Mara

When I visited Uchiko I was lucky enough to meet up with local guides who took me all around the town. I ended up with three of them and one actually invited us into her home - one of those on the old-fashioned street - very cool!!

I have gotten local guides many times in various places I have visited in Japan over the years...

valgalchi

annhig- it certainly seemed like a whole fish! I couldn't believe the portion!

Mara- that sounds great! So lucky to have been invited in to one of them. We haven't had any guides ourselves in part because my husband takes all our photos (except the few I snap with my phone) and he can take quite a while to get that perfect shot. Would drive anyone else crazy!

valgalchi

Next we headed to Tokushima. This was our least favorite city on the trip. Nothing wrong with it really, it just didn’t grab us. The city felt slightly deserted. They are known for their Awa Odori, a giant traditional dance festival held each year in August (except during the pandemic of course) and the start of the 88 temples pilgrimage is nearby. We stayed at another Daiwa Roynet Hotel (I like this business hotel chain). The view from Mt. Bizan was nice. This is also the first time we had a reservation denied because we were foreigners. We had tried to reserve at a popular yakitori spot Kokoro but they told my credit card company they’d had no shows from foreigners before so wouldn’t accept a reservation. There’s always people out there ruining it for the rest of us!

quiet Tokushima

quiet Tokushima

quiet Tokushima

celebrating the Awa Odori on a mailbox

View from Mt Bizan towards the parking lot

View from Mt Bizan

View from Mt Bizan

On the way to Tokushima we stopped in Tsurugi to check out their Udatsu buildings (meant to prevent fires from burning). It was very quiet here as they don’t really have a whole preserved street (the buildings are mixed in with modern buildings) so they aren’t really a tourist destination. They do have the former Nagai family Shoya house which was free to enter and really great. We were the only ones there.

Tsurugi

Tsurugi

Tsurugi

detail of the udatsu buildings in Tsurugi

Udatsu buildings in Tsurugi

Outside of the former Nagai family Shoya house

garden at the former Nagai family Shoya house

garden at the former Nagai family Shoya house

Inside the former Nagai family Shoya house

Inside the former Nagai family Shoya house

Inside the former Nagai family Shoya house

view from the upstairs in the former Nagai family Shoya house

view from the upstairs in the former Nagai family Shoya house

Inside the former Nagai family Shoya house -upstairs

Inside the former Nagai family Shoya house

Inside the former Nagai family Shoya house


After Tsurugi we went to the Honrajuki Temple where the Kannushi (essentially the owner/temple priest) gave us a personal tour of the place including some prayer room we’d never been able to see on our own using his iPad to translate the words he didn’t know. Just wonderful. A beautiful temple that he was clearly very proud of.

Honrajuki Temple and the Kannushi

Honrajuki Temple

Honrajuki Temple

Honrajuki Temple

Honrajuki Temple

Honrajuki Temple

Honrajuki Temple

Honrajuki Temple

Honrajuki Temple garden

Honrajuki Temple

Honrajuki Temple

Honrajuki Temple

Then it was on to Wakimachi, Mima and their preserved street of Udatsu buildings. This was much busier as it’s much more fixed up and the entire street is lined with buildings. Here we were approached by a local and asked about Trump for the first time on the trip (after being asked why we were in the town- I guess they don’t get many Western tourists). His verdict- Trump thumbs down, Obama thumbs up! They also have an old theater here that had just closed but they opened back up to let us take a quick peak. Then to Tokushima to check-in.

View of Mima from the parking lot






Udatsu mascot





outside of the old theater

inside the theater

inside the theater

Our first dinner was at Shokurando Mocchan (食らんど もっちゃん). There was no english menu and so the chef asked one of his regulars to sit with us and help us order. This was a very nice gesture but ended up being a bit awkward. The gentleman gave use some recommendations in the beginning but then, rightly, went about his own dinner. But the chef (we were at the counter so you ordered through the chef) seemed to want the man to order for us so we didn’t really feel like we could order on our own. The food we had was quite good but it was pricey and the evening just felt odd. In all the weirdness I forgot to order the one dish I had wanted to try from seeing it in all kinds of pictures- lotus root filled with minced shrimp and then deep fried. We had sashimi, meatball skewers (tsukune), stewed chicken & bamboo (bamboo was in season so that’s why we are having it at most places), grilled fish, lightly grilled beef (Awa beef is a local specialty) and potato salad (interestingly this comes in something like the crisp outside of a monaka).

valgalchi

The next day we took a drive to Himeji to see the castle in full bloom (we’d been there in September before). Since we’d been there before we didn’t wait in the insanely long line to go inside the castle. We just enjoyed the grounds.












We had ramen for lunch in Himeji at Mentetsu. My husband had the tsukemen. The noodles and toppings on the plate are arranged to look like the castle.



