Shikoku: Japan's Quietest Big Island

Shikoku, Japan's smallest of the four main islands, has fewer foreign visitors per square kilometre than anywhere except Tohoku. It rewards travellers who don't mind slower trains and shorter English menus.

The island sits south of Honshu, separated by the Seto Inland Sea, and is roughly the size of Wales. Where Kyoto sees 50 million visitors a year, Shikoku sees around 3 million, most of them domestic pilgrims or retirees on package tours. The pace is slower, the English signage thinner, and the infrastructure older - but that's part of the appeal for travellers who've already done the golden route and want something quieter.

You'll find working fishing ports, valley hamlets that still use dialect so thick even Tokyo residents struggle, and craft workshops where a single artisan has been making the same product for 40 years. It's not a place for rushing. Mobile coverage can be patchy in the mountains, and some rural buses run twice a day. Plan carefully, build in buffer time, and you'll be rewarded with landscapes and encounters that feel decades removed from the bullet-train corridor.

Why visit

Three reasons: the 88-temple pilgrimage (you can walk a few of them in a day), the Iya Valley, one of Japan's most dramatic gorge landscapes, and the uchiwa (fan) and noren craft cultures of Marugame and Naruto.

The pilgrimage circuit is 1,200 kilometres long in full, tracing the footsteps of the monk Kobo Daishi who founded the Shingon school of Buddhism. Most modern pilgrims complete it by tour bus over a week or two, but you can walk shorter sections - say, temples 1 to 5 around Naruto - in a long day. The trails are marked with red arrows, and you'll pass elderly Japanese in white robes and conical hats carrying wooden staffs. Temple visits are free to walk the grounds, though the inner halls often charge around ¥200-¥400. Each temple sells a calligraphy stamp (around ¥300) if you're collecting the full set.

Iya Valley is the geographical heart of the island - a roadless gorge until the 1960s, where Heike clan refugees hid after their defeat in 1185. The vine bridges they allegedly built are now reconstructed every three years using mountain vines and steel cables. It's the most photogenic spot on Shikoku, but also the most logistically awkward. Buses from Oboke Station run three to five times a day depending on season, and the journey takes around 40 minutes. If you miss the last bus back (typically around 16:00-17:00), you're stranded unless you've pre-booked a minshuku in the valley.

The craft angle is less headline-grabbing but arguably more distinctive. Marugame produces 90% of Japan's rigid fans (uchiwa), and you can visit workshops where artisans glue bamboo ribs and paste washi paper by hand. Naruto has a small neighbourhood of noren curtain makers - those split fabric panels that hang in shop doorways. Some workshops offer short demonstrations or let you try a few folds under supervision. These aren't major tourist attractions; expect minimal English, and call ahead if possible.

A 5-day route

Day 1: Takamatsu. Arrive via the Seto Ohashi bridge from Okayama. The JR Marine Liner express takes around 60 minutes from Okayama Station and costs roughly ¥1,570 for an unreserved seat. Takamatsu is the largest city on Shikoku (population around 420,000) and the natural entry point. It's also the udon capital - the "Sanuki udon" style here is thick, chewy, and served cold or in a light broth. Head to the old town near Ritsurin-koen Station and you'll find tiny shops with no English menus, self-service counters, and bowls for ¥300-¥500. Portions are small; locals often order two.

Ritsurin Garden is a 15-minute walk from JR Takamatsu Station or one stop on the Kotoden local line. Entry is around ¥410. It's a 17th-century stroll garden with six ponds and 13 miniature landscapes backed by Mount Shiun. Budget 90 minutes to walk the full circuit. The garden is meticulously maintained - every pine tree is hand-pruned - and noticeably quieter than equivalent gardens in Kyoto. Early morning visits (gates open at 07:00 in summer, 08:30 in winter) have the fewest crowds.

If you have time in the afternoon, the covered Marugamemachi shopping arcade runs for 2.7 kilometres through the city centre. It's not historic, but it shows you daily life on Shikoku - the mix of chain stores and family-run shops, the slower pace, the lack of foreign tourists. For dinner, try the izakaya alleys near the station, where grilled chicken and local sake dominate the menus.

Day 2: Naoshima. Day-trip to the famous art island (40-minute ferry). Ferries leave from Takamatsu Port (around 15 minutes by bus from JR Takamatsu Station) roughly every two hours, though the schedule varies by season. The fare is typically ¥520 one way. Naoshima has been transformed since the 1990s by the Benesse corporation and architect Tadao Ando into an open-air modern art museum. The island is tiny - about 8 square kilometres - and you can cover the main sites by rental bicycle (around ¥300-¥500 per day) or the town bus (¥100 flat fare).

