8 Tourist Attractions in Shikoku Japan: Location, Opening Hours, Ticket Prices

Vacations in Japan are never disappointing because of the many tourist attractions to visit. One city that is not widely discussed is Shikoku, the smallest city of Japan's four main islands.

Located south of Honshu and east of Kyushu, Shikoku offers various maritime, historical, and architectural tourist attractions in four prefectures: Ehime, Kagawa, Kochi, and Tokushima. Check out the following article for the 8 best tourist attractions in Shikoku, Japan, complete with locations, opening hours, and ticket prices.

Dogo Onsen Shikoku is located at 5-6 Dogo Yunomachi, Matsuyama-shi, Ehime. This oldest hot spring has been around for 3,000 years and has undergone several renovations.

Its opening hours are from 06:00 to 23:00, with a maximum usage time of 1 hour for each visitor. The ticket price is 460 Yen for adults and 160 Yen for children aged 2-11 years.

Located at 1-chome-20-16 Ritsurincho, Takamatsu, Kagawa, Ritsurin Garden is open daily from 06:30 to 18:00. With its operating hours, this garden is suitable for tourists who want to enjoy the cool Shikoku air in the morning.

The ticket price for Ritsurin Garden is 410 Yen for adults and 170 Yen for children. Facilities available include audio guide rentals (200 Yen), wheelchairs, strollers, and walking aids.

Konpira Grand Theatre or Kanamaruza Theater is Japan's oldest kabuki theater built in 1835. To this day, the venue is still active in staging kabuki performances and offering tours to visitors who want to see Kanamaruza's audience hall, stage, and dressing rooms.

The most interesting spot is the basement, where you can see how the stage system works. Located in Kotohira, Nakatado, Kagawa, Konpira Grand Theater opens from 09:00 to 17:00 with an entrance fee of 500 Yen.

Iya Valley is located on the western side of Tokushima, Shikoku. It is a valley area with its iconic bridges, the Iya Kazurabashi and Oku-Iya Kazurabashi, which are still well-maintained.

To get here, visitors can use the train transportation and depart from Awa-Ikeda Station and Oboke Station. The journey takes about 1.5 hours.

Ever seen a whirlpool up close? If not, you can go to Naruto, located in Tokushima, Shikoku. The whirlpools can even reach up to 20 meters at certain times.

It is known that the cause of the whirlpools is due to the ebb and flow of the tides in spring and autumn. This is also supported by the meeting of the Seto Inland Sea and the Kii Channel.

Moving on to historical attractions, there is Kochi Castle at 1 Chome-2-1 Marunouchi, Kochi, which is equally interesting to visit. It opens from 09:00 to 17:00 every day, located about 3 minutes from the Kochijyo bus stop.

Approximately 400 years old, Kochi Castle is filled with cherry blossoms and is always bustling in spring. Some iconic architectures you can find here are the Shachi statues (half fish and half dragon). The ticket price of Kochi Castle is 420 Yen for adults aged 18 years and above and free for those under 18 years old.

Still in Kochi, specifically in Kitagawa village, there is Claude Monet's Garden, which is as beautiful as the one in France. This garden is inspired by the famous works of the French painter, Claude Monet.

Claude's Monet Garden can be visited from 09:00 to 17:00. The entrance fee is 1,000 Yen (for ages 15 and above), 500 Yen (for ages 6-14), and free for children under 5 years old.

The garden area is divided into 3 sections: Water Garden (Mizu no Niwa), Flower Garden (Hana no Niwa), and Mediterranean-inspired Bordighera Garden. Besides the garden, there is a café and a bakery that must be tried after exploring and taking photos here.

Lastly, you must end your vacation in Shikoku by going to Kashiwa Island in southwest Kochi. This island is famous for its crystal clear emerald green waters.

Currently, Kashiwa Island has officially become the Ashizuri Uwakai National Park with the Kashiwajima Shin-ohashi Bridge directly connecting it to the mainland. Interestingly, you don't need to buy tickets to dive, swim, camp, or barbecue here.