Local islands, small towns, and quiet coastal life in Shikoku.
A practical 5-day Shikoku itinerary covering Naoshima art island, Kotohira Shrine, Iya Valley vine bridge, Dogo Onsen, Matsuyama Castle and Kochi — with 2026 prices, transport notes, and the All Shikoku Rail Pass changes.
Kotohira Kadan 2026 — historic Kagawa ryokan founded 1627 at the foot of Konpira-san. 18 rooms across 4 buildings, Konpira Onsen, Sanuki kaiseki, ¥27k-283k/night, 5 min from JR Kotohira. Guest register includes Mori Ogai and Yosano Akiko.
Konpira-san: Izutama Shrine (Oku-sha) The entrance to the path to Izutama Shrine, commonly known as Oku-sha, is located on the right side of the Main Shrine (Honmiya) near the observation deck. The distance from the Main Shrine to Oku-sha is…
Field notes, weekly
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Nearly every image on Hidden Japan Gems was photographed by me on a Sony α7 across five years of walking Japan; a few licensed photos fill the gaps. Please don't re-use my photos without permission — reach out if you'd like to.
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