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1Tamamo Park, Historic Site of Takamatsu Castle
Located near the port of Takamatsu, Tamamo Park stands on the site of the former Takamatsu Castle, the headquarters of the Matsudaira daimyo lords who ruled this area during the Edo period (1603–1867). The sixteenth-century castle was rebuilt and greatly expanded in the 1640s, when the few structures that remain today were built. These include the Tsukimi (“moon-viewing”) Yagura tower and the Mizunote gate, as well as some stone walls and the castle moat, which draws its water from the Seto Inland Sea. The moat can be explored—and the fish in it fed—by boarding a boat that circles part of the inner moat in about 30 minutes. This tour also provides views of the elevated plot of land where the castle’s main keep once stood. From that site, opened to the public in 2013 after years of excavation and repairs, visitors can look out toward the city of Takamatsu and the islands of the Inland Sea in the distance.
Another notable building in the park is the Hiunkaku mansion, built in 1917 as a guest house and country estate for the Matsudaira family, the descendants of the former lords of the Takamatsu domain. Its traditional Japanese architecture incorporates Western influences and building techniques, as was customary at the time. Designated an Important Cultural Property, the Hiunkaku can now be rented for events such as tea ceremonies, concerts, and photo shoots. Highlights of the building include the Daishoin, a grand chamber of some 280 square meters, and a rock garden with pine trees and sago palms (Cycas revoluta).More details
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2The Kagawa Museum
The Kagawa Museum is located in a scenic and well-connected location near JR Takamatsu Station and Takamatsu Port. This establishment functions both as a museum and an art gallery. It is a hub for a wide range of activities that present, promote, and research the cultural history of Kagawa Prefecture.
The museum offers a comprehensive look at the history of Kagawa Prefecture. The permanent exhibition includes a collection of replicas representing various historical artifacts related to the Matsudaira Clan, a samurai clan that controlled the Takamatsu Domain (present-day Kagawa Prefecture) in the 17th and 18th centuries. There is a folding screen with eight panels that accurately depict Takamatsu Castle and the surrounding cityscape from the mid-17th century. The folding screen has also been designated a Tangible Cultural Property by the prefectural government. In addition to the permanent exhibition, the museum holds various special exhibitions of historical and cultural artifacts from the collection of Nationally Designated Important Cultural Properties. There are also periodical exhibitions linked to Setouchi Triennale, a contemporary art festival that is held every three years on various islands in the Seto Inland Sea.
On the first floor of the museum, you will find a hands-on learning corner where you can try on traditional outfits. You can choose between a junihitoe, a formal court dress that was worn in the Heian period by noble women, or a set that combines the traditional armor (yoroi) and helmet (kabuto) worn by the samurai in feudal Japan. The traditional outfit experience is free of charge and does not require reservations. The staff at the museum will help you put on the outfits, which usually takes between 20 and 30 minutes.More details
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3Ritsurin Garden
History of Ritsurin Garden.
Ritsurin Garden was originally a part of the estate of the Matsudaira family, the lords of the Takamatsu domain, who inherited its site from the Ikoma family, rulers of Sanuki province (present-day Kagawa Prefecture). First constructed in 1642, the garden was maintained and enjoyed by the Matsudaira over more than 200 years until 1868. Following the Meiji Restoration of that year, the system of domains ruled by the shogunate (warrior-led government) was replaced with a Western-style centralized government and the Matsudaira lost their status as lords. Ritsurin Garden was turned into a park and opened to the public in 1875. A symbol of Takamatsu and one of the city’s most popular sights, Ritsurin is now recognized as one of the best-preserved Edo-period (1603–1867) gardens in Japan.
