🚢 The Shikoku Journey Quietly Begins 🚢

Highlights: Yawatahama Matsuyama Okayama Takamatsu Zentsuji Kotohira Kochi Tokushima I set off early in the morning from Beppu by boat, crossing the strait without a clear plan and ignoring the strong wind warnings. The next day, the windstorm was so fierce that the Seto Inland Sea Bridge was completely halted. So, be mindful of wind suspensions, as Shikoku is known for its coastal bridges, including the famous Seto Inland Sea Bridge, with scenery that's more impressive than Kyushu's and worth the visit. Yawatahama: From the pier to the station, it's just a 20-minute walk where you can enjoy self-selected seafood barbecue, orange juice, and fruit snacks. No wonder the journey of Suzume begins here. 📍Matsuyama: From the station, I walked through the south and east of Matsuyama City. I passed by the cable car and crossed the Yumegijō Castle to reach Dogo Onsen. The familiar hot springs and bustling marketplace are classic. The 460 yen Dogo Onsen is still the best, with its small pool, stone pillars with two water outlets, and crystal-clear water, all with nearly a century of history as a former imperial hot spring resort. 📍Okayama: I wanted to visit Okayama first and then return to Takamatsu, but the strong winds prevented me from leaving, so I had to visit Okayama's U Castle, the Back Garden, and the museum. The Back Garden has a history of three hundred years and is very classic with its tree arrays, ponds, islands, and plum forests. It's worth a visit. There's also a unique umeboshi (plum) flavored ice cream. Okayama Castle is also known as U Castle due to its black walls, and there are many historical buildings. 📍Takamatsu: Takamatsu's ancient castle is the only one built on the sea, with a seawater moat and large koi fish waiting to be fed. They have a round head and big eyes, looking quite comical. Although the city has expanded, it's still located by the sea and the pier. You can visit Shodoshima, the small strait, Angel Road, Olive Park, and more. You can also visit Megijima, Onishima, Naoshima, and so on. 📍Zentsuji: A small experience of the Shikoku pilgrimage. Due to the short time, I completed Zentsuji, Shakujo-ji, Mandara-ji, Kōzan-ji, and Kinzō-ji, which are about 10 km of hiking. If time permits, you can add two more temples: Mitsudo-ji (near Marugame Station) and Dōryū-ji (near Tadotsu Station), making a total of seven temples, plus Kotohira's Kintaro Shrine. 📍Kochi: A city on the southern coast of Shikoku, very pleasant. From Kochi Station to the Red Bridge, the right side is a market street for shopping and delicious food. At the end of the street is Kochi Castle, with well-preserved donjons and a historical museum below. 📍Tokushima's Naruto Whirlpools: Take bus 17 to Naruto Park directly. Pass by the Naruto Bridge Memorial Hall to check the daily tide times posted. Decide whether to watch the whirlpools now or wait. If it's not high tide, cross the bridge. Spend half an hour on the road, half an hour watching the whirlpools, and another half hour visiting the Naruto Bridge Exhibition. The Awa Odori is a memorial ceremony dance in Japan. Overall, Shikoku's cities are very leisurely and relaxing, suitable for slowing down, enjoying the scenery, experiencing culture, tasting delicious food and drinks, and most importantly, experiencing the temple culture along the Shikoku pilgrimage route, taking a boat out to the islands, and traveling to Wakayama, Osaka, and the Kansai region. #Japan #JapanFreeTravel #Shikoku #ShikokuPilgrimage #Matsuyama #Takamatsu #Kochi #Tokushima #DayTrip #Yawatahama