With four nights, should you spend one in Kotohira?
Choose three nights in Takamatsu followed by one in Kotohira to walk the approach’s shopping street and climb to the main shrine the next morning. To enjoy the garden, sea views, and museum without changing hotels, stay four nights in Takamatsu and visit Ritsurin Garden, Yashima, and Naoshima on separate days. Choose the island date around Chichu admission reservations and the boat and bus connections back.
Choose an itinerary for 5 days, 4 nights
One Night in Kotohira
Spend three nights in Takamatsu, then move to Kotohira for one night if you want dinner in town and a main-shrine climb the next day.
One Night in Kotohira →5 days, 4 nightsStay in Takamatsu for Gardens, Yashima, and Naoshima
Stay four nights in Takamatsu without changing hotels, visiting the garden, Yashima’s views, and Naoshima’s museum on separate days.
Stay in Takamatsu for Gardens, Yashima, and Naoshima →One Night in Kotohira
Spend three nights in Takamatsu, then move to Kotohira for one night if you want dinner in town and a main-shrine climb the next day.
Day 1 · Tamamo Park and Takamatsu Port
Plan the park and harbor around your arrival time in Takamatsu. If you cannot reach the park during gate hours, move the visit to another day.
- Takamatsu Accommodation or JR Takamatsu Station → Tamamo Park Entrance
Go to Tamamo Park, about a three-minute walk from JR Takamatsu Station. If you arrive after gate hours, a park visit will not fit today.
Current Admission and Gate-Specific HoursTakamatsu City Visitor Guide
- Tamamo Park → Takamatsu Port and Your Accommodation
Explore the castle site and moat, then walk around the harbor. Have dinner near the station and go to your booked accommodation.
Current Admission and Gate-Specific HoursTakamatsu City Visitor Guide
Closing times vary by gate. Check the hours for the entrance you plan to use.
Day 2 · Ritsurin Garden
Walk through Ritsurin Garden today. Use the East Gate from Kotoden Ritsurin-Koen Station.
- Takamatsu Accommodation → Kotoden Takamatsu-Chikko Station
Go to Kotoden Takamatsu-Chikko Station, which is separate from JR Takamatsu Station. If staying in Kawaramachi, you can start at nearby Kotoden Kawaramachi Station, but check the fare for that section.
- Kotoden Takamatsu-Chikko Station → Kotoden Ritsurin-Koen Station
Take a train toward Kotohira and get off at Ritsurin-Koen. The adult fare is ¥250 one way; the listed cost includes ¥500 round trip from Takamatsu-Chikko. Choose services for your date from the official timetable.
Kotohira Line TimetableCurrent Timetable ListTakamatsu-Chikko Fares
- Kotoden Ritsurin-Koen Station → Ritsurin Garden East Gate and Garden
The official approximately seven-minute walk starts at Kotoden Ritsurin-Koen Station. Go to the East Gate, buy your ticket, and explore the garden. Distinguish this from the North Gate approach from JR Ritsurin-Koen-Kitaguchi Station. Adult admission is ¥500; October hours are 6:00 a.m.–5:30 p.m. The seven minutes exclude ticketing, sightseeing, and rests. Check operating notices again for other months or storm warnings.
- Ritsurin Garden and East Gate → Kotoden Ritsurin-Koen Station
After your visit, exit at the East Gate and retrace your walk to Kotoden Ritsurin-Koen Station. Leave time to reach the East Gate from inside the garden and walk about seven minutes to the station.
- Kotoden Ritsurin-Koen Station → Kotoden Takamatsu-Chikko Station
Take a Takamatsu-Chikko-bound train back from Kotoden Ritsurin-Koen Station. After arriving, continue to your accommodation or next destination.
- Kotoden Takamatsu-Chikko Station → The Same Takamatsu Accommodation
Choose an open restaurant near the station for lunch, then return to the same accommodation at your booked address. If eating in Kawaramachi, check the changed exit station, section fare, and return route to your accommodation.
Ritsurin Garden’s opening and closing times change by month. Distinguish the stations serving the East and North Gates.
Day 3 · Yashimaru
Enjoy Seto Inland Sea and city views from Yashimaru. Take a train from JR Takamatsu Station to Yashima Station, then connect to the summit shuttle.
