Getting Oriented

Shikoku has four prefectures—Kagawa in the northeast, Tokushima below it, Ehime in the west, and Kochi along the entire Pacific coast. This is arranged as an itinerary beginning in Kagawa's Takamatsu and moving through Tokushima to the central Iya Valley, south to Kochi, and finally north towards Ehime's Matsuyama. The reverse loop is just as practicable. The advantage of finishing around Matsuyama is the easy access by bus or bicycle to Hiroshima, or by ferry to Hiroshima, Kyushu, Kobe, or Osaka—perfect for a direct link to Kansai Airport if it's time to go home.