8 March 2026 – Comfort Hotel, Matsuyama
We arrived in Osaka two days ago. On our first night, we stayed at the Nikko Hotel at the airport. The next morning, we sorted out our train tickets to and from Okayama, which would be our jumping-off point for our driving trip through Shikoku.
The last time we were in Osaka, we
spent hours wandering the streets in the dark looking for our hotel. This time,
with a few more trips to Japan under our belts, we breezed through three
connections to Okayama, culminating in a 45-minute Shinkansen ride covering 176
km.
Picking up our car this morning was seamless—as most transactions are in Japan—even with our extremely limited (read: non-existent) Japanese. Off we went, GPS locked in, navigator confident… driver not so much. Yes, we initially headed back toward Osaka instead of south toward Hiroshima.
Back on track, we found our way to
the Kōsan-ji Temple complex. The temple itself was a real find, far exceeding
our expectations—especially the “Hill of Hope,” a marble landscape constructed
over 16 years and opened in 2000.
More importantly, we took a stroll through the small town around the complex. That turned out to be the highlight of our day. This is the sort of thing that happens when you’re a traveller rather than a tourist. Looking for a shortcut back to our car park, we stumbled across a local afternoon food market. The main attraction was a traditional drumming performance by school-age children—just amazing. Among the several dozen locals enjoying the show and a lunchtime street food feast, we were the only Westerners. You have to love being off the beaten track.
It was then a long haul along winding roads and across several spectacular bridges, linking small islands to Shikoku. We made a brief stop at a heavily reconstructed castle in the coastal town of Imabari.
9 March – Matsuyama
A cool start to the day at 2°C, but in the sunshine we were quite comfortable
as we walked through the city toward Matsuyama Castle. By mid-morning, the
temperature had risen to 12°C under clear blue skies—perfect for climbing the
steep mountain path to the castle.
There was a cable car and
chairlift option, but we needed some exercise, so we took the 750 m climb.
Oddly enough, we’ve learned that steep descents are harder on the legs than
climbs—so we took the cable car down.
We’ve visited the castle before. It’s one of the largest in Japan and, while not the most spectacular, it was well worth a second visit.
This is our twelfth trip to Japan,
but only our second driving adventure. Our first was in Hokkaido, and we loved
the freedom and flexibility. This trip is shaping up the same way.
In recent years, Japan has become
extremely popular with tourists. Overtourism is an issue in the “golden
triangle” of Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto. While we don’t begrudge others wanting to
experience this wonderful country… we just don’t want to see them! Today, we
counted five Westerners and even these, we’d classify as travellers rather than
tourists. Most people we encountered were retired locals—our kind of crowd.
Our agenda today was simple: the
castle and Dōgo Onsen. Famous throughout Japan but little known elsewhere, it
was an easy drive through surprisingly light traffic for a city of over a
million.
Parking, however, proved more challenging. In the old part of the city, we found ourselves on a narrow winding road barely wider than our tiny hire car. After some colourful language, we eventually escaped and found a car park right next to the onsen—one we had driven past 20 minutes earlier.
We’re not really into communal
bathing, but the history drew us in. We opted for a tour of the Imperial
bathhouse. Though rebuilt many times, the current structure dates from 1896.
Given its all-wood construction, it’s remarkable it remains in such excellent
condition.
Our guide, a woman likely in her
60s, was a gem. Her English was good, and she used a translation app when
needed. It was her quiet humour that made the experience memorable—another
unexpected highlight.
11 March – Toyoko Inn, Kochi
Yesterday was a long drive to the southwestern tip of Shikoku. Our plan was to
head inland to visit a castle in Ōzu, then continue south to the coast.
Thinking we had time to spare, we added a detour down a finger-shaped
peninsula.
Good idea in theory—but we underestimated the roads. Imagine driving down your driveway for 60 km, with houses right on the edge and cars coming toward you around blind corners. Thankfully, speeds were low and drivers courteous.
We were disappointed that some
attractions required long hikes, and time was short. However, we did climb to
an observation deck with stunning coastal views, including a distant
lighthouse.
Today was much more relaxed. We
drove through beautiful mountain scenery to Nakatsu Gorge. Only a few other
travellers joined us on short walks along the rocky gorge, with its famously
clear blue-green water.
Passing through small mountain towns, we were struck by the number of elderly residents—many appearing well into their 80s. There’s also a sense of slow decline: deserted homes, closed businesses, and decaying buildings. Japan’s shrinking population is clearly affecting these rural areas.
