Shikoku
Pilgrimage paths, river valleys, castle towns and historic onsen make this Japan’s best slow-travel island.
Start exploringShikoku Keeps The Old Roads Alive.
Shikoku makes sense when the journey slows. One valley, one castle town and one onsen night will feel richer than circling the whole island too quickly.
One clear route, then room to wander.
Begin with the guide that gives the place structure. Add the next region only when it changes the journey.
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The decisions that shape Shikoku.
Open only the question that matters now. The route becomes easier once the base, pace and fixed bookings are clear.
Plan 01Drive
A car is the clearest way to link valleys, villages and smaller towns.
Plan 02Walk
Use sections of the 88-temple pilgrimage rather than treating it as a photo stop.
Plan 03Stay
Choose a ryokan or machiya stay where the evening atmosphere matters.
Turn Shikoku into your journey.
Shape the days around your dates, pace and the wider route through Japan.
Before you move
Practical setup for Japan
The small systems that make the next transfer work: payment, transport, maps, luggage and live conditions.Local transportStart with an IC card
Use Suica, PASMO or another interoperable IC card for most urban trains, buses and small purchases.
Open official serviceLuggageForward bags between bases
Use hands-free delivery when the route includes busy stations, small ryokan or a one-night intermediate stop.
Open official serviceRail reservationsReserve the train, not every pass
Book the intercity seats that matter; compare passes against the actual route first.
Compare trains on Trip.comWeather & alertsJapan weather and alerts
Official forecasts, earthquake information and severe-weather updates.
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