Which Kagawa attractions should you choose?
Choose Ritsurin for pines/ponds or Tamamo for the harbour-side castle site/moat. Climb Kotohira-gu’s steps for the main shrine, or overlook the Seto Inland Sea from Yashimaru. Choose Chichu for Monet and architecture. Shrine steps, summit shuttles and museum bookings/boats require different time and access plans.
Attraction fees and access
Ritsurin Garden
栗林公園
Walk slowly among Ritsurin’s pines and ponds. Views change as the path changes direction. Admission, boats and tea houses are separate costs. Distinguish east/north gates according to your departure station for the return.
- AdmissionAdmission costs JPY 500 for adults or JPY 170 for primary and junior high school pupils. Preschool children enter free. Boats and tea houses cost extra.
- HoursThe garden opens from 06:00–17:30 in October. Other hours are 07:00–17:00 in January and December, 07:00–17:30 in February, 06:30–18:00 in March, 05:30–18:30 in April–May, 05:30–19:00 in June–August, 05:30–18:30 in September and 06:30–17:00 in November. Storm warnings may cause temporary closure.
- Getting thereWalk about 7 minutes towards the east gate from Kotoden Ritsurin-Koen, or 3 towards the north gate from JR Ritsurin-Koen-Kitaguchi. Official walks exclude crossing waits, ticketing and garden visits. Stations containing “Ritsurin” are not all the same station.
- What to seeEnjoy changing garden views as you walk among pines and ponds.
Fees and seasonal hoursOfficial access guideRitsurin’s pines, ponds and walking scenery
Tamamo Park
玉藻公園
Visit Tamamo Park for the old castle site and moat near the harbour. The moat draws seawater. This does not include a castle-keep interior; gate hours differ.
- AdmissionGeneral admission costs JPY 300. Check official free-entry conditions for under-18s and students.
- HoursIn October, the west gate opens from 06:00–17:30 and the east gate from 08:30–17:00. Gate hours change in other months. The park closes from 29–31 December.
- Getting thereAbout 3 minutes from JR Takamatsu, beside Kotoden Takamatsu-Chikko. Remember your entrance gate to return towards the harbour/stations.
- What to seeExplore the former Takamatsu Castle site and seawater moat.
Current admission and gate hoursTakamatsu City visiting guideTakamatsu City: Tamamo Park’s seawater moat
Kotohira-gu
Kotohiragu Shrine金刀比羅宮
Follow Kotohira’s approach shops up to Kotohira-gu’s main shrine, reached by 785 stone steps. Compare a day trip with an overnight stay allowing worship, shopping-street walks and rest during ascent/descent.
- Separate admission chargesThe approach and subsidiary museums have different rules. Subsidiary-hall admission and prayer fees cost extra; check official charges and opening hours if visiting.
- Shrine hoursThe main approach gate opens from 06:00–18:00 and the main-shrine gate from 07:00–17:00. Official guidance gives about 1 hour one way from the first stone step to the shrine, excluding descent and rests. Check official shrine hours.
- Getting thereWalk about 10 minutes from JR or Kotoden Kotohira to the approach, not to the main shrine. Use the signed approach rather than pedestrian-prohibited vehicle roads.
Official shrine hoursStation-to-approach and steps guideWalking-route precautions
Yashimaru
Yashimāruやしまーる
Yashimaru’s viewing area overlooks the Seto Inland Sea and Takamatsu. General entry is free; paid exhibits and transport cost extra. Connect from a station below the mountain to a summit shuttle and plan the return too.
- AdmissionGeneral entry is free. Paid exhibits, parking and transport cost extra.
- HoursThe facility normally opens from 09:00–17:00, extending to 21:00 on Fridays, Saturdays and days before public holidays. It closes on Tuesdays, or the next weekday if Tuesday is a public holiday. Evening opening does not mean late return buses.
