Kagawa Prefecture: Landscapes, Culture and Udon
Accommodation in Kagawa Prefecture
Kagawa Prefecture offers a variety of ways to shape your trip: views over the Seto Inland Sea, museums with regional collections, pilgrimage routes and a strong udon culture. If you’re looking for a holiday rental, you can start by considering which of these interests you’d like to shape your stay. Nature and outdoor activities, cultural history or shared culinary experiences each offer a different focus.
Der Naoshima Pavilion auf der Kunstinsel Naoshima
Photo: Bea Phi via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Lava Plateaus, Gorges and Pilgrimage Routes
Yashima is a table-shaped lava plateau, known as a setting for the Genpei War. From the summit, you can see Takamatsu and the islands of the Seto Inland Sea. Goshikidai also brings together a variety of themes: it has facilities for outdoor experiences, historic sites and pilgrimage routes. Hiking, observing nature and exploring history are all possible activities.
Kankakei offers another perspective on the landscape. The gorge is one of Japan’s three great gorge landscapes and a representative landscape within Setonaikai National Park. Along with the trails and historic sites on Goshikidai, it offers a range of options for visitors who want to combine time outdoors with historical discoveries. The places and activities you choose can help determine which part of your trip takes centre stage.
Museums and Regional Culture
The Seto Inland Sea Folk History Museum displays wooden boats and equipment related to fishing, household life, religion and shipbuilding. A total of 5,966 items in the collection are designated as Important Tangible Folk Cultural Properties of Japan; these include fishing equipment from the Seto Inland Sea, shipbuilding tools and back-carried loads from western Japan. The varied objects offer a glimpse into everyday life and crafts connected with the region and the sea.
The permanent exhibition at the Kagawa Prefectural Museum includes materials on Kūkai’s life and work, historical documents relating to the Takamatsu-Matsudaira family, and artworks by artists connected with Kagawa. The Shikoku-Mura Gallery’s collection includes paintings and sculptures by Picasso and Bonnard, as well as Oriental artworks. These museums each have a different focus: religious and regional history, historical documents and art can all serve as distinct themes for your trip.
Udon and Handcrafted Sweets
Kagawa has more than 600 udon restaurants, making it an appealing destination for travellers who want to make local cuisine part of their stay. One special culinary experience is making Sanuki Wasanbon sweets: participants choose four wooden moulds and four colours, shape twelve sweets and eat two of them with matcha. If this experience suits your plans, check whether a session is currently available before your visit.
There’s more to the culinary experience than a single dish: you can make visits to udon restaurants a recurring part of your trip, or focus on a specific experience such as shaping the sweets.
Activities and Practical Information
The Information Communication Exchange Center (e-topia Kagawa) offers hands-on experiences with IT devices for children and adults. Courses and programmes range from IT basics to advanced technical skills. At Sanuki Mannou Park, visitors can take part in guided walks through the Nature Ecology Garden, seasonal craft activities, and bread- and pizza-making classes. As the activities cover different themes and formats, families can choose what interests them; check the dates of the park’s individual activities before your visit.
If Naoshima is part of your trip, Takamatsu is a ferry departure port for the island; another departure port is in Uno, in Okayama Prefecture. Consider staying in Takamatsu if you plan to take a ferry from there, and check the latest timetable in advance.
Discover More Destinations
Discover more destinations: Takamatsu, Marugame, Nishishirakata, Mime, Kotohira, Tadotsu, Tonoshō, Naoshima, Ayauta District, Sakaide, Furue, Shozu District, Zentsūji, Higashikagawa, Manno, Sanuki.
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