid escalator.
Visit there website for more information:
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Dogo Onsen
Dogo Onsen is one of Japan’s oldest and most famous hot springs, located east of central Matsuyama. It’s popular for its beautiful bathhouse and many ryokan (traditional inns), and has hosted prestigious guests, including the Imperial Family.
The main attraction is the Dogo Onsen Honkan, a wooden public bathhouse built in 1894. Its maze-like interior is filled with bathers and staff and is said to have inspired Miyazaki’s “Spirited Away.”
In addition to the Honkan, the Dogo Onsen area has a shopping arcade, the secondary bathhouse Asuka no Yu, interesting temples and shrines, Dogo Park, and a museum dedicated to Masaoka Shiki, a celebrated figure from Matsuyama. Guests often stroll the streets in yukata, adding to the charming atmosphere of the onsen town.
Visit there website for more information:
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Matsuyama Castle
Matsuyama Castle is one of Japan’s twelve “original castles,” surviving intact since the post-feudal era. Located on Mount Katsuyama in the city center, it offers stunning views of Matsuyama and the Seto Inland Sea. The castle grounds feature about 200 cherry trees, making it a beautiful spot for cherry blossoms in late March to early April.
Constructed between 1602 and 1628, Matsuyama Castle was assigned to a branch of the Matsudaira family in 1635 and remained with them until the end of the feudal era. The current three-story tower was built in 1820 after the original five-story structure was struck by lightning. The castle showcases classic feudal architecture, with a well-defended main keep, multiple wings, a secondary keep, and several turrets.
Despite its steep location, a ropeway and a chairlift provide easy access. The chairlift ride is especially popular. Visitors can also hike up in about 15 minutes from the base. At the southern base of the mountain lies Ninomaru Garden, the site of the castle palace, which has been turned into a park that preserves the layout of the former palace with green spaces and ponds.
Visit there website for more information:
https://www.matsuyamajo.jp/en/
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Kirosan Observatory Park
Kirosan Observatory Park is located at the southern tip of Oshima Island, atop 307.8-meter-high Kamerozan Mountain. After a climb, you’ll find a parking lot with bike racks, a store, and restrooms, followed by a path leading to a staircase made of Oshima granite that takes you to the observation deck.
From Observation Deck A, you can enjoy views of the calm Seto Inland Sea and nearby islands. Observation Deck B offers a stunning view of the Kurushima Kaikyo Bridge, the tidal currents, the city of Imabari, the mountains of the Takanawa Peninsula, and the eastern Shikoku mountains, including Ishizuchi. On clear days, the horizon blurs between the sky and sea, creating breathtaking scenery.
In the evening, the Seto Inland Sea turns pink, and the Kurushima Kaikyo Bridge is beautifully illuminated by the sunset, especially popular from March to May and August to September. Plan your visit to catch these spectacular views!
Visit there website for more information:https://www.visitehimejapan.com/en/things-to-do/spots/0009/
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Dolphin Farm Shimanami
At this unique dolphin farm in Ehime, the experience takes place on the beach. A qualified instructor will teach you about dolphin ecology and snorkeling techniques before you don a wetsuit and enter the designated area to interact with the dolphins.
You can touch the dolphins, watch them swim, and even hold a dolphin’s fin as it guides you around the beach pool.
The activity lasts 60 minutes in summer (20-minute lesson and 40-minute swim) and 30 minutes in winter (10-minute lesson and 20-minute swim). Arrive 30 minutes early to change and prepare, making your total time at the venue longer. Camping and glamping are also available, allowing you to enjoy the outdoors with views of the Seto Inland Sea.
Visit there website for more information:
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Towel Museum in Imabari
Ehime Prefecture is Japan’s top producer of towel products, with Imabari city known as the largest towel-producing town. The Towel Museum Group opened in 1974 to showcase towels as art.
Start your towel culture experience by learning about the history and production process, from raw cotton to dyeing, spinning, and weaving. The exhibit highlights the meticulous towel-making process.
One impressive display features 1,800 spools of yarn in about 200 colors, turning a wall into a vibrant canvas. Don’t miss the ‘Itomaki no Ouchi (House of Spools)’ exhibition nearby, perfect for fun photos!
After exploring, relax at the museum’s two cafes, which offer delicious meals and tea while overlooking a seasonal flower garden.
On the 5th floor, enjoy a permanent Moomin gallery and a colorful quilt by Hawaiian artist Kathy Nakajima. Before you leave, visit the shop for Imabari towels and unique souvenirs, including cute plushies and local produce from Ehime!
Visit there website for more information:
https://www.towelmuseum.com/en/
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Hirome Ichiba
Hirome Market feels like a festival every day, attracting locals and visitors to explore food shops and enjoy a variety of local and international cuisine. Known as “Kochi’s kitchen,” it’s a must-visit spot.
Located near Kochi Castle, Hirome Market features around 60 eateries, functioning like a big food court. You can buy food from different stalls and enjoy it at communal tables. It’s common for locals to invite visitors to join in a hearty “kampai!” while sipping Kochi’s smooth dry sake.
Don’t miss must-try dishes like katsuo no tataki (seared bonito), inaka-sushi (country-style sushi), juicy fried chicken, and gyoza.
The official website is only available in Japanese, you can get an idea of what the individual restaurants and stores offer on this page.
Visit there website for more information:
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Chichibugahama
Chichibugahama Beach in Mitoyo City, Kagawa, known as “father-mother beach,” is famous for its stunning “mirror of the heavens” effect, where the sky reflects beautifully on the shore. This breathtaking display is best seen in the early evening on calm, windless days.
At low tide, the shallow waters recede several hundred meters, creating mirror-like tide pools along the sandy beach. These reflections are most vivid on clear evenings when the winds calm (known as Seto-no-Yunagi).
To enjoy the full beauty, arrive 30 minutes to an hour before sunset, as the sunset enhances the reflections. For the best photography opportunities, visit during low tide after the wind has settled. Check the Mitoyo Tourism and Exchange Authority website for ideal visiting times.
Visit there website for more information:
https://www.mitoyo-kanko.com/eng/
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Shimonada Eki
Shimonada Station, an unmanned stop near the beautiful Seto Inland Sea, draws visitors with its stunning views. Located on the JR Shikoku Yosan Line in Ehime Prefecture, it sees only eighteen trains a day, yet many passengers disembark to take in the scenery.
Opened in 1935, the station was once known as “the closest station to the sea in Japan” until a highway was built in 1981. Today, its platform acts as an observation deck, offering close-up views of the sea and sky, which has made it a popular filming location.
The station gained fame from Japan Railways’ promotional posters for the “Seishun 18 Ticket” from 1998 to 2000. Tomita Satoshi, from the JR Shikoku Shimonada Station Field Museum Management Committee, notes that photography enthusiasts, or “toritetsu-san,” flocked here, sharing their photos on social media.
Visit there website for more information:https://www.jr-shikoku.co.jp/01_trainbus/kakueki/shimonada/
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Summary
There are so many amazing places to visit in Shikoku, along with fresh and delicious food! We hope this blog helps you plan your campervan trip in Japan.
If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to JAPAN ROAD TRIP via mail or What’sApp for more information!