Shikoku
We’ve compiled the best of the best in Shikoku - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.
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1. Isamu Noguchi Garden Museum
A wonderland of indoor and outdoor sculpture both playful and profound, this facility occupies the former studio and grounds of the Japanese-American sculptor Isamu Noguchi (1904–88). The modernist artist, whose large-scale sculptures grace buildings, parks, and gardens around the world, was also known for his furniture (most notably the Noguchi table), lamps, and landscape architecture. The artist's sensitivity and expressiveness are in evidence everywhere on this site that exhibits his works in stone and other media. Officially, visitation requires reservation by fax or email at least 10 days in advance, but if you call the museum you might be able to gain entrance on shorter notice. One advantage to early booking, though, is that you'll have a better chance of having an English speaker accompany you as you tour.
3519 Mure, Mure-cho, Takamatsu, Kagawa-ken, 761-0121, Japan087-870–1500Sight Details
Rate Includes: ¥2,200, Closed Mon., Wed., Fri., and Sun., Reservations required -
2. Ritsurin Garden
Built by a feudal lord in the 17th century, this garden became public property after the 19th-century Meiji Restoration and is now a registered National Treasure. With 75 total acres, 16 of them landscaped, Ritsurin contains close to 1,000 sculpted pine trees, six carp-filled ponds, and two wooden teahouses where samurai used to gather to perform tea ceremonies and compose haiku. Give yourself at least two hours to stroll through the garden, and don't miss Kikugetsu-tei teahouse, which serves green tea and snacks daily from 9 to 4:30, with lunch also available in spring and autumn (reservation only). There is also a rustic kiosk serving simple udon lunches, tempura, and chestnut ice cream, as well as offering kimono rental (¥3,500 for two hours) if you fancy a stroll in traditional finery. The garden is especially peaceful in the early morning or late afternoon. English maps are provided at the entrance. Audio guides cost ¥200, but if you book at least a week in advance you might be able to engage a free volunteer guide who speaks English.
1--20--16 Ritsurin-cho, Takamatsu, Kagawa-ken, 760-0073, Japan087-833–7411Sight Details
Rate Includes: ¥410 -
3. Kagawa Prefectural Museum
Just east of the castle park, this museum contains exhibits about Kagawa's history and art. A third-floor exhibit chronicles regional history from ancient to modern times; the second floor displays art from the museum's permanent collection and presents special exhibitions; and the ground floor has an art-books library and a hands-on area where kids can play with traditional Japanese toys. Free English audio guides are available, but you needn't know a lick of Japanese to enjoy walking inside a Neolithic hut, sitting in a 19th-century schoolroom, or crawling with a magnifying glass on the giant photo map of Kagawa.
5--5 Tamamo-cho, Takamatsu, Kagawa-ken, 760-0030, Japan087-822–0002Sight Details
Rate Includes: ¥410, Closed Mon. -
4. Megijima and Ogijima Islands
While Naoshima is the most popular of the Seto Inland Sea islands to visit from Takamatsu (thanks to its collection of galleries and outdoor art), there are smaller islands well worth a look. In recent years, art installations and the Setouchi Trienniale contemporary art festival have expanded to both Megijima and Ogijima, just without the polish (or price) of Naoshima’s major venues. Beyond the low-key art, walking around Megijima gives the opportunity to slowly take in the laidback island life enjoyed by the 170 or so islanders, as well as to explore old smuggling caves once said to be home to ogres or just chill on Megijima's scenic beach. Over on Ogijima, population 160, you can stroll through the island’s old village and on to its photogenic lighthouse, before checking out even more art installations. It all makes for a very mellow day out. Megijima and Ogijima can easily be visited together in a day, and will leave a much smaller dent in your budget than gallery hopping on Naoshima. A Shiyujima Kaiun ferry service runs at least six times daily from Takamatsu to Megijima (20 minutes) and then on to Ogijima (another 20 minutes).
Takamatsu, Kagawa-ken, Japan -
5. Shikoku Mura Village
An open-air museum east of central Takamatsu, Shikoku Mura consists of traditional houses that have been relocated from around Shikoku. The park does a fabulous job of illustrating how life on Shikoku has changed throughout the centuries. You can enter Shikoku Mura by crossing a rickety vine bridge, or play it safe and use the sidewalk detour. The route through the park is clearly marked, and the information boards in English are thoughtful and thorough. The highlights include a village Kabuki theater relocated from Shodoshima Island, thatched-roof farmhouses from mountain villages, fishermen's huts, sugarcane-pressing sheds, and lighthouse-keepers' residences. The prolific Osaka-born architect Tadao Ando designed the concrete-and-glass Shikoku Mura Gallery on-site. On a hill above the sugarcane-pressing shed, it looks as if shipped here from central Tokyo. Works by Renoir, Picasso, and Pierre Bonnard are displayed inside, but the showstopper is the outdoor water garden.
91 Yashima-Naka-machi, Takamatsu, Kagawa-ken, 761-0112, Japan087-843–3111Sight Details
Rate Includes: ¥1,600, Closed Tues. -
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