- Getting thereTake a summit shuttle from JR Yashima or Kotoden Yashima, then follow facility signs on foot. The official 10-minute walk starts at Yashima-Sanjo tourist parking. After alighting, locate parking, Yashimaji and number 11 Yashimaru on the official map and follow its path, checking the leaflet’s main entrance. Allow extra route-finding time. Adult one-way shuttle: JPY 340 from JR Yashima or JPY 300 from Kotoden Yashima. Choose both summit-bound and return services. Direct buses from Takamatsu stand 7 cost JPY 700 one way and have Saturday/Sunday/public-holiday/specified-school-holiday conditions, not daily weekday operation. Yashima Sanjo Kanko parking lot · 屋島山上観光駐車場
Official walk from tourist parking to the facilityYashimaru current operationCurrent shuttle fares and timetableOfficial Yashima summit mapYashimaru shuttle access and main-entrance plan
Naoshima’s Miyanoura Port
Miyanoura Port直島 宮浦港
Choose a Miyanoura-bound boat from Takamatsu Port for Naoshima. This differs from the route starting at Uno Port.
- FaresAdult one-way fares are JPY 680 for the ferry or JPY 1,590 for the high-speed boat. Two ferry singles total JPY 1,360 return.
- Outbound and return timesCheck your date’s outbound and last return in the official route timetable. Boat types have different tickets/offices; check on-the-day operation and capacity.
- BoardingOfficial port walks: about 5 minutes from JR Takamatsu, 3 from Kotoden Takamatsu-Chikko. Ferry tickets sell from 40 minutes before departure and high-speed tickets from 30 minutes at separate counters, about 3 minutes apart. Locate the counter for your boat first. Shikoku Kisen accepts no ordinary boarding reservations and boards first come, first served. Weather/sea conditions may delay or cancel services.
Chichu Art Museum
地中美術館
Choose Chichu Art Museum for Monet’s Water Lilies and Tadao Ando’s architecture. Most of the building is underground, but natural light changes the appearance of art and space through the day. Reserve a date/time ticket, then align both ferry and island-bus journeys.
- Admission and reservationsOnline adult admission costs JPY 2,500 on weekdays or 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 date and time; when online entry sells out, no on-site tickets are sold.
- Opening hoursThe museum opens from 10:00–17:00, with last admission at 16:00. It closes on Mondays, or the following day if Monday is a public holiday. Exclude Chichu during its maintenance closure from 12 January–19 March 2027. Check the opening calendar and booking screen for other dates.
- Access from the portTake a Miyanoura town bus to Tsutsuji-so, then a free shuttle to Chichu ticket centre. G on the official Benesse House-area map marks the centre/shuttle stop. Follow the footpath towards the separately marked museum southwest of it. Reaching the centre is not museum entry; allow the entrance walk and queue, choosing buses to reach your reserved slot.
- Art and architectureSee Monet’s Water Lilies in Tadao Ando’s building. Natural light changes the appearance of the works and space.
Facility and reservationsDate-specific opening calendarChichu 2027 maintenance-closure noticeTown busFree shuttleOfficial Chichu ticket-centre/museum access map
Frequently asked questions
Which station should I use for Ritsurin?
Walk about 7 minutes from Kotoden Ritsurin-Koen to the east gate or 3 from JR Ritsurin-Koen-Kitaguchi to the north gate. Stations differ; ticketing and garden time are extra.
Is Kotohira Station only 10 minutes from the main shrine?
About 10 minutes covers station-to-approach walking. The main shrine requires 785 steps; the official 1 hour is ascent only. Allow descent/rest separately.
Official sources and check dates
- Fees and seasonal hours ·
- Official access guide ·
- Current admission and gate hours ·
- Takamatsu City visiting guide ·
- Official shrine hours ·
- Station-to-approach and steps guide ·
- Walking-route precautions ·
- Official walk from tourist parking to the facility ·
- Yashimaru current operation ·
- Current shuttle fares and timetable ·
- Facility and reservations ·
- Date-specific opening calendar ·
- Town bus ·
- Free shuttle ·
- Takamatsu–Miyanoura timetable, fares and boarding points ·
- Ritsurin’s pines, ponds and walking scenery ·
- Takamatsu City: Tamamo Park’s seawater moat ·
- Chichu 2027 maintenance-closure notice ·
- Official Yashima summit map ·
- Yashimaru shuttle access and main-entrance plan ·
- Official Chichu ticket-centre/museum access map ·