Shikoku Tours

Best of Shikoku Taxi Tour

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6

days

¥278,000

starting price

6

People max.

Matsuyama

starting place

Pricing

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Overview

This tour takes in all four prefectures of Shikoku in five days, visiting the most well-known sights. You might imagine that the popular places will be crowded, but Shikoku is a big place and even the famous spots can be enjoyed in peace and quiet. You visit castles, gardens, temples, and shrines. You get to commune with nature, and eat fresh produce in local markets. There are opportunities for learning and hands-on experiences in museums and workshops. We stay in a variety of accommodation, including onsen ryokan and modern hotels. Each of the prefectures has its own culinary culture, and you can enjoy a range of different food and sake.

Who is this tour for?

This is a private tour for two people or more who want to find out what Shikoku is all about without spending a full week doing so. The tour makes a good introduction to Shikoku (and Japan for that matter). Some of the attractions can only be accessed by walking up steep slopes or steps, so you’ll need to be reasonably fit. The onsen ryokan accommodation has ensuite toilets and baths, but if you want to use the public baths, you need to be OK with getting naked with strangers.

Price

From

¥508,000 / person with 2
¥319,000 / person with 4
¥278,000 / person with 6

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Itinerary

On day 1, You arrive in Matsuyama by air, rail, or bus and check into your hotel.
The tour starts in Matsuyama with a visit to Matsuyama Castle. After enjoying the view from the top of the keep, you drive to Uchiko. Here you explore the fascinating Uchiko-za Theatre with its wooden stage machinery and the palatial former home of a candle merchant. From here, you drive south to the great Shimanto River, where you stay at a ryokan.

Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Today you take a covered boat and glide over the reflective water of the Shimanto River. You stop to walk over some of the picturesque submersible bridges that cross the river at intervals. Then you visit the pretty port town of Kure with its nostalgic fish market where you eat lunch, before visiting a local sake brewery to learn about brewing and to enjoy a tasting. At Ino on the Niyodo River, you learn about the traditional craft of papermaking, and the modern uses of washi paper. You end the day in Kōchi, at the lively Hirome Market where you select from a wide choice of local dishes and sake.

Included: Breakfast
Your first stop is Katsurahama Beach on the Pacific Ocean with its statue of Sakamoto Ryōma gazing into the distance. Then you visit pilgrimage Temple No. 31, Chikurin-ji, set in a beautiful Japanese garden. Next, you head north into Tokushima where you take a boat through the Ōboke Gorge and walk over the swaying vine bridge of Iya Valley. You stay at an onsen perched on the valley slope with a fantastic outdoor onsen.

Included: Breakfast, Dinner
From Iya, you drive through the mountains to Kotohira in Kagawa, to climb the many steps up to Konpira Shrine. You make our own lunch of udon noodles, then head to Ritsurin Garden where the samurai lords of Takamatsu once took their leisure. Here you enjoy tea overlooking the lake. Your accommodation is a modern hotel in Takamatsu.

Included: Breakfast, Lunch
From Takamatsu, you drive to Naruto and walk on the bridge over the Naruto whirlpools. The tour ends in Tokushima city.

Included: Breakfast

Highlights

Matsuyama Castle

Matsuyama Castle is a hilltop castle standing on the summit of Mt. Katsuyama, an imposing hill in the middle of Matsuyama.

Matsuyama

The largest city in Shikoku, Matsuyama has maintained its vitality and cultural traditions across the centuries.

Uchiko

Uchiko is a historic town of elegant houses and commercial buildings in an unspoiled rural setting.

Uchiko-za Theatre

Built in 1916 to celebrate the accession of Emperor Taisho in the economic heyday of Uchiko when performing arts were thriving, the theatre is used as a multi-purpose hall.

Kamihaga Residence

One of the biggest and finest buildings in Uchiko is the Kamihaga Residence, the former home and workshop of the Kamihaga family.

Shimanto River

The Shimanto River boasts some of the most beautiful river scenery in all of Japan and offers a wide range of activities.

Kure

A city with a rich maritime military history.

Niyodo River

The Niyodo River is one of the three major rivers of Shikoku. It rises in the mountains of central Shikoku, running southeastward through Kōchi and flowing into the Pacific at Tosa city.

Ino Paper Museum

The Ino Paper Museum has exhibitions, a workshop, and a shop with a surprising range of beautiful paper articles.

Kōchi City

Kochi City is the capital of Kochi Prefecture known for its castle, its historic tram system, its food and the friendliness of its inhabitants.

Hirome Market

Kōchi’s best-known place to eat.

Katsurahama Beach

Beach is located about 30 km south of Kochi City on the picturesque Tosa Bay.

Temple 31, Chikurin-ji

Chikurin-ji is temple No. 31 on the Shikoku pilgrimage, or Henro. It’s located on Mt. Godai, a fairly high hill within Kōchi city. Chikurin-ji means ‘bamboo forest temple’, although today, Mt. Godai is more broad-leaf and pine forest than bamboo. What to see Chikurin-ji has many beauties. There’s a long approach to the main compound...

Included

- Private vehicle
- English-speaking driver
- Accommodation
- Meals
- Basic insurance

Excluded

- Travel to and from Shikoku
- Drinks
- Comprehensive personal

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