Advise on 1 week self driving Shikoku Itinerary (Nov period)

[hawthorne]

Hi guys

I'm planning to visit Shikoku this Nov. I intend to self-drive all the way for convenience. Would like to seek fellow bros on whether the itinerary makes sense (or some stuffs should skip totally).

I'm more keen towards scenery/ old towns and not so much on shopping. However, I still will make a trip to Kobe for beef + final shopping, since Shikoku is connected to Kobe via a highway at Naruto.

Any feedback is appreciated.

Day1: Fly in to Matsuyama Airport. Collect car. Take it easy. Explore Matsuyama Okaido shopping street

Day2: Matsuyama Castle, Dogo Onsen, Uchiko old town

Day3: drive towards Kochi (stop by Kulshima strait observatory). Catch Oboke Gorge Pleasure Cruise after lunch. Reach Kochi

Day4: Explore Kochi. (Hirome Market/ Kochi Castle/ 31 Chikurinji / Makino Botanical Garden)

Day5: Drive towards Iya (explore Iya valley/ Mt Tsurugi). check in Ryokan in Iya area before dinner time)

Day6: Drive towards Tokushima. explore Bizan Ropeway and Awa Odori Museum. check in hotel at Tokushima.

Day 7: Drive toward Kobe via Naruto (stop by Ryozenji Temple, take Whirlpool viewing cruise). Reach Kobe around late afternoon. Eat Kobe beef + shopping. Return car.

Day 8: Final shopping Kobe, airport shuttle to Osaka Kansai Airport (depart back home)

 

[evilerniex]

u probably dun need to drive for matsuyama coz the city is well connected by trams. wat i did was to rent car only on the day i was leaving matsuyama.


my itinerary here for reference:
https://forums.hardwarezone.com.sg/japan-271/[trip-report]-shikoku-18-oct-1-nov-2014-a-4867113.html

 

[hawthorne]

u probably dun need to drive for matsuyama coz the city is well connected by trams. wat i did was to rent car only on the day i was leaving matsuyama.


my itinerary here for reference:
https://forums.hardwarezone.com.sg/japan-271/[trip-report]-shikoku-18-oct-1-nov-2014-a-4867113.html

Yup. I was thinking of that too. But the car rental I'm looking at only has an outlet at the airport for their Matsuyama area.

 

[evilerniex]

Yup. I was thinking of that too. But the car rental I'm looking at only has an outlet at the airport for their Matsuyama area.

maybe take bus back to airport for the rental?
coz driving around city is going to be a hassle, and parking will be expensive. likely to be cheaper to take public transport.

u can check out of hotel and leave u luggage at hotel lobby. just one person proceed to airport to get car, then drive back to hotel to pick everyone up

 

[hawthorne]

maybe take bus back to airport for the rental?
coz driving around city is going to be a hassle, and parking will be expensive. likely to be cheaper to take public transport.

u can check out of hotel and leave u luggage at hotel lobby. just one person proceed to airport to get car, then drive back to hotel to pick everyone up

Went to check again. The car rental has an outlet about 2 train stations away from my hotel. I will likely use the car on day 2 onwards (to drive out to Uchiko old town on day 2), so at most only waste 1 day's rental. The hotel has parking for 1000JPY per day, so parking still affordable IMHO.

Thanks for the advise, but think I'll still take the car on day 1. Day 1 sure very tired after the flight one, I'm ok to pay a bit to have a car to breeze to the hotel to rest. The airport limo does not stop in front of my hotel, need to walk for 10 min. Dun think I'll take subway also, lugging the heavy suitcase around is very tiring.

Likely I wun drive around on day 1, so will leave it parked in the hotel. Day 2 then drive out

That aside, do you have any advise for my itinerary?

 

[evilerniex]

Went to check again. The car rental has an outlet about 2 train stations away from my hotel. I will likely use the car on day 2 onwards (to drive out to Uchiko old town on day 2), so at most only waste 1 day's rental. The hotel has parking for 1000JPY per day, so parking still affordable IMHO.

Thanks for the advise, but think I'll still take the car on day 1. Day 1 sure very tired after the flight one, I'm ok to pay a bit to have a car to breeze to the hotel to rest. The airport limo does not stop in front of my hotel, need to walk for 10 min. Dun think I'll take subway also, lugging the heavy suitcase around is very tiring.