Dinner that night was at Izakaya Harubou (居酒屋　はる坊). We were led upstairs to a semi private room (us plus another table with a privacy screen) after taking off our shoes. We enjoyed this dinner a lot more than the night before. I had a translated menu so ordering was a lot easier. We had their deep fried shrimp with mayo (this appeared to be their specialty based on all the pics I saw online, grilled Awa beef, mixed tempura, potato salad, horse mackerel tataki, deep fried oysters & some sort of Awa chicken dish (my notes don’t say). A nice evening


in our semi private room





The next day was a day trip to Ōmatsu Daigongen the vengeful cat shrine where every detail was cat related (7 lucky gods- cats, the dragons usually on the roof corners-cats and so on). We’re big cat people so we really enjoyed this. They even, of course, have a shrine cat.















That same day we also took the scariest ropeway I have ever been on to mountain top temple Tairyūji (temple 21 of the 88 temples). It was so high (I am scared of heights) and it lasts 10 minutes (note those pylons are already up on high hills).










The last dinner was at Sakae Sushi (栄寿司). This casual sushi spot has been in business for over 100 years. We each had the 70,000 yen course. This includes sashimi, sushi (of course), a seaweed shabu shabu (the seaweed changes color in the hot water which was neat), grilled fish, deep fried fish, a tofu dish and what I believe is liver. The course ended with coffee jelly. There was a group of salary men in a private room in the back having a jolly old time. A good spot.











The one food specialty we definitely wanted to check out in Tokushima was their ramen. Tokushima style ramen is basically a tonkotsu shoyu (pork bone/soy sauce) ramen, dark brown in color & topped with a raw egg and fried pork. We realized on our last night we hadn’t had it yet so after dinner we stopped at a spot near our hotel and split a bowl at Rairai (来来).



On the way out of town we checked out temple #1 where the henro buy their vests, hats & walking sticks as well as temple #5.







And then it was on to Takamatsu!

shelemm

I am hoping that 70,000 yen per person at 栄寿司 is a misprint! Probably 7,000 yen.

"We realized on our last night we hadn’t had it yet so after dinner we stopped at a spot near our hotel and split a bowl at Rairai (来来)" Awesome. Reminds me of what Calvin Trillin said when someone praised his wife: 'Yes, she has a rather liberal view of what constitutes an appetizer." I love you people! Great temples, great food pics, what could be better?

valgalchi

Shelemm- Oops! Yes, 7,000 yen. I'd need to win a multi million dollar lottery before I'd spend 70,000 yen on food!
And thanks! I'd say the only thing better (or as good as) is great sake! And we had a lot of that!

annhig

Phew. I needed to check the yen to £ which came up with 7000 = £45, which isn't too bad for what you got. I love the way you photograph the food as well as everything else.

valgalchi

Thanks Annhig!

progol

Bookmarked! I hope to get to Japan in 2022 🤞and will read this more carefully when I get a chance to savor it! I already have our first trip sketched out in my mind, and it looks, not surprisingly, like your first trip! Fantastic photos and lots of good info for when I start actually planning.

valgalchi

Hi Progol, yes that first trip is pretty similar across travelers (gotta hit the big spots the first time). I'll be sure to send some info your way once you start asking for suggestions!

valgalchi

Next we headed to Takamatsu. Our very first stop is one of Takamatsu’s most famous attractions- Ritsurin Garden. This garden is extremely beautiful and also very large. We only ended up seeing a little more than half of it because we were starving for lunch. And lunch was one of Takamatsu other claims to fame, Sanuki udon. Sanuki Udon has a firmer more chewy texture than the other two famous udon styles. We only got to have it once but it was great. Our lunch was nearby the garden at Ueharaya. This is basically self serve udon. You grab a tray, pick out your tempura or oden sides and then tell the ladies the kind of udon you want. I went with a hot version with broth (kake udon) while the husband ended up having two servings, one cold with a dipping sauce (Zara Udon) and another hot but with just a small amount of broth/sauce (I believe it was Bukkake Udon). If you are getting a hot version they give you the noodles & you heat them up in a water bath & then add your own broth and toppings like green onions and tempura bits. Then you find a seat, eat & turn in your tray. Excellent and really cheap!














From there we headed to Yashima Mountain where we got great views and visited Yashima Temple (#84 of the 88 temples). This was a favorite of ours because one section had a bunch of tanuki (the mischievous big bellied raccoon dogs of Japanese lore). My husband collects them and there were shops nearby selling them. He picked up two to add to the collection.




Tanuki

Tanuki

Tanuki

Tanuki



View from Yashima

View from Yashima

View from Yashima

View from Yashima

View from Yashima

Our dinner the first night was at Bijintei. The owner was an older women who did all the cooking. Her assistant was a young mother who worked the whole night with her baby strapped to her back (wish I would have gotten a picture). The food here was good but the owner essentially kicked us and the only other table there out when she decided she was done for the night! We had an assortment of her premade dishes like potato salad & konjac, as well as sashimi, stewed fish & grilled fish.







