Which Kagawa attractions should you choose?
Consider Ritsurin Garden for leisurely walks among pines and ponds, or Tamamo Park for a castle site and moat beside the harbour. Climb stone steps to worship at Kotohiragu’s main shrine, or look over the Seto Inland Sea from Yashimāru. Choose Chichu Art Museum on Naoshima for paintings by Monet and architecture. Each place needs different time and transport, from shrine steps and summit shuttles to museum reservations and boats.
Attraction fees and directions
Ritsurin Garden
栗林公園
Take a leisurely walk among Ritsurin Garden’s pines and ponds. The scenery changes as you follow the paths and view it from different directions. Garden admission, boat rides and teahouses have separate charges. Distinguish the east and north gates according to your departure station for an easier return.
- AdmissionAdults JPY 500; elementary and junior high school students JPY 170; preschool children free. Boat rides and teahouses cost extra.
- HoursOctober: 06:00–17:30. January and December: 07:00–17:00; February: 07:00–17:30; March: 06:30–18:00; April–May: 05:30–18:30; June–August: 05:30–19:00; September: 05:30–18:30; November: 06:30–17:00. The garden may close temporarily during storm warnings.
- Getting thereWalk about seven minutes towards the east gate from Kotoden Ritsurin-Koen Station, or about three minutes towards the north gate from JR Ritsurinkoen-Kitaguchi Station. These are the official access guide’s walking estimates; traffic lights, ticketing and garden visits take extra time. Stations with “Ritsurin” in their names are not all the same station.
- What to seeWalk among the pines and ponds to enjoy garden scenery that changes with your viewing direction.
Fees and seasonal opening hoursOfficial access guideRitsurin Garden’s pines, ponds and walking scenery
Tamamo Park
玉藻公園
Visit Tamamo Park for a former castle site and moat near the harbour. The moat draws in seawater. This is not a castle-keep interior visit, and opening hours depend on your entrance gate.
- AdmissionGeneral admission JPY 300. Check the official conditions for free admission for visitors under 18 and eligible students.
- HoursOctober west gate: 06:00–17:30; east gate: 08:30–17:00. Hours vary by entrance in other months. Closed December 29–31.
- Getting thereThe park is about a three-minute walk from JR Takamatsu Station, beside Kotoden Takamatsu-Chikko Station. Remember which gate you used for an easier return to the harbour or station.
- What to seeExplore the former Takamatsu Castle site and its seawater moat.
Current admission and entrance hoursTakamatsu City visitor guideTakamatsu City: Tamamo Park’s seawater moat
Kotohiragu Shrine
金刀比羅宮
In Kotohira, walk through the approach’s shopping streets and climb to Kotohiragu’s main shrine. There are 785 stone steps to the main shrine. Choose a day trip or local overnight stay with time for worship, shopping-street walks and breaks during the climb and descent.
- Separate admission chargesThe shrine approach and associated museums have different visitor information. Admission to the additional buildings and prayer services costs extra. Check official admission prices and hours separately if you plan to visit those buildings.
- Worship hoursThe main gate opens 06:00–18:00 and the main shrine gates 07:00–17:00. The official estimate from the first stone step to the main shrine is about one hour uphill; descent and breaks take extra time. Check the shrine’s official hours.
- Getting thereWalk about ten minutes from either JR Kotohira Station or Kotoden Kotohira Station to the shrine approach. This does not mean the main shrine is ten minutes from the station. Follow the marked approach rather than detouring onto vehicle roads where pedestrians are prohibited.
Shrine’s official hoursStation-to-approach directions and stepsWalking-route precautions
Yashimāru
やしまーる
Yashimāru’s viewing space overlooks the Seto Inland Sea and central Takamatsu. General entry is free; paid exhibitions and transport cost extra. You connect with a summit shuttle from a station below the hill, so plan the journey down.
- EntryGeneral entry is free. Paid exhibitions, parking and transport cost extra.
- Hours09:00–17:00, extended to 21:00 on Fridays, Saturdays and evenings before public holidays. Closed Tuesdays, or the following weekday when Tuesday is a public holiday. Evening opening does not mean return buses run late.