- Takamatsu Accommodation and JR Takamatsu Station → Shuttle Stop outside JR Yashima Station
Take a JR Kotoku Line local train toward Hiketa from Takamatsu Station and get off at Yashima. Exit the ticket gates and go to the Yashima summit shuttle stop outside the station. Check JR and shuttle timetables together for your date and choose services with enough transfer time.
- Outside JR Yashima Station → Yashima-Sanjo Stop and Yashimaru
Take the summit shuttle to its terminus at Yashima-Sanjo. Find the sightseeing parking lot, Yashima-ji, and number 11, Yashimaru, on the official summit map, then follow the walking path toward Yashimaru’s main entrance. The facility leaflet’s layout identifies the main entrance separately. The official approximately ten-minute walk starts at the sightseeing parking lot; allow time after getting off to check the path and walk. After the viewing space, eat and rest on the summit. Paid exhibits and meals are excluded from the listed cost.
Current Shuttle Fares and TimetableOfficial Walk from Sightseeing Parking to the FacilityCurrent Yashimaru OperationsOfficial Yashima Summit MapYashimaru Shuttle Access and Main Entrance Layout
- Yashimaru → Yashima-Sanjo Stop and JR Yashima Station
Return from the facility to the summit stop and take a shuttle to JR Yashima Station. Even if the facility stays open late, its closing time does not determine the last shuttle departure. Choose your return bus first.
- JR Yashima Station → JR Takamatsu Station and the Same Accommodation
Take a local train toward Takamatsu, have dinner, and rest at the same accommodation. The JR local-train round trip costs ¥560 and the shuttle round trip from JR Yashima Station ¥680, for ¥1,240 in transportation today. A limited express requires an additional charge.
Yashimaru closes Tuesdays, or the following weekday if Tuesday is a public holiday. Evening opening and evening shuttle service are separate; check the official facility calendar and bus notices together.
Day 4 · Kotohira Shrine-Approach Shops
Move your accommodation from Takamatsu to Kotohira. Walk the approach’s shopping street and rest in town, then visit the main shrine tomorrow morning.
- Takamatsu Accommodation and Takamatsu-Chikko Station → Kotoden Kotohira Station
Take a Kotohira-bound train from Kotoden Takamatsu-Chikko Station and get off at Kotoden Kotohira. Bring your luggage because you are changing accommodation. Plan the route from the station to your booked property.
Kotohira Line TimetableOfficial Large-Bag and Station Storage Guide
- Kotohira Accommodation → Approach Shops and Your Kotohira Accommodation
Check the walking route from your accommodation’s address to the approach’s shopping street. Eat in town, then rest at the same accommodation. Climb the main shrine steps tomorrow morning.
Rest around the approach’s shopping street today and climb the main shrine steps tomorrow.
Day 5 · Kotohiragu Main Shrine
After a night in Kotohira, visit the main shrine. Then return to the station for a Takamatsu-bound train.
- Kotohira Accommodation → First Step of the Shrine Approach
Walk from your Kotohira accommodation toward Omotesando. The approximately ten-minute walk from the station to Omotesando does not describe the walk from your accommodation. Do not use vehicle-only roads where pedestrians are prohibited as a detour to the approach.
- First Step of the Shrine Approach → Kotohiragu Main Shrine
The main shrine gates open from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The official guide gives about one hour one way to climb the 785 steps from the first step to the main shrine. Allow separately for the descent and rests.
- Kotohiragu Main Shrine → Approach, Shops, and Kotohira Accommodation
Descend the same approach, have a meal in the shopping street, and return to your accommodation. The approximately one-hour ascent estimate excludes the descent, meal, and round trip to your accommodation.
- Kotoden Kotohira Station → Kotoden Takamatsu-Chikko Station
Take a Takamatsu-Chikko-bound train from Kotoden Kotohira Station. The adult fare is ¥780 one way; ¥1,560 round trip is included in the listed cost. Choose your return train from the official timetable for your date. After arriving at Takamatsu-Chikko, airport transportation is still separate.
