For one night, should you stay in Takamatsu or Kotohira?
Stay one night in Takamatsu for garden and castle-site walks and harbour views. If main-shrine worship is the focus, spend a night in Kotohira and climb the steps the next day. Reduce or omit day-two sightseeing if you leave in the morning.
Choose a 2 days, 1 night itinerary
Walking around Takamatsu
Stay one night in Takamatsu for garden and castle-site walks and a visit to the harbour.
Walking around Takamatsu →2 days, 1 nightStay in Kotohira
Stay one night in Kotohira if you want to rest near the shrine approach and climb to the main shrine the following day.
Stay in Kotohira →Walking around Takamatsu
Stay one night in Takamatsu for garden and castle-site walks and a visit to the harbour.
Day 1 · Tamamo Park and Takamatsu Port
Fit the park and harbour around your arrival time in Takamatsu. If the entrance hours do not work, move the park visit to another day.
- Takamatsu accommodation and JR Takamatsu Station → Tamamo Park entrance
Head to Tamamo Park, about a three-minute walk from JR Takamatsu Station. A late arrival outside entrance hours may leave no time to visit the park today.
Current admission and entrance hoursTakamatsu City visitor guide
- Tamamo Park → Takamatsu Port and Takamatsu accommodation
Explore the castle site and moat, then walk around the harbour. Have dinner near the station before going to your booked accommodation.
Current admission and entrance hoursTakamatsu City visitor guide
The park’s entrances close at different times. Check the hours of the gate you plan to use.
Day 2 · Ritsurin Garden
Walk through Ritsurin Garden on the final day, then return to Takamatsu-Chikko Station by Kotoden. Plan the garden visit and return train around your onward departure.
- Takamatsu accommodation → Kotoden Takamatsu-Chikko Station
Go to Kotoden Takamatsu-Chikko Station, which is separate from JR Takamatsu Station. If you are staying in Kawaramachi, leave from nearby Kotoden Kawaramachi Station and check the fare for that section.
- Kotoden Takamatsu-Chikko Station → Kotoden Ritsurin-Koen Station
Take a train towards Kotohira and get off at Ritsurin-Koen Station. The adult fare is JPY 250 one way; the stated costs include JPY 500 return from Takamatsu-Chikko Station. Choose services for your visit date in the official timetable.
Kotohira Line timetableCurrent timetable listTakamatsu-Chikko fares
- Kotoden Ritsurin-Koen Station → Ritsurin Garden east gate and garden
The official seven-minute walking time is from Kotoden Ritsurin-Koen Station to the garden. Head to the east gate, buy your ticket and explore. Distinguish this from north-gate access via JR Ritsurinkoen-Kitaguchi Station. Adult admission is JPY 500, and October hours are 06:00–17:30. Ticketing, sightseeing and breaks are excluded from the seven-minute walk. Recheck opening notices for other months or storm warnings.
- Ritsurin Garden and east gate → Kotoden Ritsurin-Koen Station
After visiting, leave through the east gate and retrace your route to Kotoden Ritsurin-Koen Station. Allow time to reach the east gate from within the garden, then walk about seven minutes to the station.
- Kotoden Ritsurin-Koen Station → Kotoden Takamatsu-Chikko Station
Take a Takamatsu-Chikko-bound train from Kotoden Ritsurin-Koen Station. Continue to your next destination after arriving at Takamatsu-Chikko.
- Kotoden Takamatsu-Chikko Station → Boarding point for your booked departure
Allow extra travel time before departure if you need to return to your accommodation. For the airport, go to JR Takamatsu Station and board a Takamatsu Airport limousine bus at stop 3. The adult fare of JPY 1,300 is excluded from the stated costs. Use the official airport bus timetable to choose an operating date and scheduled arrival that work with your flight’s check-in deadline. JR trains to other cities leave from JR Takamatsu Station; Kotoden trains leave from Takamatsu-Chikko Station.
Airport limousine use and monthly timetable changesAirport limousine fares and city boarding stops
Ritsurin Garden’s opening and closing times vary by month. Distinguish the stations serving its east and north gates.
Included items: Ritsurin Garden JPY 500 + Tamamo Park JPY 300 + return Kotoden travel between Takamatsu-Chikko and Ritsurin-Koen at JPY 500.
Extra costs: Flights, accommodation, meals, airport travel, separate transport between accommodation and stations or boarding points, and additional transport cost extra. Garden boat rides and teahouses are excluded.
