The cute village of Uchiko in western Shikoku’s Ehime Prefecture is worth visiting for its well-preserved historical centre, which is filled with traditional wooden buildings dating mainly to the late Edo and early Meiji Eras (approx. early 18th to late 19th century). Originally a centre for the production of silk and paper, Uchiko became wealthy…
10 Amazing Things to Do in Kochi, Japan – A Guide to Shikoku’s Most Beautiful City
Kōchi, the capital of the province of the same name, quickly turned out to be our favourite city on Shikoku. It played an important part in Japanese history, as national hero Sakamoto Ryōma, who was instrumental in bringing about the opening of the country to the West with the Meiji Restoration was born here. Ryōma …
The Ultimate Guide to the Iya Valley on Shikoku, Japan – 9 Unforgettable Things to Do
This remote river valley in the mountains of eastern Shikoku’s Tokushima Prefecture is one of my favourite places on the entire island. The sheer isolation of the place made it a popular hiding place for political refugees, and during the 12th century Samurai from the Heike Clan ostensibly fled to the valley to hide after…
What to Know About Visiting Nagoro, Japan’s Bizarre Doll Village
Japan certainly has its share of weird and wonderful sights, but we didn’t come across a more unusual place than Nagoro, a small mountain village populated by nearly life-sized dolls. Sitting in the secluded Iya Valley, it’s a wonderfully offbeat place to explore and one that should be on every Shikoku itinerary. Our visit to…
Konpira Shrine and Other Great Things to See and Do in Kotohira, Japan
Kotohira is a cute village in northeastern Shikoku that draws visitors mainly for its famous shrine, which is part of the Shikoku Pilgrimage and constitutes the biggest shrine complex on the island. While Konpira-San might be the most famous sight in Kotohira, it pays to stick around a little longer, to soak up the relaxed…
Beautiful Ritsurin Garden and Other Great Things to See and Do in Takamatsu, Japan
Takamatsu in Shikoku’s north-eastern part is the capital of Kagawa Prefecture, Japan’s smallest prefecture. While it’s deservedly famous for its utterly beautiful Ritsurin Park, we found the city also had plenty of other reasons to stick around. We also liked the pretty location by the sea, the cool art scene, and the many affordable Ramen…
Taking the Ferry between Matsuyama and Hiroshima – What You Need to Know
Updated in January ’23. Going by land from Honshu to Shikoku’s western end or vice versa can be quite time-consuming and somewhat expensive, as cars and buses have to cross the seemingly endless chain of Geiyo Islands and there is no rail connection from that part of the island. If you want to travel from…
The Perfect One-Week Shikoku Itinerary
During our travels through Japan, we discovered that Shikoku Island features some of the country’s most beautiful natural scenery as well as a number of amazing cities filled with interesting museums, well-preserved medieval castles and tons of historic temples. Still, this part of Japan seemingly doesn’t find its way on many foreign travelers’ itineraries and…
The Ultimate Backpacking Guide to Shikoku – Getting off the Beaten Track in Japan
While exploring the towns and villages of beautiful Shikoku Island, we were completely stunned by the fact that we were able to travel around the region without meeting another western tourist for days. After all, that would be absolutely impossible in Southern Honshu, just across the Sento Inland Sea. This really amazed us, as we…
How to spend one Perfect Day in the Bohemian Switzerland National Park, Czech Republic
Were you aware that the Czech Republic has its only little slice of Switzerland? Well, at least in name. While not as enormous as any mountains in the alps, the natural features of the Bohemian Switzerland are impressive, beautiful and can be explored during day-hikes in the area. Plus, unlike its namesake, there’s absolutely no…