Shikoku is the smallest of the four main islands and the one most associated with pilgrimage: the 88-temple route circles it, and the mountains in the middle are cut by deep gorges. Trains are sparse away from the north coast, so a car helps in the interior.
This page lists every Shikoku guide published on this site, so you can see the whole region in one place instead of walking through paginated archives.
All Shikoku travel guides
Cape Muroto Travel Guide: Where the Pacific Meets the Geopark — Cape Muroto in Kochi, Shikoku: the lighthouse, the UNESCO geopark, Hotsumisakiji temple, whale watching and access from Kochi city.
Dogo Onsen Travel Guide: Historic Hot Springs in Matsuyama — Dogo Onsen in Matsuyama: the 1894 bathhouse, the annexe, the shopping arcade, and the castle on the hill above town.
Iya Valley Travel Guide: Vine Bridges and Mountain Villages — Iya Valley in Tokushima: the vine bridges, the mountain villages, and the narrow driving that makes a visit work.
Kochi Castle Travel Guide: The Keep and Palace That Both Survive — Kochi Castle keeps both its Edo-period keep and its honmaru palace, rebuilt in 1753 after a fire took the town.
Kotohira Travel Guide: Konpira Shrine Stairs and Shikoku Pilgrim Town — Kotohira: the long stairway up to Konpira-san, the shrine town below it, and a stop on the Shikoku road south of Takamatsu.
Marugame Castle Travel Guide: An Original Keep on a High Stone Wall — Marugame Castle: an original keep on one of Japan’s tallest stone walls, a short train ride from Takamatsu.
Matsuyama Castle Travel Guide: The 1854 Keep above the City — Matsuyama Castle’s 1854 keep above the city, the hilltop walls, and the ropeway or chairlift that gets you up.
Naoshima Travel Guide: Art Islands, Museums, and the Seto Inland Sea — Naoshima: the art museums, the outdoor installations, and ferry access from Uno or Takamatsu in the Seto Inland Sea.
Naruto Travel Guide: Whirlpools under the Onaruto Bridge — Naruto whirlpools: reading the tide table, the boat and the bridge walkway, and the train from Tokushima to the strait.
Oboke Gorge Travel Guide: The Yoshino River between the Cliffs — Oboke Gorge: the Yoshino River between the cliffs, the seasonal sightseeing boat, and the short walk from the station.
Ozu Travel Guide: A Castle Town and a Wooden Rebuilt Keep — Ozu in Ehime: a river castle town with a wooden keep rebuilt in 2004, quiet lanes along the Hiji, and the line from Matsuyama.
Shimanami Kaido Guide: Cycling Across the Islands — Cycling the Shimanami Kaido: 70 km and seven bridges between Onomichi and Imabari, with rental prices, island stops, food and train access.
Shimanto River Travel Guide: Japan’s Last Clear Stream and the Boats That Drift It — Shimanto River guide: chinkabashi bridges, boat cruises, canoeing, clear water, eel and river food, access from Kochi and where to stay.
Shodoshima Travel Guide: Olive Groves, Coast Roads, and a Seto Inland Sea Ferry — Shodoshima: olive groves, the coast road, and the Seto Inland Sea ferries from Takamatsu or Himeji that reach the island.
Takamatsu Travel Guide: Ritsurin Garden, Udon, and Seto Sea Gateways — Takamatsu: Ritsurin Garden, the Sanuki udon shops, and the ferries that leave from the port for Naoshima and the islands.
Uchiko Guide: A Wax Town with a Wooden Theatre — Uchiko in Ehime: the Yokaichi wax-merchant street, the Uchiko-za theatre and its 2029 reopening, the wax museum, soba and train access from Matsuyama.
Uwajima Castle Travel Guide: A Small Original Keep above the Port — Uwajima Castle: a small original keep above the port, with path closures to check before you start the climb.
Other regions
- Hokkaido travel guides
- Tohoku travel guides
- Kanto travel guides
- Chubu travel guides
- Kansai travel guides
- Chugoku travel guides
- Kyushu travel guides
- Okinawa travel guides
Themed collections
- Japanese gardens — which garden suits which trip, grouped by garden type.
- Japan’s old towns — samurai streets, post towns and canal quarters.
Opening hours, fares and seasonal access change. Each guide lists the official sources used for that destination, with the date they were checked.
Photographs are credited inside each guide.