- Getting thereTake a Yashima Sanjo-bound shuttle from JR Yashima Station or Kotoden Yashima Station, then follow facility signs on foot after getting off at the summit. The official ten-minute walk starts at Yashima Sanjo tourist car park. After getting off at Yashima Sanjo, locate the tourist car park, Yashimaji Temple and Yashimāru at number 11 on the official summit map, then follow the path towards Yashimāru. Check the main entrance on the facility leaflet, and allow separate time to find and walk the route. Adult one-way fares are JPY 340 from JR Yashima Station or JPY 300 from Kotoden Yashima Station. Choose both uphill and downhill shuttles for your date in the official timetable. The direct service from Takamatsu Station stop 7 costs JPY 700 one way and runs subject to weekend, public-holiday and designated school-break conditions; do not assume daily weekday service. Yashima Sanjo Kanko parking lot · 屋島山上観光駐車場
Official walking directions from the tourist car parkYashimāru current opening informationCurrent shuttle fares and timetableOfficial Yashima summit guide mapYashimāru shuttle access and main entrance site plan
Miyanoura Port, Naoshima
Miyanoura Port直島 宮浦港
For Naoshima, choose a Miyanoura-bound boat from Takamatsu Port. This is a different service from the route departing Uno Port.
- FaresAdult one-way fares: ferry JPY 680; high-speed boat JPY 1,590. Two one-way ferry fares total JPY 1,360 return.
- Outward and return sailingsCheck your outward service and final return service in the official route timetable. Boat types have different tickets and counters; check that day’s operation and capacity.
- BoardingThe official guide gives about five minutes on foot from JR Takamatsu Station to the harbour, or three minutes from Kotoden Takamatsu-Chikko Station. Ferry tickets go on sale 40 minutes before departure and high-speed boat tickets 30 minutes before, at separate counters. The counters are about a three-minute walk apart, so locate the one for your boat first. Shikoku Kisen does not accept ordinary boarding reservations and uses first-come, first-served boarding. Weather and sea conditions may cause delays or cancellations.
Chichu Art Museum
地中美術館
Consider Chichu Art Museum for Monet’s Water Lilies and Tadao Ando’s architecture. Most of the building is underground, but natural light changes how its art and spaces appear over time. Reserve a ticket for a specific date and time, then coordinate return boats and island buses.
- Admission and reservationsOnline adult admission costs JPY 2,500 on weekdays and JPY 2,700 on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays. On-site prices are JPY 2,800 and JPY 3,000 respectively; visitors aged 15 and under enter free. Reserve a specific date and time. If online tickets sell out, no on-site tickets are sold.
- Opening hours10:00–17:00, with last entry at 16:00. Closed Mondays, or the following day when Monday is a public holiday. A maintenance closure runs January 12–March 19, 2027; leave Chichu Art Museum out of trips during this period. For other dates, check both the opening calendar and reservation page.
- From the harbourTake a local bus from Miyanoura Port to Tsutsujiso, transfer to the free shuttle and get off at Chichu Ticket Center. G marks the ticket centre and shuttle stop on the official Benesse House area map. Follow the walking path southwest towards the separately marked Chichu Art Museum. Reaching the ticket centre is not entering the museum. Allow extra time to walk to the entrance and queue, and choose buses that get you there for your reserved time.
- Art and architectureSee Monet’s Water Lilies in a building designed by Tadao Ando. Natural light changes the appearance of the artworks and spaces.
Facility and reservationsDate-specific opening calendarChichu Art Museum 2027 maintenance closure noticeLocal busFree shuttleOfficial Chichu ticket centre and museum access map
Frequently asked questions
Which station should I use for Ritsurin Garden?
Walk about seven minutes towards the east gate from Kotoden Ritsurin-Koen Station, or about three minutes towards the north gate from JR Ritsurinkoen-Kitaguchi Station. These are different stations, and ticketing and garden visits take extra time.
Is Kotohiragu’s main shrine ten minutes from the station?
The ten-minute estimate is from the station to the shrine approach. There are 785 steps from the first step to the main shrine, and the official one-hour estimate is for the climb. Allow descent and breaks separately.
Station-to-approach directions and stepsShrine’s official hours
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 ·
- Walking-route precautions ·
- Official walking directions from the tourist car park ·
- Yashimāru current opening information ·
- Current shuttle fares and timetable ·
- Facility and reservations ·
- Date-specific opening calendar ·
- Local bus ·
- Free shuttle ·
- Takamatsu–Miyanoura timetable, fares and boarding points ·
- Ritsurin Garden’s pines, ponds and walking scenery ·
- Takamatsu City: Tamamo Park’s seawater moat ·
- Chichu Art Museum 2027 maintenance closure notice ·
- Official Yashima summit guide map ·
- Yashimāru shuttle access and main entrance site plan ·
- Official Chichu ticket centre and museum access map ·