Likely I wun drive around on day 1, so will leave it parked in the hotel. Day 2 then drive out

That aside, do you have any advise for my itinerary?

for castle, i think matsuyama castle is quite beautiful, definitely worth a visit. imabari castle is quite pretty too if u are heading there.

for naruto whirlpool, do check when is the optimal viewing time. and even then, it may not be as majestic as those shown on websites and photos. i waited 2+hr till the optimal hour, hoping to see a large whirlpool. end up cant see much, very underwhelming

 

[hawthorne]

for castle, i think matsuyama castle is quite beautiful, definitely worth a visit. imabari castle is quite pretty too if u are heading there.

for naruto whirlpool, do check when is the optimal viewing time. and even then, it may not be as majestic as those shown on websites and photos. i waited 2+hr till the optimal hour, hoping to see a large whirlpool. end up cant see much, very underwhelming

Thanks. I'll just visit Matsuyama castle (all castles in JPN look the same to me IMHO) .. Frankly, I don't really know what to do in Matsuyama. Not sure if the Dogo onsen if worth visiting too.

I booked the Aqua Eddy cruise at the timings they recommended. But will just go with low expectations.

BTW, do you think I can see the stars/milky way in Iya? Cos I'm bouncing off the idea of going to Shikoku Karst Natural Park at night to view the Milky way. But it will be a long and tiring drive to and back.

 

[evilerniex]

Thanks. I'll just visit Matsuyama castle (all castles in JPN look the same to me IMHO) .. Frankly, I don't really know what to do in Matsuyama. Not sure if the Dogo onsen if worth visiting too.

I booked the Aqua Eddy cruise at the timings they recommended. But will just go with low expectations.

BTW, do you think I can see the stars/milky way in Iya? Cos I'm bouncing off the idea of going to Shikoku Karst Natural Park at night to view the Milky way. But it will be a long and tiring drive to and back.

i feel dogo onsen is worth a visit, maybe coz i am a big fan of spirited away and the bathhouse in the movie was suppose to be based on dogo onsen. it is a beautiful building, so even if u dun intend to use the onsen, can just go there to take a look at from the outside

i stayed a night at shikoku karst, didnt know that place is known for view of milky way. anyway, it was super misty the night i was there, so probably wun be able to see anything. nevertheless, the place there is very scenic and there are a few hiking trails if u enjoy nature

 

[hawthorne]

i feel dogo onsen is worth a visit, maybe coz i am a big fan of spirited away and the bathhouse in the movie was suppose to be based on dogo onsen. it is a beautiful building, so even if u dun intend to use the onsen, can just go there to take a look at from the outside

Thanks. I'm a big fan of the works of Ghibli studios, so think I'll go visit Dogo Onsen.

i stayed a night at shikoku karst, didnt know that place is known for view of milky way. anyway, it was super misty the night i was there, so probably wun be able to see anything. nevertheless, the place there is very scenic and there are a few hiking trails if u enjoy nature

Noted. Did not know that it might be misty. Might give it a miss then.

 

[TonyDelPiero]

I visited shikoku region last year by public transportation.

At Matsuyama, it is worth to explore dogo onsen and ishite-ji.

Don't spent too much for boat/ship to see Naurto whirlpool. Difficult to see actual one in real time. Need to spend a lot of time to wait and see it.

 

[hawthorne]

I visited shikoku region last year by public transportation.

At Matsuyama, it is worth to explore dogo onsen and ishite-ji.

Don't spent too much for boat/ship to see Naurto whirlpool. Difficult to see actual one in real time. Need to spend a lot of time to wait and see it.

Thanks for the advise. I'll Play by ear on the day, cos my objective was to reach Kobe via Naruto, not too much on the whirlpool.

 

[easyippt]

Did you use the shikouku rail pass?

I visited shikoku region last year by public transportation.

At Matsuyama, it is worth to explore dogo onsen and ishite-ji.

Don't spent too much for boat/ship to see Naurto whirlpool. Difficult to see actual one in real time. Need to spend a lot of time to wait and see it.

 

[TonyDelPiero]

Did you use the shikouku rail pass?

No, jr nationalwide pass because I was travelling to chugoku region after shikoku.

 

[Peugeot5353]

I visited shikoku region last year by public transportation.

At Matsuyama, it is worth to explore dogo onsen and ishite-ji.

Don't spent too much for boat/ship to see Naurto whirlpool. Difficult to see actual one in real time. Need to spend a lot of time to wait and see it.

Is it easier to travel in Shikoku using the public transport?

 

[TonyDelPiero]

Is it easier to travel in Shikoku using the public transport?

Yes. Very easy. Time is needed to travel.

 

[evilerniex]

Is it easier to travel in Shikoku using the public transport?

depends on where u are visiting.
places like Iya valley is not easily accessible due to infrequent buses. Shikoku Karst dun have public transport at all.

 

[TonyDelPiero]

depends on where u are visiting.
places like Iya valley is not easily accessible due to infrequent buses. Shikoku Karst dun have public transport at all.

Iya valley is no issue as long as one book a tour bus for this trip.