Kagawa Travel Guide
Naoshima art island, Kompira-san shrine & Sanuki udon
Kagawa Prefecture, on Shikoku island, is deceptively small but extraordinarily rich. It is the birthplace of Sanuki udon — Japan's most beloved noodle style, served in over 800 shops across a prefecture of under one million people. The Seto Inland Sea islands, led by Naoshima, have transformed into one of the world's most celebrated contemporary art destinations. And the Kotohira-gu shrine, reached by 785 stone steps through cedar forests, has been drawing maritime pilgrims since the Heian era.
Top Attractions in Kagawa
Naoshima Art Island — Chichu Museum & Kusama Pumpkins
One of the world's most extraordinary art destinations, Naoshima is a small island in the Seto Inland Sea transformed into a living gallery where contemporary art is embedded into the landscape. Tadao Ando's underground Chichu Art Museum houses permanent works by Claude Monet, James Turrell, and Walter De Maria in spaces designed to change with natural light. The Benesse House Museum merges hotel, museum, and nature in a clifftop complex. Yayoi Kusama's iconic polka-dot pumpkins — one yellow on the beach, one red in the hills — have become Japan's most photographed contemporary art works. Lee Ufan Museum, the Art House Project (transforming old houses in Honmura village into site-specific installations), and outdoor sculptures complete an island that rewards a full day of slow exploration.
💡 Ferry from Uno Port (Okayama) takes 20 min; from Takamatsu takes 50 min. Buy Chichu tickets in advance online — queues are long in peak season. Rent a bicycle at the ferry terminal (¥1,500/day) to reach all museum clusters. The Art House Project in Honmura village opens from 10:00; arrive early for the meditative Minamidera installation.
Kotohira-gu (Kompira-san) Shrine — 785 Stone Steps
One of Japan's most famous Shinto shrines, Kotohira-gu (popularly known as Kompira-san) is perched on the forested slopes of Mount Zozu in Kotohira town, reached by a stone stairway of 785 steps to the main hall — or 1,368 steps if you continue to the inner shrine (Okusha). Founded in the Heian era as a guardian deity for maritime safety, sailors, sea captains, and fishermen have made pilgrimages here for over 1,000 years. The main hall, treasury, and the Ema-do votive picture hall (hung with models of ships, planes, and vehicles donated by those saved from disasters) are culturally significant. The view over the Sanuki Plain and the distant Seto Inland Sea from the inner shrine is exceptional on clear days.
💡 Start early morning before crowds — the stairway becomes congested by mid-morning. Dedicated porters (kago) can carry you up in a palanquin for ¥6,000–¥7,000 (main hall only). The first 365 steps are lined with stalls selling candy and souvenirs; beyond the great torii the atmosphere shifts to quiet forest. Wear comfortable shoes — the stone steps are uneven.
Ritsurin Garden — Japan's Finest Edo Period Landscape
Designated a Special Place of Scenic Beauty by the Japanese government, Ritsurin Garden is widely considered one of Japan's three finest landscape gardens, though it receives far fewer crowds than Kenroku-en (Kanazawa) or Kairaku-en (Mito). Developed over 100 years from 1625 by successive lords of the Takamatsu domain, the garden incorporates six ponds, 13 artificial hills, and over 1,400 pine trees — each individually shaped by gardeners over decades — set against the wooded slopes of Mount Shuin as a borrowed-scenery backdrop. The Kikugetsutei teahouse (reservation recommended) and the Higurashitei pavilion serve matcha with seasonal wagashi confections in supremely atmospheric settings.
💡 Visit in morning light for the best reflections on the southern pond. Kikugetsutei teahouse (reservation required, ¥1,000) is worth the extra cost for the tatami room overlooking the garden. Evening illuminations run in spring and autumn. The garden is 10 minutes by bus from Takamatsu Station.
Teshima Art Museum — Water, Light & Nishizawa's Shell
On the island of Teshima, a 40-minute ferry from Naoshima, Ryue Nishizawa designed the Teshima Art Museum as a minimalist concrete shell with no internal walls, pillars, or exhibits in the conventional sense. Two oval openings in the roof admit light, wind, sound, and occasionally rain. Water wells up through microscopic holes in the floor, gathering into trembling droplets that migrate slowly with air currents — the artwork is the space itself, created by artist Rei Naito. The experience is profoundly meditative, and the surrounding Teshima hillside (terraced rice paddies overlooking the sea) is among the most beautiful landscapes in western Japan. The Teshima Yokoo House (nearby) transforms a traditional house into a surrealist red-and-blue installation by Tadanori Yokoo.