Kotohira Line TimetableKotohira Return FaresCurrent Timetable List
- Kotoden Takamatsu-Chikko Station → Boarding Point for Your Booked Departure
Go from Takamatsu-Chikko Station to JR Takamatsu Station. The airport limousine leaves from JR station bus stop 3; the adult ¥1,300 fare is excluded from the listed cost. Choose a departure from the official timetable that fits your flight’s check-in deadline. If your next destination is another city, check trains at JR Takamatsu Station.
Airport Limousine Use and Monthly ChangesAirport Limousine Fares and City Stops
Climbing and descending the main shrine steps both require time and stamina. If you leave on the final morning, move the visit to the previous day.
Included Items: Ritsurin Garden ¥500 + Tamamo Park ¥300 + Kotoden Ritsurin-Koen round trip ¥500 + Kotohira round trip ¥1,560 + JR Takamatsu–Yashima round trip ¥560 + Yashima Station–summit shuttle round trip ¥680.
Additional Costs: Flights, accommodation, meals, airport transportation, separately used transportation between your accommodation, stations, and boarding points, and additional travel cost extra. Garden boats and tea houses, Kotohiragu’s auxiliary museums and prayer services, Yashimaru paid exhibits, and parking are excluded.
These costs are for one adult. Kotoden fares assume departure from Takamatsu-Chikko; check the fare for your section if starting elsewhere. The Kotohira travel cost is split into ¥780 one way on the fourth day and ¥780 one way on the final day.
Fees and Seasonal HoursCurrent Admission and Gate-Specific HoursTakamatsu-Chikko FaresKotohira Return FaresJR Fare TableCurrent Shuttle Fares and Timetable
Stay in Takamatsu for Gardens, Yashima, and Naoshima
Stay four nights in Takamatsu without changing hotels, visiting the garden, Yashima’s views, and Naoshima’s museum on separate days.
Day 1 · Takamatsu Port
Explore the harbor and ferry ticket office on the first day, then rest in Takamatsu. You do not cross to the island today.
- Your Booked Takamatsu Accommodation → Miyanoura-Bound Ferry Ticket Office at Takamatsu Port
Check the walking route from your accommodation to the port. Official harbor access is about five minutes from JR Takamatsu Station or about three minutes from Kotoden Takamatsu-Chikko Station, rather than from your accommodation’s door. Find the ticket office and boarding direction for the Miyanoura ferry you will take on the fourth day. The high-speed boat office is separate, about a three-minute walk from the ferry office.
- Takamatsu Port → Dinner near the Station and the Same Accommodation
After walking around the harbor, return toward the station and choose an open business for dinner. Then go to your booked accommodation. The harbor guide’s walking time to the station excludes meals and travel to your accommodation. Visit Tamamo Park on the final day; do not add a paid visit today.
Find the ticket office and boarding point for the fourth day’s Miyanoura ferry in advance.
Day 2 · Ritsurin Garden
Walk through Ritsurin Garden today. Use the East Gate from Kotoden Ritsurin-Koen Station.
- Takamatsu Accommodation → Kotoden Takamatsu-Chikko Station
Go to Kotoden Takamatsu-Chikko Station, which is separate from JR Takamatsu Station. If staying in Kawaramachi, you can start at nearby Kotoden Kawaramachi Station, but check the fare for that section.
- Kotoden Takamatsu-Chikko Station → Kotoden Ritsurin-Koen Station
Take a train toward Kotohira and get off at Ritsurin-Koen. The adult fare is ¥250 one way; the listed cost includes ¥500 round trip from Takamatsu-Chikko. Choose services for your date from the official timetable.
Kotohira Line TimetableCurrent Timetable ListTakamatsu-Chikko Fares
- Kotoden Ritsurin-Koen Station → Ritsurin Garden East Gate and Garden
The official approximately seven-minute walk starts at Kotoden Ritsurin-Koen Station. Go to the East Gate, buy your ticket, and explore the garden. Distinguish this from the North Gate approach from JR Ritsurin-Koen-Kitaguchi Station. Adult admission is ¥500; October hours are 6:00 a.m.–5:30 p.m. The seven minutes exclude ticketing, sightseeing, and rests. Check operating notices again for other months or storm warnings.
