I am planning a day trip from Okayama to Takamatsu for April. I just realized that due to the train and bus schedules, it might be impossible to do the Ritsurin Koen Garden, Shikoku Mura and Yashima, the sites I am interested in.... At least I could not figure out how to do it, assuming a relatively early (9:39) arrival in Takamatsu and no walking through the shopping arcade or spending time in Sunport...
So it seems that best case we can do the Garden and either Shikoku Mura and Yashima (no hiking assumed). I could not locate anywhere the Kotoden train schedules to/from Yashima. I found (in a blog) a somewhat readable map of the garden - it seems to be huge, so I assume a min of 2 hours. I looked at descriptions and youtube for both Shikoku Mura and Yashima, but it is almost like comparing apples with oranges. Any comments from those of you familiar with these sites that would help in making a decision between the two, would be appreciated.

Have you tried using Japanguide.com? I didn't look closely enough to answer your questions, but it has maps, train schedules including Kotoden, and directions, opening hours and highlights of many sights there.

https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e5401.html

I stayed in Takamatsu in 2010. I visited the Riturin garden in the morning and Yashima-ji by train and shuttle bus in the afternoon. Not sure I could have fitted in a third site, but I was limping at the time.

Thanks.
Icuy, I always check japan-guide, a very helpful website. However, it does NOT have links to bus or train schedules. It points to the garden's website which shows only the following, which is not good enough:

From JR Ritsurin Station – 20 min. walk
From JR Ritsurin Koen Kitaguchi Station – 3 min. walk
From Kotoden Ritsurin Koen Station – 10 min. walk
From Kotoden Ritsurin Koen Mae Bus Stop – 1 min. walk
From Highway Express Ritsurin Koen Mae Bus Stop - right by garden entrance

For someone else's benefit who might be interested, here is the bus schedule that goes up to Yashima (mainly in Japanese, but with some English text) that someone sent me:

timetable.pdf

This unfortunately doesn't answer my question about the Kotoden train schedule or the other question.

Have you considered using a taxi? Recently in Kunisaki we hired a driver for a half day to visit separate locations not serviced by train or regular bus and found it not too expensive for the time saved. I looked at Takamatsu in google maps and the train from Ritsurin to Shikoku mura was 30 minutes not counting the walk to /from the station and wait, a car takes 15 minutes and drops you at the door, from Shikoku mura to top of Mt Yashima is five minutes by car. I don’t know what the fares would be but it is an option to save time and shoe leather and you could take public transportation back to your departure point on the final leg. Perhaps contact the Takamatsu tourism center for recommendations on drivers and tours. Have a good time, it looks like a fun daytrip.

Thanks, I will look into it. I wish it was easier to get schedules and relevant information.... I checked "regular" trains in Hyperdia but they do not include the Kotoden line...

TAKAMATSU-KOTOHIRA ELECTRIC RAILROAD Co.,Ltd

Is the station called Kotoden-Yashima? If so, the information is available on the above link....

It appears to be the info for the train. I will be looking for Takamatsu-Chikko station to Kotoden Yashima. The website has other useful info. Thanks a lot for finding it.

You're quite welcome. Also the Kotoden trains are on Hyperdia....I used Takamatsuchikko and Kotodenyashima and they came up....Hyperdia can be tricky with trains on small lines - same often with Kintetsu.....

This shows the difference between an expert and a dilettante. I would have never guessed that this is the way to enter the station names. One always learns something. Thanks.

If you look on the Takamatsu page in Japanguide.com, there is a summary of the various methods of transportation and an English link to the Kotoden schedules.

If I were you, I'd also try visiting at least one of these udon places: Yamagoe Udon – Kamatama Yama Udon, Baka Ichidai Butter Tama udon, Mentokoro Wataya – Special Bukkake , Teuchi Udon Tsurumaru – Late night Curry udon

Thanks for the suggestions for udon places.