Autumn leaves in
Shikoku
Accommodation
Book accommodation early, if the travel dates fall on Japanese holidays. Hotels and rental flats are limited. One month before my holiday, most of the hotels were full in the cities of Takamatsu, Kotohira, Oboke and Marugame in late November.
I felt relieved as I booked 3 months ahead to secure the hotels which I preferred to stay in.
Recommended hotels:
JR Clement Inn Takamatsu – just 5 minutes away from the ferry pier to Shodoshima. The reception is situated on the 1/F with small coffee/tea corner and a toiletry stand where you could pick up cleansing kits and even mouthwash rinse. You can go to your room direct from the G/F, avoiding the crowd at the reception. You can select Japanese or Western breakfast.
Toyoko Inn Marugame Ekimae – basically a no-frill hotel serving free udon around 6 – 8pm. Breakfast time is chaotic as there are not many seats. I’d prefer not to bring breakfast to the room but you can do so. It’s just 2 minutes’ walk from the Marugame JR station where you can find a mini-supermarket nearby.
Hotel Hikyounoyu – A hot spring hotel in Oboke hidden in the mountain. I took a free shuttle at 2pm from Oboke JR station. The lobby is nice and the service is fantastic even though the room is small. My room was located in the Main Building. The Annex Building is also connected to the Main Building, reception and the hot spring area.
Travelling Around
Takamatsu is a good base for island hopping. Shodoshima, Megijima, Ogijima and Naoshima are just 30 to 60 minutes away by ferry.
As many tourists travel by rental car, public transport is infrequent. I personally like to wander around in the daytime, especially in the countryside. Day trips are challenging with the infrequent bus schedule.
There are taxis near the pier and Takamatsu JR station. Oboke taxi services have to be booked in advance. Uber is not that useful in these parts of Shikoku.
Walking around from the Takamatsu JR station to the shopping streets in Kataharamachi (片原町站) is possible within 15–20 minutes’ walk.
Ritsurin Garden is within walking distance from Ritsurin Koen Station (栗林公園駅), which is run by Kotoden Electric Railway,
Trains from Takamatsu to Marugame are scheduled every 20–30 minutes. I consider Marugame to be a more affordable base for exploring the western part of Shikoku.
There are trams connecting sightseeing spots in Matsuyama City, providing great convenience for travellers. There is no direct flight from Hong Kong to Matsuyama 松山, but Taipei has flights to both Takamatsu and Matsuyama Airports.
JR Pass
I bought the JR Pass for convenience. If I did not go to Matsuyama, I could have saved the money of purchasing a JR Pass. Using a transport card like Suica or ICOCA is good enough. Buses in Oboke only accept cash while you enjoy better fare when using transport card for trams in Matsuyama.
Sightseeing spots
I absolutely agree that Shodoshima is worth at least a day trip. I enjoy Kankakei 寒霞溪, the mountain where autumn leaves are everywhere. I could do a little bit more hiking if I stayed on the island overnight.
The Olive Park is quite extensive, my lunch could be less rushed if I needed not to catch the bus. The Angel Road is fantastic. However, it’s not a pleasant place to hang around unless you sit down in the hotel restaurant having a view of it with friends. I saw the restaurant was empty. Everybody was staying close to the retrieving water. I eventually walked to the pier through an unfamiliar route. It is totally flat, and the weather was perfect.
Oboke was more than a place for a night in a hot spring, maybe trying the Zip line next time. The scenery is not that impressive though the hotel service was excellent. I love the fact that it’s totally dark with no neighbourhood. The Oboke JR station only has a few local shops.
I’m surprised by Matsuyama City, the mix of beauty, shops and food. I definitely love to explore the city more.
experience today 