12 March – Kochi
Another long day, though we didn’t cover much distance. Winding roads and low
speed limits (30–50 km/h) meant progress was slow—though locals often drive
about 10 km/h over the limit.
Our first stop was Monet’s Garden:
beautiful, though much of it was just on the verge of spring bloom.
With time to spare, we visited a converted school-turned-aquarium. The outdoor pool contained schools of fish and large turtles, while classrooms were preserved as they were—chalkboards, overhead projectors, and all—just like our own classrooms in the 1970s. Other rooms housed tanks filled with marine life.
Along the coast, large concrete walls protect against tsunamis. We also noticed tall towers in many towns—eventually realising they are tsunami evacuation towers for areas far from high ground.
13 March – Kochi
A quiet day—time to do some washing. From our window, we had a great view of
Kochi Castle.
The current keep dates from 1757, making it one of Japan’s twelve oldest castles. It’s also ranked among the country’s top 100. Not entirely sure how those rankings work—but it’s clearly well regarded.
14 March – Marugame, APA Hotel
A beautiful drive through central Shikoku today, though cold—around 2°C with
wind chill. The roads were winding, but the scenery was spectacular.
The highlight was the Kazurabashi
Vine Bridge over the Iya River. Though now reinforced with steel cables, it’s
still covered in vines replaced every four years—a fascinating blend of
tradition and safety.
With our driving tour nearing its end, some observations:
Driving in Shikoku is generally straightforward. Roads are good, signage clear,
and drivers courteous. Minor roads can be extremely narrow, requiring
concentration. Speed limits are low, but there’s some flexibility.
Our Nissan Note hybrid has been
impressively efficient—around 3 L/100 km over nearly 1,000 km.
Parking is easy in rural areas but
can be tricky (and paid) in cities. Overall, though, driving here is easier and
less stressful than in Australia.
Would we recommend it? Absolutely.
15 March – Marugame
When booking, we had planned to stay in Takamatsu, but prices were unexpectedly
high—so we based ourselves in nearby Marugame.
On the way to the Naruto
Whirlpools, we avoided expressways to enjoy the scenery. All went well until
Takamatsu city—where we discovered the cause of the high hotel prices: the
Takamatsu Marathon. Roads were closed everywhere, and it took nearly an hour to
escape the maze.
Eventually, we reached the whirlpools—three hours to travel about 75 km. Even at moderate tidal strength, they were impressive.
A chance stop at the “German House” museum revealed a fascinating piece of history: German internees during WWI were held in Japan and formed strong cultural ties with locals. Some even stayed on, married locals, becoming teachers and writers.
16 March – Marugame
With no firm plans today, we visited Shikokumura, an open-air heritage museum
near Takamatsu. Set in beautiful gardens, it features relocated historic
buildings—farmhouses, workshops, and even a lighthouse. One of the best such
museums we’ve seen.
Later, we visited Takamatsu
Castle. While modest, it’s one of only four castles located by the sea. The extensive
gardens and moat made it well worth the small entry fee.
17 March – Livemax Hotel,
Okayama
Our final day on the road. We covered 1,350 km for just AUD $95 in
fuel—remarkably efficient.
Crossing from Shikoku to Honshu via a series of bridges was a highlight in itself.
Okayama, with just over a million
people, had the heaviest traffic we encountered—but still manageable,
comparable to Brisbane.
We visited Kurashiki Bikan, a
historic canal district—pleasant, though somewhat commercialised. For the first
time, we saw noticeable numbers of European tourists.
We finished with Okayama Castle. Impressive from afar, but clearly a modern reconstruction—more like a themed attraction than a historic site.
Tomorrow: Shinkansen to Shin-Osaka, then on to Kansai Airport and home via Kuala Lumpur.
Review of Shikoku Road Trip
This was our second driving trip in Japan, after Hokkaido. Shikoku is more
mountainous, with many narrow winding roads—but overall, driving conditions are
good.
Expressways are available but
expensive, and you miss much of the scenery. Parking is manageable, and even
city parking is inexpensive by Australian standards.
Driving offers access to
experiences you simply can’t get otherwise—especially in rural areas.
We hired through Nissan in
Okayama—easy booking, efficient service, and reasonable pricing. The ETC toll
card is highly recommended.
In vehicle navigation systems can
be tricky, even in English—Google Maps worked far better.
Bottom line: Would we do it
again? Absolutely. In fact, we’re already planning our next driving adventure
in Japan, the island of Kyushu.
No comments:
Post a Comment