Attractions Galore! 19 Recommendations for Sightseeing and Udon in Takamatsu, Kagawa

Shikoku Mura (Village), also called the Shikoku Folk Museum, is an outdoor museum where you can find a number of Important Cultural Articles. The open-air museum is about a 2-hour walk from entrance to exit, so taking a pair of sneakers is highly recommended. There is also a hands-on experience area of the museum, where you can envision the lives once led by the people of cultures past, as you glean from their wisdom and learn about their various inventions.

There are also numerous art pieces on exhibit in Shikoku Mura. The museum's outdoor setting reflects nature's beauty through the seasons which, alongside its art and history, make it a popular destination even for foreign visitors. You can also take breaks in places like the tea room, built by relocating an Ijinkan (Western residences built for foreign settlers during the Meiji era) from Kobe, as well as a restaurant serving udon in an old-town cafe setting.  

Onigashima Cave is the dwelling of demons (called oni) in the famous folk tale of Momotaro (a boy and his animal companions who go on a quest to slay the oni). Upon arriving, you'll first see a stone wall befitting of the looming rocky expanse that appears in the story. At the island peak is an actual oni waiting for you, which might give your small children a bit of a scare! Exploring the island feels like a bit of an adventure, and makes for an active and enjoyable day.

The entire island of Yashima has been designated a natural monument by the government. Yashima, or "Roof Island", got its name from how its mountain peak extends over the Seto Inland Sea like a giant roof. The scenery from atop the observatory on the island is said to be the most beautiful vantage point in the Kagawa prefecture. 

The Yashima Driveway is surrounded by lush nature on all sides, and the peripheral scenery is reflective of Japan's distinctive temporal seasonal cycle. The approximately 3.7 km long toll road connects the peak and basin of Yashima, and has been designated a Scenic Road of Japan. Upon surveying the public for a nickname, the decision to name it the Yashima Skyway was recently finalized. The drive is perfect for a date. 

If you're looking for a place that's well-known for their Sanuki udon (thick noodles), take a stop by Chikusei. Chikusei is a restaurant reputed for their sheer speed of service, as well being able to boil your own udon. As such, you get to control what kind of consistency you like for your udon. Since they're only open during lunch hours, a line is likely going to be unavoidable. To secure your chances of getting a seat, be sure to arrive prior to opening hours. 

Budo no Ki is a kanmidokoro, or a cafe serving traditional Japanese sweets, where they are known for the Kagawa specialty [Anmochi Zoni]. Anmochi Zoni is a white miso soup with rice cake made with adzuki beans swimming in it. The gently simmered carrots and Japanese radish in the white miso soup along with the adzuki beans create a sweet and savory flavor that is hard to stop eating. They also have souvenirs, so you can bring home some treats to share with family or friends. 

Additionally, they even serve shaved ice during the summer. You'll be astonished to see that a single serving is around the same size as a person's face. The ice is flavored with plenty of homemade matcha (finely ground green tea leaves) syrup, and the Shiratama (rice flour) and matcha agar is topped with vanilla and matcha ice cream, as well as azuki paste. Altogether, you may find yourself giddy like a child when digging in on a hot summer day. 

Gyoki no Yu, located right next to Shionoe Michi-no-Eki, is the oldest hot spring establishment in the Kagawa prefecture. You can enjoy everything from the reserved baths, the wooden indoor baths, the stone baths, to the foot baths at the facility. The hot spring is ideal for leisurely relaxation with your family, so stop by for a restful time.

April brings about the full beauty of the Yoshino cherries during the Sakura Festival, while in June you can find 2000 fireflies flitting about in the Firefly Festival. In August is an Onsen Festival in honor of the water deity, and in November, there is a popular gathering to view the red autumn leaves. The festivities of the various events make for a great time to visit.

At Tenkatsu, they serve the Kagawa local cuisine specialty beisuke stew. Beisuke is a type of giant conger eel. The ingredients are stewed in stock with soy sauce, then dipped in beaten eggs. Perhaps this sounds familiar if you've ever had sukiyaki before. The beisuke is lighter on the stomach than beef, and is of a texture that seems to melt away in your mouth.  

Though the beisuke stew is popular, the anago sushi is also an oft ordered dish. When grilled, the skin has an appetizing, fragrant smell, while when steamed, it has a fluffy texture that goes well with the prepared sauce. Each has its own draw, and you can have either dish at a discounted price if you order at lunch.

Shionoe Fujikawa Farm is a small farm located in the city of Takamatsu. At the farm, you can participate in barbecuing and pizza-making, and even take part in making foods like mozzarella cheese, butter, cottage cheese, and ice cream from scratch. Please be aware that you will need to make a reservation beforehand.

