12 Days In Shikoku Going Off-The-Beaten-Path – A Japan Travel Itinerary

Shikoku is easily the least-known of the main islands of Japan but that is precisely the allure – authentic Japanese culture, freedom to roam at your own speed, get away hoards of tourists, and beautifully raw experiences at every level.

When planning this trip, I quickly realized that there isn’t a lot of information out there in terms of how to plan a road trip in Shikoku. With this 12 days in Shikoku itinerary, you’ll get a proper look not only the logistics side of things but also what makes the region special, unique activities, and how it is secretly one of the go-to places if you want to see the real Japan.

If you are looking to go off-the-beaten-path, 12 days in Shikoku will truly blow you away.

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👀 MUST-READ JAPAN GUIDES
12 Day Shikoku Itinerary – coming soon
Ultimate Tokyo Food Guide – https://goaw.pl/tokyo-food-guide
What To Buy In Japan – https://goaw.pl/what-to-buy-in-japan
Best Apps for Japan – https://goaw.pl/japan-travel-apps

🎥 WATCH MORE JAPAN VIDEOS
The Best of Far East Hokkaido – https://youtu.be/isofHn_FqLc
Best Michelin Star Ramen in Tokyo – https://youtu.be/fTUi3SI92_U
9 Must-Eat Restaurants in Tokyo – https://youtu.be/QB8ma8-SpSk

🔪 EXPERIENCES YOU NEED TO BOOK AHEAD OF TIME
Knife Making Workshop – https://goaw.pl/kurogane-knife-making-workshop
Indigo Dying – https://goaw.pl/shikoku-indigo-dying
Nakatsu Gorge Canyoning – https://goaw.pl/nakatsu-gorge-canyoning
Jeans Making – https://goaw.pl/betty-smith-jeans-making

🏨 FEATURED STAYS IN SHIKOKU
Tokushima – https://goaw.pl/daiwa-roynet-tokushima
Iya Valley – https://goaw.pl/kouya-iyavalley-farmstay
Shimanto – https://goaw.pl/hotel-sunriver-shimanto
Kochi – https://goaw.pl/comfort-hotel-kochi
Nakatsu Gorge – https://goaw.pl/seiran-no-sato
Matsuyama – https://goaw.pl/yamatoya-honten
Takamatsu – https://goaw.pl/hotel-wing-takamatsu
Naoshima – https://goaw.pl/sparkys-house
Okayama – https://goaw.pl/hotel-abest-grande

🚗 CAR RENTAL
Times Car Rental – https://goaw.pl/klook-japan-car-rental

🟢 CHAPTERS
0:00 – Intro
0:40 – Where is Shikoku?
1:21 – Day 1 Tokushima
4:42 – Day 2 Iya Valley
8:10 – Day 3 Iya Valley
11:28 – Day 4 Kochi
13:38 – Day 5 Shimanto
15:54 – Day 6 Nakatsu Gorge
18:13 – Day 7 Matsuyama
21:08 – Day 8 Ozu and Uchiko
23:43 – Day 9 Kotohira and Takamatsu
25:22 – Day 10 Naoshima
26:40 – Day 11 Naoshima
28:54 – Day 12 Okayama
30:54 – Outro

💡 FAQ
Q: When did you visit Shikoku, Japan?
A: Mid-October.

Q: Can you get by with English?
A: Yes but especially in this part of Japan, most people don’t speak English so you will find yourself more reliant on Google Translate.

Q: Is it easy to drive in Shikoku?
A: Yes, once you get used to driving on the left side of the road, you’ll find it easy to drive because it’s never busy anywhere. The most challenging part is driving in its valleys where roads often narrow to one lane both ways.

Q: How much did the trip cost?
A: A full budget breakdown will be on our article coming soon.

Q: Were you able to book everything on your own?
A: You can book most things on your own except Kouya, Seirannosato and the rest I booked through Agoda.

