Recommendation for Shikoku

[Crescy]

hello senpais, need some recommendations for a Shikoku itinerary in Feb 2020.
will be getting a JR All Shikoku Pass (still deciding 5 or 7 days)

greatly appreciate if can give pointers on where to set as main lodging place. flexible to fix 1 or 2.

also which are the must go places on shikoku island.

no young children or old folks. thanks in advance.

 

[TonyDelPiero]

hello senpais, need some recommendations for a Shikoku itinerary in Feb 2020.
will be getting a JR All Shikoku Pass (still deciding 5 or 7 days)

greatly appreciate if can give pointers on where to set as main lodging place. flexible to fix 1 or 2.

also which are the must go places on shikoku island.

no young children or old folks. thanks in advance.

Your accommodation should be at Takamatsu and kochi because the train distance betweens all 4 prefectures are too great.

1. art museums at small islands outside Takamatsu
2. vine bridge, I cannot remember the name.
3. Katsuo No Tataki at food court style at Kochi
4. Naruto at Tokushima
5. Shimanami Kaido to cycle from imabari to hiroshima
6. temples and shrines lor

 

[evilerniex]

https://forums.hardwarezone.com.sg/japan-271/%5Btrip-report%5D-shikoku-18-oct-1-nov-2014-a-4867113.html

My itinerary for reference.
Suggest u firm up itinerary before deciding on the passes

 

[Hinana]

Just went to Takamatsu in December.

Recommend staying at JR Clement Inn. Quite new, clean and well kept facilities. Located next to JR Station and the Port - great for island hopping.

Takamatsu itself have a handful of places you can visit, from the mountains to the sea.
I think 2-3 nights would be quite comfortable.

 

[kifo]

I treated myself and stayed at the JR Hotel Clement next door to the Clement Inn and it was fantastic! Get a room with a view and you can really see all the way across the harbour!

 

[Hinana]

I treated myself and stayed at the JR Hotel Clement next door to the Clement Inn and it was fantastic! Get a room with a view and you can really see all the way across the harbour!

Both are good I wanted the communal bath on the top level so Clement Inn was the perfect choice

 

[marc2002]

Just covered Shikoku in Feb19.

Takamatsu
- Tamano Park (ruins) and Ritsurin Garden (best part imo)
- Eat Honetsukidori (grilled chicken leg - order the young chicken unless u like tough meat)
- Daytrip to Marugame for one of twelve original castle (2hrs more than enuf)

Matsuyama
- Mystay is recommended, next to castle moat and a tram stop just in front of hotel. Walkable from Matsuyama Stn
- Ate Yakitori at 焼き鳥 さつき near Takashimaya (Cheap - abt 10sticks of meat and 3 beer = SGD 30) but they dun speak english . Its a small shop but very hospitable (mostly regulars).
- Matsuyama castle (original)
- 霧の森菓子工房 for japanese sweets (apparently very popular according to the yakitori waitress)
- Took the local train to Shimonada... if not winter its ok. I was freezing there and got to wait abt 2hrs for the train back to matsuyama...

Kochi
- Katsurahama beach is nice, u can get (or buy) a MU pass from the tourist office near kochi stn where the bus go to Godaisan (Chikurinji temple) and the beach and back ofcos.
- Hirome Mkt (not my cup of tea but very crowded n loud/noisy every evening....)
- Katsuo no Tataki (quality depends on shops)
- Kochi Castle (original)
- Sunday Morning Mkt where u can get a 24" sized (huge) cabbage for 100yen LOL

Tokushima
- Iya Valley (kazurabashi aka vine bridge - yes u need to pay to cross it....-_-)
- Stay at a ryokan at iya valley.... u wont regret it (rotenburo - fab views while soaking)
- Eat tokushima ramen (sweetish style)
- Naruto whirlpool (i didnt go)

Note : If not buying pass, its much cheaper AND FASTER to take bus between cities.... I stayed abt 9/10 days in shikoku. Didnt buy JRpass cos i took Sunrise Seto from Tokyo
Hotels overall is cheaper than places like tokyo, osaka or kyoto. Even Ryokan in Iya is cheaper than say.... Miyajima..... I stayed at Kazurabashi hotel for just 20,000 for one pax inclusive of dinner (not my cup of tea cos 80% all mountain veg but they serve boar meat stew tho - might differ on seasons bah...)

