Japan: Shikoku Island

Tranquil Shikoku, a mountain-ringed island, is one of the most revered places of pilgrimage in Japan. Its lushly rural atmosphere reveals a history rich with elements of traditional Japan found nowhere else in the country. We spend our days exploring exquisite pagodas and shrines, meeting local people from all walks of life, and learning about the ancient ways of Shikoku Island. The island is renowned for its folk arts, as we learn on visits to traditional weavers and dyers, washi (paper) makers, and candlemakers. We also explore multi-roofed Edo-period castles, masterfully landscaped gardens designed for feudal lords, and village hamlets tucked into green mountains. Most nights we stay in ryokans, the serene inns that are a perfect reflection of Japanese culture.

Itinerary at a Glance

For a more complete description, Download Full Detailed Itinerary

Days 1-4
Osaka / Takamatsu / Tokushima

Journeying by train to Shikoku Island, we stroll the hills of Ritsurin Koen, one of the most renowned traditional gardens of Japan, an Edo-era reserve for the ruling Matsudaira family. We climb the 1,386 steps to Kompira-san, a mountain-top shrine to the Sea God, and visit Ryozenji, a vision of elegant gardens and picturesque pagodas.

Days 5-7
Iya Valley / Kochi

The Iya Valley was a safe haven for the Heike clan after its defeat by the rival Genji clan during civil wars in the 12th century. Today, Iya’s mountainsides are dotted with tiny rural hamlets that preserve their traditional ways. We explore this hidden region, including Kochi Castle, and stroll an outdoor market that has been held for the past 300 years.

Days 8-13
Shimanto River / Cape Ashizuri / Miyajima Island

We boat along the wild Shimanto River, then discover the lush beauty of Cape Ashizuri, where camellias and tropical plants flourish. After exploring the 16th century fortress of Tsurushima-jo, we head to our onsen (hot springs) hotel in Matsuyama. We ferry across the islet-studded Seto Sea for a grand finale at Miyajima, where the venerable shrine of Itsukushima-jinja, with its vermilion torii gate, rises out of the sea. Depart via Osaka on Day 13.

For a more complete description, Download Full Detailed Itinerary

What the Trip is Like

This trip is Level 2, Easy to Moderate. Japan is a land of staircases and hills and you will enjoy the trip more if you are dressed comfortably and are in good shape. Although the trip is not physically demanding, you should be able to stay on your feet for 6-7 hours per day. A fair amount of walking is necessary to take it all in—and you will find that there are many steps to climb!  And please remember, many nights we will be sleeping on futons and eating at floor level, so it is important that you are able to sit down on and get up off the floor without much difficulty.  In addition, it is to your benefit to pack lightly because you will need to carry ALL your own bags. You must be able to carry your baggage up and down a flight of stairs and the equivalent of one city block.

Shikoku Island has beautiful scenery, a rural atmosphere, distinctive arts and crafts, rural villages with thatched roof houses, friendly people, and a less frenetic pace of life than in other parts of modern Japan. Our days will be spent at temples and shrines, gardens and spots of natural beauty, meeting local folk and learning about daily life as well as visiting museums and viewing traditional performances, riding on buses and trains, wandering, and exploring. Some of our longer travel days (3-4 hours by bus) are broken up with sights and walks. There are also bus rides on some very curvy mountain roads.

Our breakfasts and some dinners are eaten together and we have the time to share our experiences and new discoveries over these meals. We enjoy beautifully presented meals. Shikoku abounds with local specialties and its island nature provides us with bounties from the sea! Another highlight of the trip are the onsens (hot springs hotels), and most days we have the opportunity to relax in a variety of therapeutic hot baths, soaking and reflecting on the day’s adventures.

Most nights are in Japanese style inns known as ryokans or onsen hotels. Three Western hotel nights are included during the trip.

Ryokans
The quiet world of the ryokan is a venerable cultural institution—a way to experience a simple, traditional way of life. After being warmly welcomed, we trade our street shoes for slippers. Once inside, we remove our slippers as we step onto the finely woven tatami mats covering our sleeping room floors. Rooms are furnished with low tables and comfortable futon mattresses (we sleep on futons with quilts and blankets to cover us). The accommodations in our ryokans are double rooms (singles are sometimes possible but prohibitively expensive!). Some of our rooms will have attached toilets; at other times, we must share the “down the hall” facilities. Although a few ryokans have baths in the rooms, most have an ofuro (a Japanese style bath). Bathing is communal, with the sexes segregated; thus, this trip is not for the very modest! Normally, a fresh cotton yukata (robe) is provided for each guest (make sure to wear the left side over the right). These light kimonos can be worn anywhere in and around the ryokan and we often wear them to meals. For many of our breakfast and dinners, beautifully presented meals are served as we sit on tatami mats at floor level tables.

Onsen Hotels
Our journey also includes onsen hotels, Japanese-style accommodations with the added delight of experiencing Japanese hot springs! (Onsen is a term for hot springs in Japanese, though the term is often also used to describe the bathing facilities and inns around the hot springs.) Traditionally, onsen were located outdoors, although a large number of inns have now built indoor bathing facilities as well. Onsen by definition use naturally hot water from geothermally heated springs, believed to have healing powers derived from its mineral content. A particular onsen may feature several different baths, each with water with a different mineral composition. At an onsen, all guests are expected to wash their bodies and rinse themselves thoroughly before entering the hot water. Bathing stations are equipped with stools, faucets, wooden buckets, and toiletries such as soap and shampoo; nearly all onsen also provide removable showerheads for bathing convenience. Entering the onsen while still dirty or with traces of soap on the body is socially unacceptable.

Explanation of Trip Levels