The garden was built in the kaiyu or stroll garden style, popular among high-ranking samurai during the Edo period, and features a series of carefully composed views that the visitor can admire in succession while walking through the garden. At Ritsurin, many of these views focus on a pond or small hill. The garden has approximately 1,400 pine trees, and artistically placed rocks dot the grounds. Another distinctive feature is the use of shakkei (“borrowed scenery”), a technique of garden design that takes advantage of natural features outside the garden to create a sense of expanse. At Ritsurin this background is provided by Mt. Shiun to the west, which appears to be towering over the garden when seen from certain angles. One such view can be taken in from Hiraiho Hill.
Ritsurin Garden consists of the original daimyo garden, or South Garden, and the North Garden, built in the Meiji era (1868–1912). It can take up to two hours to tour the vast grounds in their entirety, and visitors can enjoy different aspects of the scenery in every season. The cherry blossoms in spring and the red and yellow foliage in autumn in particular attract numerous visitors.More details
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4Yashima Plateau
Yashima (“roof island”) is a towering volcanic plateau just east of central Takamatsu. As the name suggests, it was once an island, separated from Shikoku by a narrow channel, but landfill dating back to the 1600s filled in the waterway. Visitors can now walk, drive, or take a bus to the peak to enjoy scenic views of Takamatsu and the islands of the Seto Inland Sea. In the past, the location of Yashima made it a strategic site: fortifications on the plateau were first mentioned in the Nihon shoki (The Chronicles of Japan), completed in 720. Centuries later, in 1185, the Dan no Ura cove on the eastern side of Yashima was the site of a famous battle between the rival Taira and Minamoto samurai clans. The Battle of Yashima was won by the Minamoto, who went on to crush the Taira and later established the Kamakura shogunate, which ruled Japan from 1192 to 1333. Another site of historical interest on Yashima is Yashimaji Temple, the 84th temple on the Shikoku 88-Temple Pilgrimage. Said to have been founded in the eighth century, the temple is most notable for its hondo (main hall), a designated Important Cultural Property built in the Kamakura period (1185–1333).
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5Takamatsu Bonsai no Sato
The city of Takamatsu is the leading producer of bonsai in Japan, growing roughly 80 percent of the country’s miniature pines. The Kokubunji and neighboring Kinashi neighborhoods are particularly renowned for these potted trees, which are grown at the approximately 60 bonsai gardens or nurseries that operate in the area. Some of these have been in business since the early nineteenth century, when local growers started making bonsai using the Japanese black pines that were extremely common along the shores and on the islands of the Seto Inland Sea.
The artisans of Takamatsu made use of botanical knowledge and pruning skills acquired in fruit farming, which has deep roots in the area, and developed bonsai-growing into an industry in its own right. Until the end of the Edo period in 1867, bonsai was a hobby practiced mainly by the nobility and high-ranking samurai, but it gained widespread popularity from the turn of the century onward. Rapid economic growth after World War II provided another boost, and the bonsai industry of Takamatsu flourished. All this was made possible by the local climate, which is relatively warm. Combined with low rainfall, the city is the ideal place to grow sturdy pines.
Takamatsu Bonsai no Sato in Kokubunji is a facility where visitors can learn more about the art of growing and cultivating bonsai. It offers a variety of workshops and classes for this purpose, but is more famous for its market, which attracts bonsai professionals from throughout Japan. More than 40 of Takamatsu’s bonsai nurseries sell their products at the market, where prospective buyers can choose from some 10,000 trees. Smaller specimens have been growing for 10 to 15 years, while the larger have been skillfully shaped for as many as 40 years at a nursery before going on sale.More details
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6Higashitani Rural Kabuki
Kabuki is a traditional pursuit of the Higashitani area of Kagawa-cho in the city of Takamatsu. People say Shitaya Kabuki got its start in the Bunsei era (1818–1830), when young people who came to Tokushima to work as indigo dyers started putting on plays to honor the local Shinto gods. When this early form of kabuki was in its heyday, everyone in the area was involved, and there was practically no one who did not appear on a kabuki stage at some point.
