Kagawa in 2 Days: Ritsurin Garden, Konpira-san, Sanuki Udon and the Mirror Beach

Quick answer: Base yourself in Takamatsu and rent a car. Day 1: Ritsurin Garden in the morning, then a self-service udon lunch. Day 2: climb the 785 steps to Konpira-san’s main shrine, eat more udon, and finish at Chichibugahama beach for the sunset “mirror” photos. Go to udon shops before lunchtime ends; many close by early afternoon.

Kagawa is Japan’s smallest prefecture, but it packs in one of the country’s finest gardens, a famous mountain shrine, a beach that turns into a giant mirror at sunset, and the best udon in Japan. I’ve done all of these, and two days is a good amount of time for them.

Getting around

Takamatsu is the best base: it has the most hotels, and ferries leave from here for Naoshima and Shodoshima. See my Takamatsu city guide.

Rent a car if you can. Ritsurin Garden and Konpira-san are reachable by train, but Chichibugahama is much easier by car: it’s about an hour from Takamatsu by expressway, and the beach has a large free car park (about 300 spaces).

Day 1: Takamatsu

Ritsurin Garden (morning)

A huge Edo-period daimyo garden at the foot of Mount Shiun, with ponds, bridges, teahouses and over a thousand carefully shaped pine trees. It’s often rated as one of the best gardens in Japan.

• Entry: ¥500 for adults (¥170 for elementary and junior high school students)
• Allow 1.5–2 hours to walk it properly
• Extras: matcha and sweets at the Kikugetsu-tei teahouse, or a short wooden boat ride on the pond

Morning light on the ponds is beautiful, and the garden is quieter early. See my Ritsurin Garden guide for tea, the boat and the light-ups.

Self-service udon (lunch)

Sanuki udon is Kagawa’s pride: thick, firm, springy noodles. The most fun way to eat it is at a self-service shop:

1. Order the size (small / large) and style (hot or cold, with broth or with a little soy sauce).
2. At some shops you warm the noodles yourself in a basket in hot water.
3. Take tempura and toppings from the counter.
4. Pay at the end, and return your tray when you’re done.

It’s cheap (often a few hundred yen), quick, and very local. For the words you need and step-by-step ordering, see How to Order Sanuki Udon at a Self-Service Shop.

Important: many udon shops close by early afternoon, some as soon as the day’s noodles run out. Have udon for breakfast or lunch, not dinner.

Day 2: Konpira-san and the mirror beach

Konpira-san (Kotohiragu Shrine)

A shrine on the side of Mount Zozu in Kotohira, dedicated to the god of the sea and sailors. The famous part is the climb: 785 stone steps to the main shrine, lined with shops at the bottom and stone lanterns and gates higher up. I’ve climbed up to the main shrine; from the top there’s a view over the Sanuki plain.

• Wear comfortable walking shoes. The steps are steep in places and it takes most people 30–60 minutes to go up.
• Go in the morning, before it gets hot.
• There’s an inner shrine further up (1,368 steps in total) for those with extra energy. See my Konpira-san climbing guide.

Udon in Kotohira

Have lunch in Kotohira town before you leave. There are plenty of udon shops along the approach to the shrine. With more time, Zentsuji Temple is 6 minutes away by train, and nearby Marugame is known for honetsukidori, a roast chicken leg.

Chichibugahama (sunset)

A long, shallow beach in Mitoyo on Kagawa’s west coast. At low tide, pools of water are left on the sand, and on a calm evening they reflect the sky like a mirror. People line up for silhouette photos that look like Bolivia’s Uyuni salt flats. In spring, nearby Shiudeyama is one of Kagawa’s best cherry-blossom spots — see Cherry Blossoms in Setouchi. Next door in Kanonji are the Zenigata sand coin and the torii in the sky.

The conditions matter. For the mirror effect you need:

• Evening (around sunset)
• Low tide (check the tide table; the local tourism site publishes the best times)
• No wind (any wind breaks the reflection)

If all three line up, it’s magical. If they don’t, it’s still a lovely beach at sunset.

• Free parking (about 300 cars), about 20 minutes from the Sanuki-Toyonaka or Mitoyo-Torisaka expressway exits
• About an hour from Takamatsu by car

Where to stay

Takamatsu has the widest choice of hotels, especially near Takamatsu Station and the port. If you want to catch the sunset at Chichibugahama and not drive back in the dark, consider a night in Mitoyo or nearby on the west coast.

FAQ

Can I do this without a car? Ritsurin Garden and Konpira-san, yes (by train). Chichibugahama is difficult without a car.

What’s the best season? Spring and autumn for walking. Chichibugahama is popular all year; sunsets are later in summer.

Is Konpira-san hard to climb? It’s a steady climb, not a hike. Most people manage it at their own pace. Take your time and rest at the landings.

Kaz

Tokushima local with family roots in Hiroshima

I live in Tokushima and my family is from Hiroshima, where I also used to live. I still go back several times a year. The guides here come from places I have actually been. Where I haven't tried something myself, I say so.