The next day was extremely cold and rainy so we were able to check out another of Takamatsu’s claims to fame- the longest shotengai (shopping street) in Japan. This one was a nice mix with some sections a bit upscale and other sections more mom & pop stores. Lucky for us the worst weather day of the trip came in the spot with the longest covered street. One section even had a small farmers market.
Lunch was at Sanuki Rock for ramen. We had the shoyu and the owner gave us free samples of a curry he made. Excellent & very friendly!
We also tried the chicken at Ikkaku. We got there right when they opened at 4 to avoid the wait (and because we had dinner reservations). Ikkaku is all about roast chicken on the bone but the difference is you can get young chicken (Hinadori) or old chicken (Oyadori). The young chicken is more tender and the older is more chewy. We got both of course and ended up liking the old chicken the best. It just had so much more flavor. The chicken is very greasy & pretty impossible to eat with chopsticks so everyone just picks & up and eats with their hands. We didn’t get any pictures.










Sanuki Rock


Dinner this night was at Temma. I had a google translated partial menu & the waiter tried very hard with google translate on his phone. Very friendly & helpful. Good food though the bill was extremely high. This being Japan I don’t think they were cheating us. We must have ordered something very expensive without realizing it or there was a mistake. We had sashimi, lotus root & shrimp dumpling in broth, pickles, stewed fish, grilled fish, grilled squid, baked asparagus, grilled chicken, rice balls and grilled eel. All very good.










The next day we did one long day trip (since the weather had ruined one of the days) first checking out Kompirasan/Kotahira and it’s 1368 steps. We only did 785 to get to the main hall and the Ema Hall where sailors come to pray for safety which includes a small individual submarine).
























Someone taking the easy way up


Then we went to Zentsuji which is the birthplace of Kobo Daishi who founded the Shingon sect of Buddhism (the 88 temples pilgrimage is essentially retracing his footsteps) which has 300-500 rakan statues (depending on what info you read).















Then on to Marugame the smallest of the 12 original castles in Japan. There was a really good gift shop here where they were handmaking fans.









making fans in the gist shop

The mascot of Marugame (that's a chicken leg as his head).

Then on the way back to Takamatsu we stopped at Yakuri-ji. We took the old school funicular up but only had 10 minutes to check the temple out before we had to take the last funicular of the day back down.












the credit card company to ask the restaurant to set-up a menu. But we figured we’d be able to make it work like we have at all of the other places. No such luck. The menu was handwritten and was almost impossible for us to read. We were able to figure out the sashimi section & ordered two at random. We asked the waiter for a suggestion or to let us order a course (we could tell from the prices & way it was written there were a couple of courses on the menu but he refused). He definitely did not want us there. We ordered some stuffed chicken wings because the people next to us got some but after that we were out of options. The chef/owner seemed concerned when we left right after that but since the menu seemed like it was a daily menu we didn’t think tabelog or Instagram pics would help us. Nice place though, had a kind of hip vibe to it. It was our own fault for just assuming we would always be able to make things work at places without English menus. So we headed back to Sanuki Rock and got their shio ramen this time. This time the freebie was some chicken wings. All really good.



And then it was on to Tokyo. We dropped off the car and took the train to Okayama & then on to Tokyo.

annhig

Thanks so much for continuing with your wonderful photos and descriptions of your travels. Considering the language problems I think you did fantastically well.

valgalchi

Thanks so much for following along Annhig (and for your kind words)!

shelemm

This part of your trip is completely stunning! So many great and interesting features. I have long wanted to go to Takamatsu, and this makes me very jealous..

At the restaurant I suppose you could have just pointed to anything on the menu. When all else fails... Ultimately, you don't really seem like the kind of people who will be scandalized by what you'll be served, so you can just be surprised!

valgalchi

True Shelemm, we could have done that but the waiter definitely didn't seem to want us there. If we hadn't felt unwanted we likely would have tried that.

And thanks! We both liked Takamatsu a great deal so I hope you get there!

burta

What a wonderful trip report, made all the better with great photos and your taste in food. We have been trying to get to Shikoku for two years, and hope to next May if Japan opens up again. Our fingers are crossed!

valgalchi

Thanks Burta! I hope you get to go! We have tickets for March for a Kyushu trip and it's not looking good at the moment but fingers crossed we both get to go!

PJTravels

Thank you for this report. I am looking forward to doing a deep dive into it as our someday second trip to Japan will be to Shikoku. Our first trip (report still in the works) looks pretty much like yourfirst itinerary.

valgalchi

Thanks for reading PJTravels! Hopefully someday we'll all get to go back to Japan!

progol

valgachi, I just rediscovered your trip report and have enjoyed it enormously! We finally did get to Japan for our first trip this past October/November and am now hoping to return next fall in a trip combined with Taiwan. We, too, fell in love sigh Japan and I’ve been looking at some of the areas that are more off the beaten path, such as Shikoku, and was thrilled to see this report! Lovely, lovely, lovely!

I’m just now doing research and exploration of the different regions but I’ve become especially intrigued by this area. So much to see and so hard to narrow things down!

And I’m VERY glad that dinner price of 70,000 yen was a typo! I nearly choked when I read it - and was relieved to find out it was only 7,000 yen! And all your meals looked fabulous!