Discover Shikoku Island - Kochi, Ehime, Tokushima, and Kagawa

Shikoku (四国 – 4 provinces) is the smallest and least populated of the four main islands of the Japanese archipelago. It is located south of the island of Honshu and east of the island of Kyushu, comprising four provinces:

the population of Shikoku is small with just over 4 million people and its area is 18,783 km². Shikoku has pleasant and explorable nature, with over 88 temples and shrines scattered throughout the valleys and historic towns. In this article, we will see the main tourist attractions of this small region of Japan.

Ehime Province

Province famous for its castles located in Ozu, Matsuyama and Uwajima. What stands out the most is Dogo Onsen, one of the most famous and ancient hot springs located east of downtown Matsuyama. The area is popular with tourists for its beautiful bathrooms and many Ryokan.

Discover shikoku island

Another notable location is the road Shimanami Kaido that connects the island of Shikoku with the main island of Japan Honshu. There are more than 60km of roads that pass through several islands for pedestrians and cyclists to cross.

Kagawa province

Kagawa [香川県] is the smallest province in Japan and is known for its noodles udon. It has 2 islands full of modern art, Naoshima and Teshima with many museums.

The capital of Kagawa é Takamatsu, a port city, with gardens, museums and temples like most cities in Japan. Kagawa was formerly known as Sanuki Prefecture. It was also once part of Ehime Prefecture.

Discover shikoku island

In Takamatsu, Yashima Mountain was a battleground between the Heike and Genji clans. The name Yashima literally means 'ceiling island' due to its shape that looks like the roof of a traditional Japanese house.

Tokushima Province

The province and city of Tokushima (徳島) is famous for its typical dance called Awa Odori, a highly popular, dance that takes place during the festival Obon in mid-August.

city named naruto

There is a city located in the northeast of Shikoku in Tokushima Prefecture named after Naruto. The city is known for its whirlpools in the water. These whirlpools can be seen on the bridge that connects Naruto to Awaji Island.

Discover shikoku island

Iya Valley

No translation available. is a mountain valley located in the center of Shikoku in the province   of Tokushima. The isolated valley is characterized by steep slopes and deep stone gorges that were used to form bridges. Currently 3 of these vine bridges remain intact and are the main attractions of this valley.

In the valley you find the Mount Tsurugi the second largest heap of Shikoku. And the vine bridges Iya Kazurabashi and Oku-Iya Kazurabashi. In addition, the valley is famous for its hot springs, trails and other outdoor activities.

Discover shikoku island

The article is still halfway through, but we recommend also reading:

Kochi province

Kochi located on the south coast of Shikoku and owns the capital of the same name. The city is small and friendly, with a casual atmosphere, has a castle in the center, temples, gardens and museums. And to the south of the city we have the beautiful beach of Katsurahama, with several tourist attractions.

There are countless other cities, temples, gardens, lakes, valleys, mountains, and museums to be explored on this small island in Japan, but we cannot mention them all.

Finally, we will leave a video below showing several tourist attractions on the island of Shikoku:

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