- Ritsurin Garden and East Gate → Kotoden Ritsurin-Koen Station
After your visit, exit at the East Gate and retrace your walk to Kotoden Ritsurin-Koen Station. Leave time to reach the East Gate from inside the garden and walk about seven minutes to the station.
- Kotoden Ritsurin-Koen Station → Kotoden Takamatsu-Chikko Station
Take a Takamatsu-Chikko-bound train back from Kotoden Ritsurin-Koen Station. After arriving, continue to your accommodation or next destination.
- Kotoden Takamatsu-Chikko Station → The Same Takamatsu Accommodation
Choose an open restaurant near the station for lunch, then return to the same accommodation at your booked address. If eating in Kawaramachi, check the changed exit station, section fare, and return route to your accommodation.
Ritsurin Garden’s opening and closing times change by month. Distinguish the stations serving the East and North Gates.
Day 3 · Yashimaru
Enjoy Seto Inland Sea and city views from Yashimaru. Take a train from JR Takamatsu Station to Yashima Station, then connect to the summit shuttle.
- Takamatsu Accommodation and JR Takamatsu Station → Shuttle Stop outside JR Yashima Station
Take a JR Kotoku Line local train toward Hiketa from Takamatsu Station and get off at Yashima. Exit the ticket gates and go to the Yashima summit shuttle stop outside the station. Check JR and shuttle timetables together for your date and choose services with enough transfer time.
- Outside JR Yashima Station → Yashima-Sanjo Stop and Yashimaru
Take the summit shuttle to its terminus at Yashima-Sanjo. Find the sightseeing parking lot, Yashima-ji, and number 11, Yashimaru, on the official summit map, then follow the walking path toward Yashimaru’s main entrance. The facility leaflet’s layout identifies the main entrance separately. The official approximately ten-minute walk starts at the sightseeing parking lot; allow time after getting off to check the path and walk. After the viewing space, eat and rest on the summit. Paid exhibits and meals are excluded from the listed cost.
Current Shuttle Fares and TimetableOfficial Walk from Sightseeing Parking to the FacilityCurrent Yashimaru OperationsOfficial Yashima Summit MapYashimaru Shuttle Access and Main Entrance Layout
- Yashimaru → Yashima-Sanjo Stop and JR Yashima Station
Return from the facility to the summit stop and take a shuttle to JR Yashima Station. Even if the facility stays open late, its closing time does not determine the last shuttle departure. Choose your return bus first.
- JR Yashima Station → JR Takamatsu Station and the Same Accommodation
Take a local train toward Takamatsu, have dinner, and rest at the same accommodation. The JR local-train round trip costs ¥560 and the shuttle round trip from JR Yashima Station ¥680, for ¥1,240 in transportation today. A limited express requires an additional charge.
Yashimaru closes Tuesdays, or the following weekday if Tuesday is a public holiday. Evening opening and evening shuttle service are separate; check the official facility calendar and bus notices together.
Day 4 · Naoshima and Chichu Art Museum
Cross to Naoshima today. Go to the Miyanoura-bound ferry ticket office at Takamatsu Port.
- Takamatsu Accommodation → Ferry from Takamatsu Port to Miyanoura Port
Take a morning Miyanoura-bound ferry from Takamatsu Port. Ferry tickets go on sale 40 minutes before departure; boarding is first come, first served without reservations. Reach the port with time for ticketing and waiting. After disembarking, go to the town-bus stop at Miyanoura Port.
- Miyanoura Port → Tsutsujiso Town-Bus Stop
Take a Tsutsujiso-bound town bus from Miyanoura Port and get off at its terminus, Tsutsujiso. Adult fares are ¥100 per ride, paid when getting off; prepare exact change. A service that waits for boat arrivals may leave early depending on circumstances, and a full bus means waiting for the next service.
Takamatsu–Miyanoura Timetable, Fares, and Boarding PointsTown Bus
- Tsutsujiso Town-Bus Stop → Free Shuttle to Chichu Art Museum Ticket Center
Change at Tsutsujiso to the free shuttle toward Chichu Art Museum. Choose a departure from the official timetable that leaves time after getting off the town bus. The shuttle does not run on museum closing days, and you cannot board when it is full. Choose an admission time with enough transfer margin.
