Best Ryokans in Kagawa: Takamatsu, Kotohira, and the Seto Inland Sea Islands

Kagawa is Japan's smallest prefecture — 1,877 square kilometers of coastal plain, mountain interior, and the complex inner shoreline of the Seto Inland Sea. Despite its size, it contains three internationally significant destinations: the udon pilgrimage culture that defines Japan's most iconic regional food, the Kotohira mountain shrine approached by 785 stone steps, and the Seto Inland Sea island art complex centered on Naoshima.

Takamatsu (高松)

The prefectural capital — a mid-size port city facing Osaka across the inland sea, with the Kotoden tramway and a straightforward, unpretentious character.

Ritsurin Garden (栗林公園): The feudal-era strolling garden created over 100 years during the Edo period — six ponds, 13 artificial hills, 1,400 pine trees carefully pruned over centuries. The scale (750,000 square meters) and the level of craft in the pine training make it one of Japan's three greatest traditional gardens. Dawn visits are the best: mist on the ponds, the cranes that live in the garden, the first light through the pine branches.

Takamatsu Castle (玉藻城): The only remaining Japanese castle built directly on the sea — Edo-period salt water was used as the castle moat, and boats could enter the inner moat from the bay. The stone walls and tower bases survive; the keep was demolished in the Meiji era.

Udon: Kagawa's defining food — thick, firm, chewy Sanuki udon served with various toppings. The local ritual is kake-udon (hot noodles in dashi broth) eaten standing at a counter, prepared and consumed in 5 minutes. Kamaroku, Yamashita, and the classic Tsurumaru in Takamatsu are among the essential stops.

Kotohira (琴平)

The mountain shrine town 40 minutes from Takamatsu — the 785-step stone staircase ascending to Konpira-san (the common name for Kotohira-gu) flanked by lantern-bearing stone figures, old inns, and souvenir sellers.

Kotohira-gu: The shrine has protected sailors since the Heian period — the tutelary deity of seafarers. The ascent through increasingly steep stone steps, through multiple shrine gates, through a forest of ancient Japanese cedar, ends at the main hall with a panoramic view of the Kagawa coastal plain. The inner shrine at the very top (1,368 total steps) is a further 583 steps beyond the main hall, in deep forest.

Ryokans at Kotohira: Several traditional inns at the base of the stairs offer the best access for early-morning pre-crowd shrine visits. The inns were established to serve pilgrims making the shrine ascent — the tradition continues.

The Seto Inland Sea Islands

The island group accessible by ferry from Takamatsu has become Japan's most significant contemporary art destination.

Naoshima (直島): The primary art island — the Benesse House (Tadao Ando design, 1992), the Chichu Art Museum (Ando, 2004, with permanent installations by Claude Monet, James Turrell, and Walter De Maria), and the Lee Ufan Museum. The island also has several restored traditional buildings (ie-project art houses in the old village). Benesse House offers rooms with direct museum access — the most unusual accommodation in Japan.

Teshima (豊島): Teshima Art Museum (Ryue Nishizawa design, 2010) — a single undulating concrete shell with no internal columns, open to rain and wind, containing Rei Naito's Mother installation (water seeping through the floor in a pattern that follows the shell's topology). One of the most extraordinary contemporary buildings in Japan.

Inujima (犬島): A small island with a restored copper refinery (Seirensho Art Museum) and minimal permanent population — the most austere and remote of the three main art islands.

Setouchi Art Triennale: The three-year rotating contemporary art festival that uses the Seto Inland Sea islands (10+ islands participate) as exhibition venues. Next triennale: 2025 (past); 2028 (upcoming).

Kagawa Food

Sanuki udon (讃岐うどん): The regional udon — firm, thick, chewy noodles from high-gluten wheat, with a texture dramatically different from Kyoto-style thin udon or Tokyo-style soft udon. Eaten hot in broth, cold with dipping sauce, or with various toppings. Ryokan breakfasts in Kagawa may include udon alongside the standard Japanese breakfast components.

Olive oil: Shodoshima (小豆島), Kagawa's largest island, produces Japan's only commercial olive oil — introduced in 1908 as an experiment. The olive groves on the island's southeastern slopes produce a mild, fragrant oil used in local restaurants and sold as regional produce.

Shippoku ryori (卓袱料理): A Chinese-influenced communal dining style shared with Nagasaki, present at Takamatsu's traditional restaurants.

Getting to Kagawa

From Osaka: Shinkansen to Okayama (50 minutes), then Marine Liner rapid to Takamatsu (1 hour). Total ~2 hours. JR Pass covers the Shinkansen; Marine Liner is also JR.

From Tokyo: Shinkansen to Okayama (~2.5 hours), then Marine Liner to Takamatsu. Total ~3.5 hours.

From Kochi: JR Dosan Line + Tokushima Line, ~2.5 hours with transfer.

Naoshima ferry: From Takamatsu Port, 50 minutes (¥520).

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