 

[VD]

How about renting a bicycle and riding on the shimanami kaido to Ikuchi (4th island from Imabari) and staying a night at the ryokan

 

[Crescy]

https://forums.hardwarezone.com.sg/japan-271/%5Btrip-report%5D-shikoku-18-oct-1-nov-2014-a-4867113.html

My itinerary for reference.
Suggest u firm up itinerary before deciding on the passes

yup. end of the day, we dropped shikoku and decided to go kyushu instead.
5 day hiroshima, 5 day kyushu.
but senpais please do share more on shikoku as i will still go there in the future.

 

[anyhowsaysay]

Eat a lot of Sanuki Udon in Takamatsu
Another dish I like is Honetsuki Chicken

 

[deodorant]

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

My itinerary for reference.
Suggest u firm up itinerary before deciding on the passes

How's the public transport around north west of the island? A bit CMI I suppose?

I'm considering to do a 2 day cycling on shimanami kaido - full route down to Matsuyama. But then those 2 days my wife and 4 year old will solo, wondering if public transport will be OK or not, or if she is going to need to rent a car and drive.

 

[evilerniex]

How's the public transport around north west of the island? A bit CMI I suppose?

I'm considering to do a 2 day cycling on shimanami kaido - full route down to Matsuyama. But then those 2 days my wife and 4 year old will solo, wondering if public transport will be OK or not, or if she is going to need to rent a car and drive.

the north west part still quite okay, compared to middle of the island.
maybe ur wife and kid can base in Matsuyama for 2 days? shld have enuf things in the city to occupy 2 days, if not, can make day trips out also

 

[Honda_typeR]

the north west part still quite okay, compared to middle of the island.
maybe ur wife and kid can base in Matsuyama for 2 days? shld have enuf things in the city to occupy 2 days, if not, can make day trips out also

Hajack this thread.

Any idea if the Hiroshima port for the Ferry to Matsuyama is the same as Miyajima?

Also is there JR train access to the port?

Thank you.

 

[deodorant]

the north west part still quite okay, compared to middle of the island.
maybe ur wife and kid can base in Matsuyama for 2 days? shld have enuf things in the city to occupy 2 days, if not, can make day trips out also

Thanks. My cycling plan is stop overnight at itoyama, then day 2 to matsuyama. Maybe ask my wife ownself go matsuyama first and I will meet here there on day 2 instead of spending a day in itoyama.

But then another problem I haven’t thought about is how to return the bicycle. If day 3 backtrack and return journey back from matsuyama to itoyama to return it also like a bit wuliao.

 

[evilerniex]

Hajack this thread.

Any idea if the Hiroshima port for the Ferry to Matsuyama is the same as Miyajima?

Also is there JR train access to the port?

Thank you.

https://setonaikaikisen.co.jp/language/en/cruise/
is a different port, this one is from the port in hiroshima city, accessible via streetcar/tram.
i dunno if there are any ferry from the port for miyajima

 

[evilerniex]

Thanks. My cycling plan is stop overnight at itoyama, then day 2 to matsuyama. Maybe ask my wife ownself go matsuyama first and I will meet here there on day 2 instead of spending a day in itoyama.

But then another problem I haven’t thought about is how to return the bicycle. If day 3 backtrack and return journey back from matsuyama to itoyama to return it also like a bit wuliao.

can rent and return from different locations

https://shimanami-cycle.or.jp/rental/

 

[Honda_typeR]

https://setonaikaikisen.co.jp/language/en/cruise/
is a different port, this one is from the port in hiroshima city, accessible via streetcar/tram.
i dunno if there are any ferry from the port for miyajima

Thank you for the update and cruise link.

Will go research further.