As tourism in Japan reaches record highs, finding places untouched by mass tourism is becoming increasingly difficult. However, Shikoku, the smallest of Japan’s four main islands, remains blissfully off the radar for most international visitors.
Shikoku is a place of deep spirituality, rugged coastlines, dramatic gorges, and incredible culinary traditions. It is best known for the 88 Temple Pilgrimage (Ohenro), a 1,200-kilometer route that circles the entire island.
Unmissable Experiences in Shikoku
- Walk a Section of the 88 Temple Pilgrimage: You don't need two months to walk the entire route. You can hike small, scenic sections of the trail in Tokushima or Kagawa prefectures to experience the spiritual atmosphere.
- Explore the Iya Valley: Often described as the 'Tibet of Japan,' the Iya Valley is a remote, mountainous region famous for its historic vine bridges, thatched-roof houses, and stunning autumn foliage.
- Visit Dogo Onsen: Located in Matsuyama, Dogo Onsen is one of Japan's oldest and most famous hot springs. Its wooden bathhouse famously inspired the bathhouse in Studio Ghibli's Spirited Away.
- Cycle the Shimanami Kaido: This spectacular 60-kilometer cycling route connects Shikoku to Honshu, crossing six islands via impressive suspension bridges over the Seto Inland Sea.
- See the Naruto Whirlpools: Tidal whirlpools form in the strait between Tokushima and Awaji Island, best viewed from a boat or the glass-floored walkway beneath the Ōnaruto Bridge. Time your visit to the tide table — they're dramatic at peak flow and unremarkable in between.
- Walk Ritsurin Garden in Takamatsu: A landscape garden of ponds, pine, and borrowed mountain scenery that many visitors rate alongside Japan's official 'three great gardens' — and it receives a fraction of their crowds.
Understanding the 88 Temple Pilgrimage
The Ohenro is the thread that ties the island together. The full circuit links 88 temples associated with the monk Kūkai (Kōbō Daishi) across roughly 1,200 kilometres, and walking all of it takes most pilgrims somewhere between 40 and 60 days. You'll recognise henro by their white vests, conical sedge hats, and walking staffs.
What's less widely understood abroad is that the majority of Japanese pilgrims today complete it by car or organised bus over a series of shorter trips, and that doing a partial section is entirely normal rather than a compromise. Temple 1, Ryōzen-ji in Tokushima, is the traditional starting point and easy to reach, and the first handful of temples sit close enough together to make a satisfying day or two on foot. The culture of settai — small gifts of food, drink or help offered to pilgrims by locals — is still very much alive, and encountering it is often what people remember most.
Getting There & Getting Around
Shikoku is connected to the main island of Honshu by three bridge systems, so you don't need a flight. The most common approach is the Shinkansen to Okayama, then the JR Marine Liner across the Seto-Ohashi Bridge to Takamatsu in about an hour. Matsuyama and Takamatsu also have domestic airports with direct flights from Tokyo and Osaka. Cyclists can arrive spectacularly by riding the Shimanami Kaido from Onomichi.
A car helps more here than elsewhere in Japan
This is one of the few parts of Japan where relying solely on trains will genuinely limit you. The rail network hugs the coast, so the island's interior — the Iya Valley above all — is awkward to reach without driving. If your itinerary is Takamatsu, Matsuyama and Dogo Onsen, trains are fine. If it includes the vine bridges or the remote gorges, rent a car for those days.
What to Eat
Regional Specialities Worth Planning Around
- Sanuki udon (Kagawa): Thick, square-edged, notably chewy wheat noodles. Kagawa treats udon as a civic identity, and self-service shops where you boil your own noodles and add toppings are a local institution.
- Katsuo no tataki (Kochi): Bonito seared hard over burning rice straw, sliced thick and served with garlic, salt and citrus. Kochi's Hirome Market is the easiest place to try it.
- Sudachi and yuzu (Tokushima and Kochi): Shikoku grows much of Japan's citrus, and these two turn up in everything from noodle broth to ponzu to beer.
- Taimeshi (Ehime): Sea bream served over rice — either simmered whole with the rice, or as sashimi mixed with egg and broth, depending on which part of the prefecture you're in.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) — Shikoku
How many days do you need in Shikoku?
Four to five days covers the island's highlights at a reasonable pace: Takamatsu and Ritsurin Garden, a night in the Iya Valley, Matsuyama with Dogo Onsen, and either the Naruto whirlpools or a stretch of the pilgrimage trail. Cycling the full Shimanami Kaido adds one to two days on top of that.
Is Shikoku worth visiting on a first trip to Japan?
On a first two-week trip focused on Tokyo and Kyoto, Shikoku is a stretch. It comes into its own on a second visit, or on a first trip long enough to justify slower travel — its appeal is rural landscape, hot springs and pilgrimage culture rather than headline sights, and it rewards unhurried days.
Do you need to speak Japanese in Shikoku?
You'll get by without it, but English is noticeably less common than in Tokyo, Kyoto or Osaka, particularly in the Iya Valley and at smaller temples and guesthouses. A translation app and a written copy of your accommodation's name and address in Japanese remove most of the friction.
When is the best time to visit Shikoku?
Spring (late March to May) and autumn (October to November) are ideal, with the Iya Valley's autumn foliage a particular draw. Summer is hot and humid with a rainy season in June, though mid-August brings the Awa Odori dance festival in Tokushima, one of Japan's largest and most energetic summer festivals.
Travel Guides Finder Editorial Team
Editorial Team
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