Things to do in Takamatsu

No. 1 of Best Things to Do in Kagawa Prefecture

Mt. Yashima

Mt. Yashima is located in the northern part of Kagawa Prefecture, east of Takamatsu City, and extends into the Seto Inland Sea. It is a lava plateau with an elevation of 293m that belongs to Setonaikai National Park. The top is flat and resembles a roof, hence the name "Mt. Yashima." If you walk along the mountain trail, you will find three major observatories: Dangorei, Shishi-no-Reigan, and Yu-kurei. From here, you can enjoy spectacular views. In addition to Setonaikai National Park and the Seto Inland Sea, you can also see the entire site of the ancient battlefield of the Genpei War. Furthermore, you can visit the 84th temple of the Shikoku Pilgrimage, Mt. Yashima, and the elevated New Yashima Aquarium. Yashima-ji Temple is a temple of the Shingon sect Omuro school on Mt. Yashima, and it is the 84th temple of the Shikoku Pilgrimage located on Mt. Yashima. Passing through the temple gate, you can see the beautiful main hall painted in vermilion. Standing before you is Minoyama Daimyozin. Inside the grounds, there is the Snow Garden, built with white tuff instead of snow, and the Treasure Museum, which displays various artifacts from the Genpei War. The main hall was built during the Kamakura period (around the 13th century) and is a designated National Important Cultural Property.

No. 1 of Fall Viewing Attractions in Kagawa Prefecture

Ritsurin Garden

Ritsurin Garden is located in Takamatsu City and covers an area of approximately 75 ha. It is said that construction of the garden began in 1642 and took 100 years to complete. The garden features 6 ponds and 13 artificial hills. It echoes the scenery of Mount Shiun behind the park, resembling a beautiful Japanese painting. The technique of incorporating distant scenery into the garden's design is known as borrowed scenery. The South Garden is a purely Japanese-style garden, and the small teahouse by the pond, Kikugetsutei, is well-known as a great place to enjoy the full moon in the fall. The North Garden has undergone extensive renovations and is now a Western-style garden.

Takamatsu Port

Takamatsu Port is a key maritime gateway in the Shikoku region, known for being the home port of the Setouchi Triennale. The port connects to several art islands, such as Naoshima, Teshima, and Shōdo Island, with high-speed ferries operating round-trip between these islands daily. The port area features three striking permanent art installations: Shinji Ohmaki's "Liminal Air," Lin Shuen-Long's "Ship of Seeds," and the glass curtain wall of the passenger terminal designed by Yoshio Taniguchi. These works are particularly eye-catching on sunny days. The ferry terminal hall is equipped with luggage storage and an art festival information center, where visitors can obtain island maps in Chinese and English. The ruins of the castle keep at Takamatsu Castle Park are within walking distance, and it is recommended to photograph the panoramic view of the port in the early morning or when ferries are docking. The breakwater on the west side of the port area is an ideal spot for an evening stroll, and during low tide, you can see the remains of Showa-era bollards.

Takamatsu Castle Park

Takamatsu Castle Park is a castle in Japan. It is located in Tamamo-cho, Takamatsu City, Kagawa Prefecture, on the island of Shikoku, and is also known as Tamamo Castle. It is a nationally designated historic site. Takamatsu Castle Park is a flatland castle with a concentric layout. The castle's main keep was dismantled and collapsed in 1884, and there are currently plans to rebuild the main keep of Takamatsu Castle Park. Takamatsu Castle Park is also one of the 100 Fine Castles of Japan and one of the 3 great water castles in Japan.

No. 1 of Hot Springs Attractions in Kagawa Prefecture

Busshozan Onsen

Road station Genpeinosato Mure

New Yashima Aquarium

Yashima Temple

Takamatsu Symbol Tower

Takamatsu Symbol Tower features a sightseeing restaurant where visitors can enjoy delicious food while taking in beautiful city views. Additionally, the building houses shops where visitors can purchase various souvenirs.

Rexxam Hall

Rexxam Hall is located in Takamatsu City, Kagawa Prefecture, Japan, and is a well-equipped comprehensive cultural and artistic center in Kagawa Prefecture, officially known as Kagawa Prefectural Hall. The venue adopted its current name in 2008 after local company Rexxam acquired the naming rights. The facility features a large concert hall, a small theater, multi-purpose meeting rooms, and exhibition spaces, capable of meeting the needs of various events such as concerts, operas, stage plays, traditional art performances, conferences, and exhibitions. The large concert hall can accommodate approximately 2,000 spectators and is equipped with advanced stage machinery, lighting, and sound equipment. With its excellent acoustics, it is one of the important venues for large-scale cultural performances in the Shikoku region. It regularly hosts symphony concerts, Kabuki, Noh, ballet, pop music concerts, and international cultural exchange events, and is also an important venue for the Kagawa Arts Festival and various public cultural activities.