Pumpkin by Yayoi Kusama sits on a pier and is free to photograph. Chichu Art Museum, built into a hillside with natural light pouring through geometric skylights, houses permanent works by Monet, James Turrell, and Walter De Maria. Entry must be booked in advance online, especially for weekends and holidays. The museum limits visitor numbers strictly, so expect to wait if you arrive without a reservation.

The Art House Project consists of seven abandoned houses in the old fishing village of Honmura, each converted by a contemporary artist. A combined ticket costs around ¥1,050 for six houses (one requires a separate fee). James Turrell's "Minamidera" is the most affecting - a pitch-black room where your eyes slowly adjust to reveal a faint rectangle of light. It feels like a meditation exercise. Allow three hours minimum for Honmura.

Caveats: Naoshima is expensive for food. The island has one small supermarket and a handful of cafés charging Tokyo prices. Bring snacks or plan to eat before you return to Takamatsu. Also note that most museums close on Mondays (or the following Tuesday if Monday is a public holiday). Check the Benesse Art Site Naoshima website before you book your ferry.

Day 3: Iya Valley. Take the train to Oboke, then a bus into the deep mountain valley. The JR Dosan Line from Takamatsu to Oboke Station takes around 90 minutes and costs roughly ¥2,500. Oboke Station is unmanned, and the waiting room is basic. Buses operated by Yonkoh Bus depart from the station forecourt and wind up the valley road to the vine bridges (Kazurabashi). The journey is around 40 minutes and costs approximately ¥1,900 one way. Buses are infrequent - three to five per day depending on the season - so note the return time when you board.

The Kazurabashi (vine bridges) were originally built by 12th-century refugees from the Heike clan, though the current structures are reconstructed and reinforced with steel cables for safety. The main bridge spans 45 metres, and entry costs around ¥550. The planks are spaced with gaps, so you can see the river churning below. It sways as you walk, and some visitors freeze halfway across. If you're uncomfortable with heights, watch from the viewing platform instead. A second, smaller double bridge (Oku-Iya Niju Kazurabashi) sits deeper in the valley, but it requires a car or a separate bus connection.

The valley itself is steep-sided, forested, and ribboned with waterfalls. The road hugs the gorge wall, and in places you'll see abandoned terraced fields clinging to slopes too steep to farm. It's beautiful in an austere way, but it's not a place to wander aimlessly. Mobile signal is weak, English is almost non-existent, and amenities are sparse. If you're staying overnight, minshuku (family-run guesthouses) often serve hearth-grilled river fish and mountain vegetables for dinner. Book in advance; walk-ins are rarely accepted.

Day 4: Matsuyama. Dogo Onsen - one of Japan's oldest hot springs, with a wooden bathhouse Studio Ghibli reportedly used as inspiration for "Spirited Away". The journey from Oboke to Matsuyama is long: backtrack to Takamatsu or travel via Kochi and change at Tadotsu, around three to four hours in total depending on connections, costing approximately ¥4,000-¥5,000. Matsuyama is Shikoku's second-largest city (population around 510,000) and has a more polished tourist infrastructure than the rest of the island.

Dogo Onsen Main Building, the historic bathhouse, reopened in stages after major renovations. At the time of writing, the building is partially accessible, but check current status before visiting. Entry to the basic bath typically costs around ¥450-¥600 depending on the bathing option. The building is three storeys of dark wood, curved eaves, and a mechanical heron that appears on the rooftop tower. The interior baths are communal, gender-separated, and small by modern onsen standards. The appeal is the atmosphere, not the facilities.

The hot spring district around Dogo Onsen Station is compact and walkable - covered arcades, sweet shops selling tart jelly, and souvenir stalls. Matsuyama Castle sits on a hilltop in the city centre and is worth the ropeway ride for the views over the Seto Inland Sea. The castle is a 17th-century reconstruction with a small museum inside. Allow 90 minutes.

For dinner, head to Okaido, the covered shopping street in the city centre. It's lined with izakaya, ramen shops, and local chains. Matsuyama is known for Jakoten, a fried fish cake made from small bony fish, and Taimeshi, sea bream served over rice with a raw egg and soy-based sauce.

Day 5: Kochi. The southwestern corner. The JR Yosan Line from Matsuyama to Kochi takes around 2.5 hours and costs roughly ¥3,000-¥4,000 depending on the service. Kochi city is smaller (around 330,000 people) and feels more laid-back. The main draw is Kochi Castle, one of only 12 original castles in Japan, and Hirome Market, a cavernous indoor food hall.