💡 Take the island-hopping ferry from Naoshima (40 min) or from Uno Port. Only 50 visitors are admitted at a time — book online in advance, especially on weekends and holidays. Closed Tuesdays (and Wednesdays following public holidays). Allow time to walk the terraced paddies and stop at the Teshima Art Museum café overlooking the sea.
Setouchi Triennale — Japan's Largest Art Festival
Held every three years across 12 islands in the Seto Inland Sea, the Setouchi Triennale (2025 edition) is Japan's largest and most geographically ambitious contemporary art festival. Over 200 artworks by artists including Yayoi Kusama, Cai Guo-Qiang, Sou Fujimoto, and dozens of international and emerging Japanese artists are installed in abandoned houses, on hillsides, in fishing harbours, and underwater. The festival spans three seasons (spring, summer, autumn) across Naoshima, Teshima, Inujima, Ogijima, Megijima, and seven more islands. Even outside Triennale years, permanent installations on Naoshima, Teshima, and Inujima remain open year-round.
💡 Outside Triennale years (2026, 2027), the permanent museums on Naoshima and Teshima are open as usual. During the Triennale, book ferry tickets and accommodation months in advance — the islands reach capacity on summer weekends. The Setouchi Triennale app shows real-time ferry schedules and wait times for each island.
Takamatsu Chuo-dori Udon District — Birthplace of Sanuki Style
Kagawa Prefecture produces more udon per capita than anywhere in Japan and locals take their udon seriously — with over 800 udon shops in a prefecture of under one million people, the competition keeps quality extraordinarily high. The Sanuki udon style originating here features notably thick, chewy, silky noodles served in a light dashi broth made from locally harvested Rishiri kombu and Seto Inland Sea niboshi (dried sardines). Self-service (serufu) shops open from 6am for working people's breakfast; diners carry their bowl to the counter and add toppings (green onion, grated ginger, sesame, tempura bits) from a communal station, paying ¥300–¥500. The casual, egalitarian culture of the udon shop is a defining feature of Kagawa daily life.
💡 Himawari (Takamatsu), Sana Kuma, and Udon Baka Ichidai are legendary local shops — arrive when they open. Many top shops close by early afternoon when the day's noodles are sold out. Order "kake" (plain broth) first to taste the noodle quality, then try "zaru" (cold dipping style) at a second shop.
What to Eat in Kagawa
Sanuki Udon (讃岐うどん)
The prefectural dish and Kagawa's greatest culinary export: thick, chewy wheat noodles in a light Seto Inland Sea dashi broth. Served hot in broth (kake), cold with dipping sauce (zaru), or in various regional variations. Self-service shops charge ¥300–¥500; sit-down restaurants offer premium versions with seasonal tempura.
📍 Himawari, Sana Kuma, Udon Baka Ichidai (Takamatsu); Yamada-ya (Kotohira); throughout the prefecture
Kotohira Wagyu (琴平和牛)
Local wagyu beef raised in the Kotohira area, served near the Kompira-san shrine in teppanyaki or sukiyaki style. Pilgrims to the shrine have been celebrating their climb with a wagyu meal since the Edo period, making it a culturally embedded tradition alongside the udon culture.
📍 Sakura-ya, Kotohira; Teppanyaki restaurants near Kotohira-gu shrine approach
Olive Products — Shodoshima Island
Shodoshima, 30 minutes by ferry from Takamatsu, is Japan's olive island — the only place in Japan with a Mediterranean climate warm enough for olive cultivation. Olive oil, olive chicken (fed on olive pulp), olive ramen (noodles cooked in olive oil broth), and olive-based cosmetics are the island's signature products, sold throughout Kagawa.
📍 Shodoshima Olive Park; supermarkets and souvenir shops throughout Takamatsu; ferry terminal shops
Takamatsu Tai-meshi (鯛飯)
A traditional coastal dish of sea bream (tai) cooked over seasoned rice in a clay pot, or raw sea bream slices served over rice with a tare sauce. The Seto Inland Sea has long been Japan's finest fishing ground for tai, and Takamatsu's tai-meshi reflects centuries of maritime culture.