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Produced, filmed & edited by Will Tang
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🛫 TRAVEL MORE
▶ Insurance: https://goingawesomeplaces.com/insured-nomads-landing
▶ Airport Parking: https://goingawesomeplaces.com/airport-parking-reservations
▶ Hotels: https://goingawesomeplaces.com/agoda
▶ Flights: https://goingawesomeplaces.com/skyscanner
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#12daysinJapan​​ #Shikoku #Japantravelguide

Most travelers to Japan think of Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Nara, Hiroshima, Hakone, the Golden Route, as they call it. But if you’re looking to go off the beaten path and discover breathtaking valleys, mysterious whirl pools, experience farm stays, medieval castles, historic temples, and incredible food, you have to look to the island of Shikoku.

The beauty of Shikoku is that it’s still a hidden gem, which means that you’ll have a lot of places to yourself. So come here before the word gets out. You’re probably wondering, wait a second, where is Shikoku? It’s the smallest and least populated of the four main Japanese islands.

On this twelve day itinerary, we start with the city of Tokushima, escape into Iya Valley, come out to the Southern city of Kochi, a detour to Shimanto, up to Nakatsu Gorge, spend time in Matsuyama and surrounding areas before a short stop in Kotahira, and then Takamatsu.

Leaving Shikoku, you’ll hop onto Naoshima Island and then base yourself in Okayama to see Kojima and Kurashiki. This video should serve as a great blueprint for anyone that wants to discover this part of Japan for themselves. After spending a week eating the best food

In Tokyo with Chantelle, which will be in a future video, I was off on my own to head down to the the island of Shikoku. As always, flying up a Haneda is the easiest. This flight is just an hour and 15 minutes hop away. And for this Shikoku itinerary,

You’re going to want to start in the city of Tokushima. Made it to Shikoku! From the airport, there’s a super handy bus that costs 600 ¥ and will take you straight into the center of town and the main Tokushima station. It’ll be a bit too early to get your room

At the Daiwa Roynet Hotel right next door, so drop off your bags. Make your way to the Bizan Ropeway for the best view of Tokushima. You’ll be in the same building as the Awa Odori Museum and Theater, but on the upper floor, you’ll be able to hop on the gondola.

From the top of Mount Bizan, you’ll see the city laid out before you, Yoshino River and Asan Mountain. Back at Tokushima Station, grab some food to go, and next, you’ll hop on the bus to check out the dramatic natural phenomenon called the Naruto Whirlpools. Yes, the swirls that inspired the manga and anime.

When you’re planning your trip here, you’re going to I want to make sure you check out the best times to see the whirlpools that happen twice a day. This is at high tide and low tide, and it’s different every day. They also offer two different boats.

Aqua Eddy is more expensive because it has underwater windows. The Wonder Naruto is a bigger boat and the one we’d recommend. The experience itself was a little bit different than what I expected. Once you board, you need to rush to a spot on the side and stay there because it’s shoulder to shoulder.

You’re also unlikely to move once you get there. As for the Whirlpools themselves, they’re really luck of the drawing can happen on either side of the boat when you’re near the bridge. The captain is pretty good about holding its position and changing sides, but ultimately, you just have to scan

The water, and you might see a mini-swirl here, you might see one start to develop and fizzle, or if you’re lucky, you’ll see a full whirlpool. Take the bus back, where you’ll then be able to check into your room and get ready for the evening. For dinner, head over to Domannaka,

An an elegant izakaya and yakitori restaurant that features local dishes. On the menu, you’ll find freshly caught bonito, sweet potato, lotus root, grilled fish cutlet, and skewers that include the local signature, Awa Odori chicken. What Tokushima is best known for is Awa Odori,

Something you might have noticed not so subtly featured throughout the city. This is perhaps Japan’s most famous dance festival that is said to have originated to celebrate the opening of Tokushima Castle. While this festival is performed in mid-August, the other way to see

A performance is at the Awa Odori Theater, which you’ll be familiar with. This 50-minute performance is the best showcase of what the Awa Odori Festival is all about. Accompanied by musicians, you’ll get to see men, women, children, and elders perform this traditional dance. You’ll see and feel the energy,

Along with the intricacies of the dress of Awa Odori during the show. For the performance, you’ll get to learn some of the basic moves of the dance and At the end of the show, the whole crowd will get to join the dancers on the floor, culminating in a truly fun and immersive night.