Your children will likely enjoy the ice-cream making experience the most. The ice cream, made from fresh cream of the cows on the farm, is rich, creamy, and delicious. The rare opportunity to make your own pizza is also enjoyable, and Kagawa's fresh, locally grown vegetables are used as toppings. The time spent in the earthy, farm environment enjoying nature's bounty with your family makes for a truly memorable vacation experience. 

Kitayama alley is a commercial complex built by renovating an old warehouse located just a 10-minute walk from Takamatsu Station. The retro-look complex includes various shops and restaurants, and is popular as a fashionable, modern venue in the Takamatsu area.

Alley, like its name suggests, has a hole-in-the-wall feel about it, and being situated near the coast, you can enjoy the refreshing sea breeze while shopping. The easy access makes it a convenient location to stop by when you have a bit of spare time. 

The Merikenya is an easily found udon restaurant near Takamatsu Station. The interior is spacious, which is convenient when lugging around baggage or if traveling with children. They're open from as early as 7:00 am in the morning, so you can stop by for a healthy breakfast of udon before setting off to explore Takamatsu.

Setoshirube is the local nickname of the Takamatsu Tamamo Breakwater Lighthouse. The world's first glass lighthouse was built using 1,600 glass blocks, and emits a glowing, red hue. The road leading to the lighthouse is lined by retro streetlights, and is the perfect location for a romantic date.

Setoshirube is an abbreviation of the terms Seto Inland Sea, and the term "michishirube", or a signpost. The red glow becomes more pronounced in the dark of night. It has been named the Lighthouse of Love by the Nippon Romantist Association, and held to be one of the 3 Great Lighthouses of Japan by the YAKEI Convention and Visitors Bureau. 

Northshore Kagawa is a cafe adjacent to the Seto Inland Sea offering seats that all have ocean side views. 100 seats are arranged about the spacious interior of the cafe, and the side of the cafe facing the ocean is entirely glass, which contributes to a sense of the openness in the cafe. The food tastes even better when dining out on the terrace seats with the refreshing ocean breeze.

Sunport Takamatsu in the tallest high-rise building in Shikoku (the four provinces that comprise an island south of the main island on Japan), and serves as a large-scale commercial complex with a number of event halls and offices. Recommended eateries include the "Tenku no Restaurant" (Restaurant of the Heavens) with scenic, overlooking views, and the "Ramen Port", where you can enjoy a wide repertoire of flavors. 

The tower stands at a height of around 151 meters, and there is an observatory on the 30th floor with free access from which you can gaze down upon the city. The entire floor is surrounded by glass panels, and the thrilling sights are enjoyable for all people regardless of age with a hankering for heights.

Sanuki Kodomo no Kuni is an interactive museum located just a short ways from Takamatsu Airport, and presents a flexible option as a place to visit even on a rainy day. Between an art workshop where you make crafts out of paper and wood, a music workshop, a science workshop, and a computer workshop, the large-scale children's museum offers all of these activities alongside a close-up view of the airplanes taking off and landing at the nearby Takamatsu Airport.   

Enjoy spending time with your children in the various other areas of the museum as well, like the theater with a planetarium, a play area to take off your shoes and play with your young children, and a trench-like waterway where even younger children can splash around safely in the shallow waters during the summer.

Ishimaru Seimen Udonmaru is a distinguished producer of udon in the Kagawa prefecture, and at this location, they offer free factory tours of how they make their udon. Make a reservation to get a walkthrough of the entire process, which ends in a sampling of the finished product. Afterwards, there is a short movie, and the tour ends with some time to do a little shopping for a palatable gift.   

The entire tour takes around an hour, and the 5-meter tall waterwheel at the entrance really stands out. The replica embodies the company's humble beginnings as a mill. Be sure to bring along your camera for a commemorative photo.  

At Nakano Udon Gakko (school), you can try your hand at making udon from scratch. First you begin by kneading the dough, which is followed by a rolling it out with the menbo (a rolling pin for udon), stomping the dough underfoot, and then finally boiling it in a process that takes from 60 to 90 minutes. You can even take home the kneaded udon dough as a souvenir. 

Aji Ryuozan Park was designed with a theme combining Seto's scenery, artwork, and a closeness with nature. There are various art pieces scattered throughout the park, and the beautiful scenery only adds to the park's relaxing atmosphere, which can be enjoyed by visitors of all ages. 

The park is still relatively unknown, opening fairly recently in April of 2016. From the observatory perched atop the peak of Ryuozan (a mountain that stands at a height of 239 m), not only can you see the Seto Inland Sea, but also Kagawa's different islands below you. Both the daytime and nighttime views are majestic sights to behold.

If you're looking to ride trains in the Kagawa prefecture, you'll likely be taking the Kotoden, or short for Kotohira Electronic Railroad. They sell one-day passes which provide a means to get around in Takamatsu without needing to rent a car. The retro-look train has 4 cars, and the compact design is quite charming. However, having fewer cars can result in crowdedness depending on the time of day.