Kochi Castle sits in the city centre, around 15 minutes' walk from JR Kochi Station or a short tram ride (¥200 flat fare). The castle dates from the early 17th century, and unlike many Japanese castles, both the keep and the palace structures survived fires and wars. The views from the top floor stretch across the city and south towards Cape Muroto. The surrounding park is pleasant but unremarkable.

Hirome Market is the real highlight. It's a communal eating hall with around 60 stalls selling everything from tempura to yakitori to bonito tataki, Kochi's signature dish. Bonito (katsuo) is seared over straw flames until the outside is charred and the inside is nearly raw, then sliced and served with garlic, ginger, and spring onions. You buy from the stalls and sit at shared tables. Expect to pay around ¥800-¥1,200 for a set. The market gets loud and smoky during lunch and dinner. If you're uncomfortable with crowds and cigarette smoke (smoking is still permitted in some sections), go mid-afternoon instead.

Cape Ashizuri is at the southern tip of Shikoku, around two hours by bus from Kochi (around ¥2,000 one way). It's a dramatic headland with cliffs, a lighthouse, and Kongofuku-ji, the 38th temple on the pilgrimage circuit. The cape is remote, and buses are infrequent. Unless you have a car or a full extra day, it's hard to fit in alongside the market and castle.

Getting around

JR Shikoku passes are cheap and cover most of the train network. A three-day pass costs around ¥9,000-¥10,000, a five-day pass around ¥12,000-¥13,000, and a seven-day pass around ¥15,000-¥16,000. These passes are excellent value if you're moving between cities. The catch is that Shikoku's trains are slow - limited express services top out at around 120 kilometres per hour, and local trains stop at every hamlet. The journey from Takamatsu to Kochi, for example, takes 2.5 hours by limited express but closer to four hours by local services.

The island is small enough to drive coast to coast in around three to four hours, but mountain valleys (especially Iya) make rental cars appealing. Roads are narrow, winding, and sometimes unpaved in rural areas. Navigation systems in rental cars usually have English menus, but road signs do not. Petrol stations close early in the countryside - fill up before heading into the mountains. Rental costs start around ¥5,000-¥7,000 per day for a compact car, plus fuel and insurance.

Local buses fill gaps in the train network but require patience. Timetables are in Japanese, routes change seasonally, and delays are common on mountain roads. The Iya Valley bus is a perfect example - essential for access, but unforgiving if you miss it. Some routes accept IC cards (Suica, Pasmo), but many rural buses are cash-only. Keep ¥1,000 notes and coins handy.

When to go

April to May (azaleas in Iya) and October to November (autumn leaves) are the headline seasons. Spring brings cherry blossoms in late March to early April at lower elevations, followed by azaleas in the mountains through May. The Iya Valley turns vivid pink and white. Autumn colours peak in mid-November in the mountains and stretch into early December along the coast.

Summer (June to August) is humid, with temperatures regularly above 30°C and heavy rainfall in June and early July during tsuyu (the rainy season). If you visit in summer, expect sticky weather, fewer foreign tourists, and occasional typhoons in August and September. Air conditioning is standard in hotels but rare in older minshuku.

Winter (December to February) is mild by Japanese standards - snow is rare except in the Iya Valley mountains - but many smaller attractions close or reduce hours. Some pilgrim lodgings and mountain guesthouses shut entirely from January to March. Dogo Onsen and the cities remain open, but the countryside feels dormant. It's the quietest season and the cheapest for accommodation, but also the least convenient.

Practical notes

English signage is thinner than on Honshu. Takamatsu and Matsuyama have reasonable English at stations and major hotels, but smaller towns and rural areas assume Japanese literacy. Download offline maps (Maps.me or Google Maps offline mode) and have your accommodation address written in Japanese. Staff in rural guesthouses and buses often speak minimal English - patience and a translation app go a long way.

ATMs that accept foreign cards are not ubiquitous. Convenience stores (Seven-Eleven, Lawson, FamilyMart) are your safest bet. Smaller towns may have no international ATMs at all, so withdraw cash in Takamatsu or Matsuyama before heading into the countryside. Some minshuku and craft workshops are cash-only.

Foreign tourist numbers are rising slowly, but you'll still see fewer travellers here than in Kyoto or Hakone. That means fewer English menus, but also fewer crowds at temples, gardens, and onsen. If you're comfortable with a bit of logistical ambiguity, Shikoku offers a slower, older version of Japan that's increasingly hard to find elsewhere.