📍 Kaisekiryori Nishimura; Takamatsu fish restaurants near the port; Ritsurin Garden teahouse restaurant
Hamo (鱧) Pike Conger
A seasonal summer delicacy prized in western Japan, hamo (pike conger eel) requires extraordinary knife skill to prepare — the bones are so fine and numerous that chefs must make 24 cuts per centimetre without severing the skin. Served shabu-shabu style, as tempura, or with plum paste (hamo to umesauce). Available July–September.
📍 Kaiseki restaurants in Takamatsu; fish restaurants near Takamatsu Port; summer seasonal izakaya menus
Bone Ramen — Kotohira Style
A hearty pork bone broth ramen unique to the Kotohira area, developed to fuel pilgrims after the long climb to Kompira-san. Richer and more savoury than standard tonkotsu, it's served with thick noodles, chashu pork, and a soft-boiled egg. A warming contrast to the delicate Sanuki udon tradition.
📍 Ramen shops near Kotohira Station; Kotohira town izakaya
Where to Stay in Kagawa
Takamatsu is the main transport hub and best base for day trips to Naoshima, Kotohira-gu, and Ritsurin Garden. Naoshima has limited but exceptional accommodation — staying overnight on the art island gives you access to museums before and after the day-trip crowds.
Hotels in Takamatsu
Main city — art island ferry hub, Ritsurin Garden, udon district access
Hotels in Naoshima
Art island ryokan — limited availability, book months in advance
Tours & Activities in Kagawa
Book Naoshima Art Island tours, Chichu Art Museum entry, Kotohira-gu shrine guided climbs, Sanuki udon making classes, and Seto Inland Sea island-hopping experiences.
Getting to Kagawa
Kagawa Travel FAQ
What is Naoshima famous for?▾
Naoshima is a small island in the Seto Inland Sea transformed into one of the world's most celebrated contemporary art destinations. It's best known for Yayoi Kusama's polka-dot yellow pumpkin sculpture on the beach, Tadao Ando's underground Chichu Art Museum (housing works by Monet, James Turrell, and Walter De Maria), and the Benesse House museum-hotel complex. The island also features the Art House Project, which transforms old village houses into site-specific installations.
How do I get to Naoshima from Takamatsu or Kyoto?▾
From Takamatsu: take the ferry from Takamatsu Port to Miyanoura Port on Naoshima (50 min, ¥1,220). From Okayama: take the JR line to Uno Station then the ferry from Uno Port to Naoshima (20 min, ¥580). From Kyoto: take the Shinkansen to Okayama (45 min), then JR to Uno (50 min), then the ferry (20 min) — about 2.5 hours total.
How many steps are there at Kotohira-gu?▾
There are 785 stone steps from the foot of the hill to the main hall (Goshahei). If you continue to the inner shrine (Okusha), the total rises to 1,368 steps. The climb to the main hall takes about 30–40 minutes at a relaxed pace. Palanquin (kago) porters are available to carry visitors up for ¥6,000–¥7,000, but only to the main hall — the inner shrine must be reached on foot.
What is Sanuki udon and why is Kagawa famous for it?▾
Sanuki udon is a style of thick, chewy wheat noodles originating in Kagawa (historically called Sanuki Province). The noodles are distinguished by their firm, springy texture and silky surface — achieved through a specific kneading technique that develops the gluten — served in a light dashi broth made from Seto Inland Sea niboshi (dried sardines) and kombu. Kagawa has over 800 udon shops for a prefecture of under one million people. Self-service shops (serufu) open from 6am charge just ¥300–¥500 per bowl.
Can I visit Naoshima as a day trip from Kyoto or Osaka?▾
Yes, though it's a long day. From Kyoto or Osaka, take the Shinkansen to Okayama, then JR to Uno Port, then the ferry to Naoshima — around 2–2.5 hours each way. You'll have 4–5 hours on the island, enough for Chichu Art Museum and the beach pumpkin, but not the full Art House Project. Staying overnight on Naoshima (Benesse House or local guesthouses) is strongly recommended to experience the island without rush.
How many days do I need in Kagawa?▾
2–3 days is the minimum: Day 1 for Takamatsu (Ritsurin Garden, udon crawl), Day 2 for a Naoshima day trip, and optionally Day 3 for Kotohira-gu and Teshima. Those visiting during the Setouchi Triennale should allow 4–5 days to cover multiple islands at a relaxed pace. Kagawa connects easily to Okayama (1 hr by Marine Liner) and Tokushima (1 hr by expressway bus).