- Chichu Art Museum Ticket Center → Chichu Art Museum Entrance
Follow the walking path from the ticket center toward Chichu Art Museum. On the official map around Benesse House, G marks the ticket center and shuttle stop; the museum is separately marked to the southwest. The ticket center is not the museum entrance. Leave time for walking and entry queues so you can enter at your reserved time. When booking, allow for the walk after getting off the shuttle.
Facility and ReservationsOfficial Ticket CalendarOfficial Chichu Ticket Center and Museum Access Map
- Chichu Art Museum → Ticket Center Shuttle Stop and Tsutsujiso
After visiting, return to the ticket center’s shuttle stop and take the free shuttle to Tsutsujiso. Leave time to walk from the entrance to the stop and wait. Finish your museum visit around a bus connection that gets you to the port before your return ferry.
- Tsutsujiso → Miyanoura Port Town-Bus Stop
Take a Miyanoura Port-bound town bus back from Tsutsujiso. On weekend and public-holiday afternoons, crowding may prevent boarding, so choose a bus earlier than the last connection to your boat. Boarding a bus does not guarantee ferry boarding.
- Miyanoura Port Bus Stop → Takamatsu-Bound Ferry Boarding Point
At Miyanoura Port, buy a ticket at the Takamatsu-bound ferry office and go to the boarding point. The Miyanoura ticket office opens 5:30 a.m.–8:25 p.m.; regular boarding is first come, first served. Check the last return service and operating notices in the official route timetable, allowing time for ticketing and waiting.
- Miyanoura Port Ferry Boarding Point → Takamatsu Port and the Same Accommodation
Return by Takamatsu-bound ferry, then rest at the same accommodation and have dinner. High-speed boats use different fares, ticket offices, and boarding points; a ferry ticket alone does not cover that change.
Reserve museum admission first, choosing a time that leaves room for the return shuttle, town bus, and ferry. Do not select the last boat assuming you can walk from the museum to the port; check shuttle and town-bus connections first. Change the island date for maintenance closures, sold-out tickets, or canceled sailings. Do not choose this Chichu itinerary during its January 12–March 19, 2027 maintenance closure.
Day 5 · Tamamo Park
Visit Tamamo Park and depart the day after returning from Naoshima. Leave time after the park to reach the station or port.
- Takamatsu Accommodation → Tamamo Park West Gate
From your accommodation’s address, head to the West Gate near JR Takamatsu Station and Takamatsu-Chikko Station. The official approximately three-minute walk starts at JR Takamatsu Station, rather than your accommodation. The city guide distinguishes the West Gate near these stations from the East Gate near the parking lot and prefectural museum.
Takamatsu City Visitor GuideCurrent Admission and Gate-Specific Hours
- Tamamo Park West Gate → Park Visit and West Gate
Pay adult admission of ¥300 and explore the castle site and moat. In October, the West Gate opens 6:00 a.m.–5:30 p.m. and the East Gate 8:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Gate hours vary in other months; the park closes December 29–31. For the return to your accommodation, use the West Gate where you entered as your route reference. Do not try to include both sightseeing and lunch before a morning departure.
Takamatsu City Visitor GuideCurrent Admission and Gate-Specific Hours
- Your Booked Takamatsu Accommodation after Sightseeing → Boarding Point for Your Booked Departure
For the airport, take a limousine bus from JR Takamatsu Station bus stop 3. The adult ¥1,300 fare is excluded from the listed cost. Choose a service from the official timetable for your date that fits your flight’s check-in deadline. For another city, board a JR train at JR Takamatsu Station. Even if the boat was canceled on an earlier day, do not move the island visit to your day of departure from Japan.
Airport Limousine Use and Monthly ChangesAirport Limousine Fares and City StopsTakamatsu–Miyanoura Timetable, Fares, and Boarding Points
Check each gate’s closing time. For an early departure, move the park visit to an earlier day and go to the station.
