We went to Takamatsu in early April, 2010.
The population is 830,000.
We flew to Kansai, stayed overnight in Osaka, then trained to Takamatsu. We went by bullet train to Okayama (45 minutes), then changed to an express train which took another hour.
TAKAMATSU
Our hotel was across the road from beautiful Ritsurin Park.
The grog shop around the corner.
A clock in front of the railway station.
Shikoku Mura is a park housing over 20 buildings from around Shikoku from the Edo period.
Flowering plum near Shikoku Mura.
Tulips standing in a row in Shikoku Mura Park.
Shopping mall in Takumatsu.
Inside a restaurant at the port.
The cat is called Maneki Niko. It is a lucky charm for businesses. See, if a cat washed its face, it will rain, and this will drive people to seek shelter by going inside the shop, restaurant
Tamamo Park.
A sculpture in a shopping mall.
YASHIMA
Yashima is a mountain on the eastern edge of Takamatsu. A bus will get you to the top in fifteen minutes, where you'll find a temple, shrines, cherry blossoms and a deserted holiday resort. You'll also get a good view of the city below.
KOCHI
Kochi is a city of about 600,000 people down in central southern Shikoku.
The train takes about two hours twenty minutes as it winds though some stunning valleys, and criss crosses rivers.
Kochi has a stunning castle, with great views of the city.
A palm lined river bank in Kochi.
A train station sign.
TOKUSHIMA
Tokushima has a cable car, and a beautiful Castle Park.
NARUTO
There is a big bridge with a glass bottom viewing space where you can see massive whirlpools.
Most breathtaking is the massive Otsuka International Museum. This museum has to scale, a replication of the Sistene Chapel. There is the Mona Lisa, AND Blue Poles. See link below.
OSAKA
We stayed overnight in Osaka at this hotel that has a Belgium church (originally built in 1579) re built on the 8th floor. When I booked they thought it was strange we wanted a room with two single beds. Ah ! It was a wedding reception church. And they still use the chapel for wedding ceremonies.
In summary:
What a wonderful holiday. Great people, tasty food, good scenery, brilliant museum.
We stayed at an inexpensive 'Business class' hotel. The staff were friendly without being over effusive. The elderly lady who picked up the breakfast dishes, would tap on her window, and smile and wave as we walked out every morning.
One night I suggested we ask a taxi driver to take us to a nice sushi restaurant. This isn't as difficult as it sounds, for the word "sushi" is translated into Japanese as "sushi", and the word restaurant is translated into Japanese as "restauran". For cheap, I held my wallet and waved my hands to mean 'not expensive'. Our glorious lady taxi driver, a seventy year old dear done up to the nines with bold bright red lippie on, smiled, nodded her head indicating she understood, and drove off. We went way out into the suburbs somewhere before she stopped. She escorted us into the restaurant and said something to the elderly sushi chef, and left us. What a restaurant ! Old ! Charming ! Small ! At the counter there were about four old men, and at the two tables, just us. We asked for "sake", which translates into Japanese as "sake", and "sushi". What a meal ! So beautiful and fresh ! After a half an hour, the other customers started to talk to us. And we had fun, guessing the type of questions that would be asked of tourists. Us: "Australia", "holiday", "no children" and much "cheers" which translates as "kampai". When we were ready to leave, we stood up. Before we got our wallets out, the chef went and made a phone call, and he indicated we should stay. We paid about $75 all up. Soon the front door opened and there was our taxi driver, all smiles and chatter. She returned us to our hotel, and refused to take the return fare !
Takamatsu: http://www.japanvisitor.com/japan-city-guides/takamatsu-guide
Kochi: http://visitkochijapan.com/
Otsuka International Museum http://o-museum.or.jp/english/
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