Jane's Midlife Journey

Takamatsu in 1 Day Itinerary

Day 1

Train to Takamatsu Seto Ohashi Bridge Takamatsu Accommodation – Comfort Hotel Takamatsu Ritsurin Garden Lunch at Tamachi Shopping Arcade Takamatsu Castle

Train to Takamatsu

It’s time to check out, return to the station and catch the train to Takamatsu. This involves a 53 minute trip on a train which changes name part way along the route. So, we start on the Seto-Ohashi Line and complete our journey on the Yosan Line Rapid Mariner, all on the same train. The old man is most perturbed by such chicanery and is primed to leap out of the evil, name-shifting train at any moment. We reach our destination despite the cunning train’s attempt to trick us.

Japan consists of four main islands plus over 6000 smaller islands. Thus far, we have spent all our time on the main island, Honshu. Today, we are travelling to the fourth largest island, Shikoku.

Shikoku is separated from Honshu by the Seto Inland Sea. It is famous for its 88 sacred temples which form a popular pilgrimage. According to my guide book it is “synonymous with natural beauty and the pursuit of spiritual perfection”. We’re going to do a parkrun.

There are three routes to Shikoku (more of that later). By train, you cross via an 8 mile long double decker series of bridges.

Seto Ohashi Bridge

The Seto Ohashi Bridge is actually a set of 11 bridges connecting Honshu and Shikoku via a series of islands.

Although it sounds exciting crossing one of the biggest bridge complexes in the world, we’re actually on the lower deck with the road bridge above us so there’s not such a great view. In addition, there’s a lot of girders. Much as I lament a good photo op, if I’m on a train on a bridge over the sea, the more girders the better!

Takamatsu

We are spending a night in the port city of Takamatsu. To be honest, we’re only staying here because we planned to go to the art island of Naoshimi, but it is closed this week for maintenance.

Accommodation – Comfort Hotel Takamatsu

Tonight’s accommodation is the Comfort Hotel. The old man claimed he only booked hotels close to the station, but this one is a mile away. So we take a taxi. It’s a budget hotel but still very clean and comfortable with all the gadgets. And does a complimentary breakfast (which is, I suspect, why the old man picked it).

Hotel toilet report: premature – keeps flushing before you’ve finished your business (no photo!)

Ritsurin Garden

We walk from our hotel to Ritsurin Garden, which claims to be is one of the most beautiful gardens in the country. The garden dates from the 17th Century and took more than a 100 years to complete.

It was designed as strolling garden for the enjoyment of the regional lord. The park winds around a series of ponds, tearooms, bridges and islands all with a mountain backdrop. The theory is that the scenery changes with every step. As I walk along, I wonder which 10 shots of this visual feast the garden’s designer would have picked to post to Instagram?

Entry to the garden costs Y410.

Again, we are in luck with blossom spotting, as some of the trees in the Apricot Orchard are coming into bloom.

Lunch at Tamachi Shopping Arcade

We walk back towards town via Tamachi Shopping Arcade. This covered shopping area is one of 8 converging arcades, which forms of the longest arcade in Japan totalling almost two miles in length.

We pick a noodle bar at random and the old man orders the hot pot, which really is a hot pot as it comes with its own little burner. I go for the Cheese Curry; an interesting choice. Not something I’d pick again.

Takamastsu Castle

Takamatsu Castle is a (restored) 16th Century Castle in a park with a sea water moat. As we have already walked 11 miles today and it’s a further mile to the castle, I decide to chill at the hotel, but the old man is determined to plough on.

He returns somewhat underwhelmed by the experience. There’s not much of the castle or its infrastructure left. Entry to the castle remains costs Y200.

We round the evening off with a snack in our hotel room. Today’s crisp choice; grilled plum. To be honest, I thought the photo on the packet was peppercorns, so the sweetness was a bit of a shock. On the culinary front it’s not been the most successful day.

First, breakfast, which is complimentary at the Comfort Hotel. Before approaching the buffet, we must be appropriately dressed in masks and gloves.

The food is an eclectic mix and contains a number of items I don’t understand how you’d eat with chopsticks. As the only other option is baby cutlery, I choose that and eat my scrambled egg and veggie spaghetti bolognaise with a teeny tiny baby fork and spoon.

Then we set off for the station a mile away. There is a bus which stops just outside the hotel, but the old man says it’s antisocial to take a suitcase on a bus, so we walk to the station through the shopping arcade. At this time of morning it’s a bit like walking down the middle of a cycle super highway.

The walk takes much longer than expected (thank goodness for the old man’s contingency) and we just have time to board the train and for him to stress about where to put the suitcase on the almost empty train.

• Trip taken: January 2023
• Updated: April 2026

I hope you found the above information useful. For guides to more destinations in the 50+ countries we have visited, check out my full list of Independent Travel Itineraries here.