I’ll be in doing a solo trip in Japan from the 20th of November. This will be my second trip in Japan. For the first one I spent two weeks, shared between Kyoto, Osaka, Nara, Hiroshima, and Tokyo.
My plan for this one is to spend about two weeks around Shikoku, and then go spend 5–6 days at the end to Tokyo again. I’ve compiled what I plan to do in Shikoku below, but I would like some comments from people that have been there in the past. Please tell me if some things seem not worth, if I am missing some important areas, or if some days seem too slow/tight.
My goal is to have a relaxing time, not to rush everywhere. Driving is not a problem for me, I really enjoy it and will have.
(The activities from each of the locations are in no particular order yet.)
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* 20/11 Departure
* Travel by train from Toyota-Shi to Kobe, where I will pick up a rental car
* Drive to accommodation in Tokushima
* 21/11 Tokushima:
* Awa Odori Hall
* Go to the mountain by cable car
* Check out Naruto whirlpools (Maybe ?)
* Drive by Muroto to see the view and some temples
* Drive to accommodation in Iya Valley
* 22-25/11 Iya Valley
* Peeing boy statue
* Oboke Gorge
* Vine bridges
* Ochiai
* Nagaro
* Drive to accommodation in Koichi
* 25-26/11 Koichi
* Castle
* Hirome Market
* Botanical Gardens
* Drive to accommodation in Shimanto
* 27/11
* Submersible bridge
* Drive to Ashiyuri and stroll around
* Drive to accommodation in Uwajima
* 28/11 Uwajima, Ozu, Uchiko
* Castle
* Stop in Ozu
* Stop in Uchiko
* Drive to accommodation in Matsuyama
* 29/11-1/12 Matsuyama
* Castle
* Visit City
* Dogo Onsen
* Ishiteji Temple
* Kashima Island
* Nakajima Island
* Shimanami Kaido with overnight stay
* Drive to accommodation in Marugame or Takahatsu
* 2-3/12 Marugame + Takahatsu
* Kotohira
* Art Museum in Marugame
* Garden in Takahatsu
* Ferry trips to visit art islands around Takahatsu
* 4/12
* Drive to Kobe and drop the car.
4 comments
Can I assume you mean Takamatsu rather than Takahatsu?
Just 2 days (or less) to cover Takamatsu, Marugame *and* the art islands is impossible. There are several art islands with Naoshima and Teshima the main ones, and it’d take about a day each after factoring in ferry times. Cars on Teshima are highly discouraged iirc and I’m not sure how useful a car will be on Naoshima, considering the museum area isn’t accessible to tourist cars and the Art House Project area is best explored on foot.
Also unsure if driving from there all the way to Kobe to drop the car makes sense, when you could more easily drop the car off at Okayama to get a shinkansen to Tokyo via Osaka instead
If you’re in Osaka already, why not take the ferry from Wakayama (near KIX) to Tokushima and rent a car from there?
In Kochi don’t miss the morning market on Sunday.
I’d spend less time in Iya valley; it’s incredibly scenic but there are not that many places to visit (and possibly add Mt Tsurugi), and more in Takamatsu and the art islands.