Included Items: Ritsurin Garden ¥500 + Tamamo Park ¥300 + Kotoden Ritsurin-Koen round trip ¥500 + Takamatsu–Miyanoura ferry round trip ¥1,360 + two town-bus rides ¥200 + online adult Chichu admission of ¥2,500 on weekdays or ¥2,700 on weekends and public holidays. Also includes the JR Takamatsu–Yashima round trip at ¥560 and Yashima Station–summit shuttle round trip at ¥680.
Additional Costs: Flights, accommodation, meals, airport transportation, separately used transportation between your accommodation, stations, and boarding points, and additional travel cost extra. Garden boats and tea houses, Yashimaru paid exhibits and parking, high-speed boat fare differences, taxis, and other island museums are excluded.
For one adult, with Kotoden calculated from Takamatsu-Chikko. Weekday, weekend, and public-holiday admission depends on your Chichu visit date, rather than the start of your trip. If you omit the museum or change transportation, recalculate using the items you actually use. Subtract ¥100 if taking the town bus only once; add actual high-speed boat or taxi fares separately. These amounts do not secure museum reservations or boat and bus seats.
Fees and Seasonal HoursCurrent Admission and Gate-Specific HoursTakamatsu-Chikko FaresJR Fare TableCurrent Shuttle Fares and TimetableTakamatsu–Miyanoura Timetable, Fares, and Boarding PointsTown BusFacility and Reservations
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I visit Yashima and Naoshima on the same day?
Visit them on separate days. Yashima requires round-trip train and summit shuttle travel; Naoshima requires round-trip boats and island buses. Combining them leaves less time for visits and return connections. Choose their order around Yashimāru’s closed days and Chichu’s available reservations. On Naoshima, choose an admission time that lets you finish in time for your boat back. Keep the island visit off the day you leave Japan.
Yashimaru October CalendarDate-Specific Opening CalendarOfficial Ticket Calendar
Are ordinary tickets cheaper for these four-night itineraries?
For only the travel described here, ordinary tickets are cheaper. Adult fares for pass-eligible trains total ¥2,620 in the Kotohira overnight itinerary and ¥1,060 in the Takamatsu stay with Naoshima itinerary. For passes issued from October 1, 2026, the adult ALL SHIKOKU Rail Pass costs ¥12,000 for 3 days or ¥20,000 for 7 days. The Kotohira overnight itinerary uses trains on days two through five, so one 3-day pass cannot cover all of them. Recompare actual fares and consecutive days only if you add JR travel in other prefectures. Boats, island buses, the Yashima shuttle, and admission remain separate.
ALL SHIKOKU Rail Pass Revision for Tickets Issued from October 1, 2026ALL SHIKOKU Rail Pass Terms Effective October 1, 2026Takamatsu-Chikko FaresKotohira Return FaresJR Fare Table
Official Sources and Verification Dates
- Fees and Seasonal Hours ·
- Official Access Guide ·
- Current Admission and Gate-Specific Hours ·
- Takamatsu City Visitor Guide ·
- Shrine’s Official Hours ·
- Station-to-Approach Walk and Stairs ·
- Walking-Route Cautions ·
- Official Walk from Sightseeing Parking to the Facility ·
- Current Yashimaru Operations ·
- Current Shuttle Fares and Timetable ·
- Facility and Reservations ·
- Date-Specific Opening Calendar ·
- Town Bus ·
- Free Shuttle ·
- Takamatsu–Miyanoura Timetable, Fares, and Boarding Points ·
- Official Ticket Calendar ·
- Current Timetable List ·
- Kotohira Line Timetable ·
- Takamatsu-Chikko Fares ·
- Kotohira Return Fares ·
- Official Large-Bag and Station Storage Guide ·
- JR Fare Table ·
- Yashimaru October Calendar ·
- Airport Limousine Fares and City Stops ·
- Airport Limousine Use and Monthly Changes ·
- ALL SHIKOKU Rail Pass Revision for Tickets Issued from October 1, 2026 ·
- ALL SHIKOKU Rail Pass Terms Effective October 1, 2026 ·
- JR Shikoku Station and Line Timetables ·
- Official Yashima Summit Map ·
- Yashimaru Shuttle Access and Main Entrance Layout ·
- Official Chichu Ticket Center and Museum Access Map ·