For one adult. Kotoden fares assume departure from Takamatsu-Chikko; check the relevant section fare if you start elsewhere.
Fees and seasonal opening hoursCurrent admission and entrance hoursTakamatsu-Chikko fares
Stay in Kotohira
Stay one night in Kotohira if you want to rest near the shrine approach and climb to the main shrine the following day.
Day 1 · Shopping streets along the Kotohira shrine approach
Walk the approach’s shopping streets and relax locally on arrival day. Climb the main shrine’s steps tomorrow.
- Takamatsu arrival point and Takamatsu-Chikko Station → Kotoden Kotohira Station
Take a Kotohira-bound train from Takamatsu-Chikko Station to Kotoden Kotohira Station. This is separate from JR Kotohira Station, so distinguish the names when booking and finding your accommodation.
Kotohira Line timetableCurrent timetable listStation-to-approach directions and steps
- Kotoden Kotohira Station → Omotesando and shrine-approach shopping streets
The tourism association gives about ten minutes on foot from Kotoden Kotohira Station to Omotesando. This is not the time to your accommodation’s door or the main shrine. Walk the approach’s shopping streets and allow time for a meal at an open shop; leave the main shrine’s stair climb for tomorrow. Afterwards, go to your booked Kotohira accommodation and rest.
Relax around the shrine-approach shopping streets today and climb the main shrine’s steps tomorrow.
Day 2 · Kotohiragu main shrine
Visit the main shrine on your Kotohira morning, then return to Kotoden Kotohira Station for a train to Takamatsu.
- First steps on the shrine approach → Kotohiragu main shrine
The main shrine gates open 07:00–17:00. The shrine’s official guide gives about one hour one way to climb the 785 steps from the first step to the main shrine. Descent, breaks and travel here from your accommodation require extra time.
- Kotohiragu main shrine → First steps and shopping streets
Descend along the approach you climbed. The official one-hour estimate is for the climb, so do not assume the descent takes the same time. If your train schedule allows, stop for a meal in the shopping streets.
- Kotoden Kotohira Station → Kotoden Takamatsu-Chikko Station
Return on a Takamatsu-Chikko-bound train from Kotoden Kotohira Station. The adult fare is JPY 780 one way; the stated costs include JPY 1,560 return. Choose your return train for the visit date in the official timetable. Airport travel is separate after arrival at Takamatsu-Chikko Station.
Kotohira Line timetableReturn fares from KotohiraCurrent timetable list
- Kotoden Takamatsu-Chikko Station → Boarding point for your booked departure
Walk from Takamatsu-Chikko Station to JR Takamatsu Station. Airport limousine buses leave from stop 3 outside the JR station; the adult fare of JPY 1,300 is excluded from the stated costs. Choose a service in the official timetable that works with your flight’s check-in deadline. For another city, check trains from JR Takamatsu Station.
Airport limousine use and monthly timetable changesAirport limousine fares and city boarding stops
The main shrine’s steps take time and effort in both directions. If you leave in the morning on the final day, move the shrine visit to the day before.
Included items: Return Kotoden travel between Takamatsu-Chikko and Kotohira at JPY 1,560.
Extra costs: Flights, accommodation, meals, airport travel, separate transport between accommodation and stations or boarding points, and additional transport cost extra. Kotohiragu’s additional exhibition buildings and prayer services are excluded.
For one adult. Kotoden fares assume departure from Takamatsu-Chikko; check the relevant section fare if you start elsewhere.
Frequently asked questions
Do the stated admission and transport costs include accommodation and meals?
Accommodation and meals are excluded. The Takamatsu route’s JPY 1,300 covers JPY 800 in admission to two parks and JPY 500 in return Kotoden travel to Ritsurin-Koen for one adult. The Kotohira route’s JPY 1,560 covers only return Kotoden travel. Airport travel and other personal expenses cost extra.
Fees and seasonal opening hoursCurrent admission and entrance hoursTakamatsu-Chikko faresReturn fares from Kotohira
Official sources and check dates
- Fees and seasonal opening hours ·
- Official access guide ·
- Current admission and entrance hours ·
- Takamatsu City visitor guide ·
- Shrine’s official hours ·
- Station-to-approach directions and steps ·
- Current timetable list ·
- Kotohira Line timetable ·
- Takamatsu-Chikko fares ·
- Return fares from Kotohira ·
- Airport limousine fares and city boarding stops ·
- Airport limousine use and monthly timetable changes ·