With the support of the local populace, in 2001 the newly named Gion-za Noson Kabuki Theater was formed on the grounds of Hirao Hachiman Shrine. Regular performances are held in May each year and occasionally at other times as well.
In 1963, the Kagawacho Cultural Property Preservation Association Kabuki Division was formed, and in 1965 Kagawa Prefecture recognized Higashitani Noson Kabuki as an Intangible Folk Cultural Property.More details
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7Shionoe Hot Springs
Shionoe Hot Springs, located in the southern part of the city of Takamatsu, are known as the oldest hot spring area in the prefecture. Refresh yourself in a relaxed atmosphere, surrounded by unspoiled nature. Traditional ryokan (Japanese inns) and day-use hot spring resorts are located here.
The hot springs are said to have been discovered in the Nara period (710-794) by the Buddhist priest and missionary Gyoki. In addition, the founder of the Shingon sect of Buddhism, Kukai, trained in this area and spread the word about the region’s healing waters. Thus, Shionoe has always been a historically important area, curing many people since ancient times.
The hot springs change their appearance in accordance with the seasons. The cherry blossoms of spring, the fireflies of summer, the fiery foliage of autumn, and the snowy landscape of winter—surely these scenes will attract you. Make sure to also try amago (masu salmon) or wild boar. The nature of Shionoe will always be here to entertain and delight you.
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8Shikokumura Open-Air Museum
This outdoor museum is located at the base of Yashima and displays 33 old folk houses and examples of historical architecture relocated from all over Shikoku. The 50,000 m2 site features buildings that display a rich variety of local flavor and were built during the Edo (1603 to 1868) or Taisho (1912 to 1926) eras. The museum also displays tools and items used by the people of those eras, showing you how they lived daily. The museum includes the Shikoku Mura Gallery designed by architect Tadao Ando, which displays paintings, sculptures, and Oriental works of art, among other exhibits. Also popular among visitors are Udon-no Waraya, a home-made udon noodle restaurant within a renovated old folk house with a thatched roof, and Tearoom Ijinkan, in a Western-style residence, or ijinkan, moved from Kobe.
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9Negoroji Temple
Negoroji Temple is the 82nd temple on the Shikoku 88-Temple Pilgrimage circuit, located on Mt. Aomine, which is the main Goshikidai Highland peak in Kagawa Prefecture. The temple grounds and path to the main hall are surrounded by lush greenery and lined with Japanese maples which make the scenery turn red in autumn. This is one of the most well-known maple leaf spots in the prefecture.
The pilgrimage path leading to Negoroji Temple is believed to have been used since the first half of the Edo period in the 17th century. There are still numerous road signs and milestones left from that era. You will also find other relics along the path, including a marker called gejoishi, which indicated the entrance to a sacred area and meant all pilgrims had to get off their horses or vehicles and continue on foot. Due to its importance as part of Japan’s national heritage, the path was designated a Historic Site in 2013.
Once you get to the temple grounds, you can continue down a straight path that will take you to the main hall, which houses about 33,000 bodhisattva statues, all donated by worshipers. Visitors who travel here by car are greeted by an unusual and perhaps slightly intimidating statue located on the parking lot near the temple.
It is a statue of ushi-oni, a supernatural monster (yokai) from the folklore of western Japan. The name literally translates as “ox demon”, which explains its bovine appearance. Ushi-oni were by nature extremely ruthless and savage. Legend has it that about 400 years ago, an ushi-oni from Mt. Aomine constantly terrorized a nearby village. One day, the villagers asked a master archer named Yamada Kurando Takakiyo to get rid of the demon once and for all. The archer accepted the task and went out to look for the demon, but the demon was nowhere to be found. The archer did not give up and decided to pray at Negoroji Temple. Finally, on the 21st day, he managed to spot and strike down the creature. It tried to escape, but the archer chased it down and cut off its horns. He gave the horns as an offering to the temple, where they have been preserved to this day.More details
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10Kokubunji Temple
Kokubunji Temple represents the 80th temple on the Shikoku 88-Temple Pilgrimage circuit. It was founded in the 8th century in Sanuki Province, which is nowadays known as Kagawa Prefecture. At the time, Japan was ruled by Emperor Shomu, who wanted to restore peace and stability in a country that had been ravaged by rebellions, natural disasters, and epidemics. In order to achieve that, he decided to establish a series of state-maintained Buddhist temples called Kokubunji all across Japan as the foundation for unity and prosperity. This is the Kokubunji Temple that represented Sanuki Province.
Kokubunji Temple is located about seven minutes on foot from Kokubu Station on the JR Yosan Line. The temple grounds are strewn with pine trees and a series of stone Buddhist statues lining the path that leads to the main hall, which has been designated an Important Cultural Property of Japan. There are exactly 88 statues along the path, and they represent a miniature version of the Shikoku 88-Temple Pilgrimage for worshipers who are unable to go through the entire journey. Walking down this path constitutes a good deed equal to completing the actual pilgrimage.
After the 88 statues, the path will take you past a group of large flat rocks. These are the foundation stones of Kondo Hall (main hall) that used to be there many centuries ago. The 33 stones have remained virtually intact, suggesting that the hall they supported was 28 meters long and 14 meters wide. In addition, there are 15 foundation stones in front of Jizo Hall (a hall dedicated to Jizo Bosatsu, an important Buddhist deity in Japan), which indicates that a pagoda 10 meters wide and 63 meters tall used to stand there. These are also the only two locations on Shikoku Island to be designated Special Historic Sites.
Visitors who wish to learn more about the history can visit the Sanuki Kokubunji Temple Site Museum, which is located in the temple’s vicinity. The museum houses ancient pottery, metal artifacts, and other objects excavated in the area. There is also a 1/20 scale model of the original Kondo Hall with informative illustrated panels and a video booth offering a virtual reality tour of the site.More details
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Islands of the Seto Inland Sea
The Seto Inland Sea is the body of water between the Japanese main islands of Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu. Often referred to simply as the Inland Sea, it has been a crucial waterway for trade, travel, and warfare since ancient times, and is dotted with some 3,000 islands. Some of the islands are inhabited and many more are uninhabited. Shodoshima, the second-largest island in the Inland Sea and famed for its olive plantations, and Naoshima, the “art island” that is one of the main venues of the Setouchi Triennale art festival, are popular tourist destinations. Ferries offer regular service from Takamatsu to both Shodoshima and Naoshima as well as to several smaller islands.
The beauty of the Inland Sea archipelago, with its lush forests, sandy beaches, and mostly calm waters, can be admired from observation points along the coast of Kagawa. These include Yashima, a volcanic plateau that towers over the city of Takamatsu, the Goshikidai Plateau between Takamatsu and Sakaide, and the Shonai Peninsula in the western city of Mitoyo. Visitors traveling by car or train can also enjoy views of the islands when crossing the 13-kilometer Seto Ohashi Bridge, which connects Shikoku and Honshu.More details
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Wasanbon: Making Fine-Grained Japanese Sugar Confections
For over two hundred years wasanbon have been produced mainly in the eastern part of Shikoku, in Kagawa and Tokushima Prefectures. The sugar is of the finest quality, made from crystallized sugar cane mixed with just the right amount of water to create these finely textured high-quality sweets. The name wasanbon relates to the fact that the sugar is ground three times on a board. Only the finest sugar is used. In the past, the method for making this sugar was a closely guarded secret.
Please take the opportunity to create these delightful candies. First mix the sugar. Then press the mixture into the wooden molds. Finally turn the pressed sugar onto the board. The sweets are so easy to make that anyone can do it. These candies reflect the beauty of the four seasons and an artistic appreciation of nature.
The wooden molds that are such an important part of the candy-making process are all made by one man, Yoshihiro Ichihara, the only practitioner of this traditional woodworking art in all Shikoku.More details