While you can totally see Shikoku by relying on the train, it makes a lot of sense to rent your own car in this part of Japan. It’s the perfect road trip island. One of the most affordable companies to rent from is Times Car Rental.

Hid the road and make a detour to a place where indigo-dying merch generations thrived in the Edo period. Here you’ll find the historic Udatsu townscape in Yamauchi Studio. Designated as Japanese heritage, you’ll be able to dye an item of choice in the traditional way. I ended up choosing a draw string bag.

Your teacher will guide you through the process, which starts with deciding on the design, scrunching up the bag using a special technique they teach you, and then dunking the bag into the vat of indigo, working it in for one minute at a time.

You’ll squeeze it out and then repeat the process four times. When done, unwrap the bag, rinse it, bring it in the dryer, and voila! Now begins a long and somewhat challenging drive into a remote mountainous valley in the heart of Shikoku.

While it isn’t dangerous at any point, you’ll encounter the narrowing roads as it wraps around cliffs and snakes through small towns. Back in the day, there were 13 suspension bridges made out of mountain vines. Deep in the inner valley,

There are only a few left, and two of can be found side by side here. The larger of the two is called Husband Bridge. If you’re afraid of heights like I am, you’ll have some trouble as you quickly realize that you don’t have choice

But to look down while crossing the bridge because the plank gaps are so huge. Kind of terrifying!! While you’re here, you can also check out the wooden cable carts, which was another ancient way to transport goods and people. While the second Wife Bridge is smaller,

It will no doubt still stimulate those vertigo senses. Continuing in from outer Iya Valley, you’ll encounter the strangest attraction of all, a town filled with scarecrows. Don’t worry, it’s more charming than it sounds. Many remote towns like this face depopulation, and one resident started

To slowly add scarecrows to commemorate those that have passed, left the town, and to infuse spirit into a vanishing village. The scarecroes now outnumber the residents 10 to 1. Traveling the Iya Valley is like a window into the past, and none is clearer than a visit to its many historic thatched roof houses.

There are several ones you can visit, including this one, which was once a small private home, and this larger farmer’s home, restored to its former glory, located in Ochiai. The best way, though, to experience what life was like in Iya Valley is to do a farm stay. For two nights, stay at Kouya,

A 130-year-old family home that was once a tobacco farm and designated as a National Significant Cultural Heritage Site. This is a multi-room restored home that you’ll have all to yourself. Stepping in, the sliding doors will open onto a large floor hearth where meals are cooked and eaten.

Adjacent to it is one of the two bedrooms that’s equipped with a fluffy Japanese-style futon with plenty of space and opens out to the valley views. Afternoons start with a sweet treat and tea. And for dinner, they cook an extravagant meal, some that’s prepared in the kitchen

And others that are cooked in the traditional way over an open air cast iron stove over charcoal tended by bamboo. This particular dish is called Hirarayaki, where you have a thick wall of miso paste, a pool of sake, and then locally sourced ingredients such as potato, konjac, amego fish, and tofu.

Mornings were my favorite here, as you can watch the valley slowly come to life as the fog flows through and the dew drops try their best to cling on. Your host will explain all the different small plates you’ll get for breakfast, and you’ll also appreciate the freshly

Brewed pot of coffee that you can enjoy in the crisp morning air. On the previous day, you drove up O’Chia to see a historic house. This is, in fact, one of the more enduring examples of what a traditional Iya Valley hamlet is like.

To start your day, make your way over to this viewpoint that will show you just how steep the 400 meters the Hamlet is built on. Drop by the Museum of Local History and Folklore, which is packed with artifacts and also documents the long and rich history of this isolated region.

This is where you learn about the Heike Samurai of the Taira Clan and how they evaded their pursuers after losing a war and ended up living here in secret. The Samurai from that legend settled near here, a restored Samurai residence that is the largest historic home in Iya Valley of the Kita clan.

You’ll be able to walk through the entire residence, including its various rooms, store room, kitchen, and you’ll also see samurai armor on display. Keep driving and you’ll pass by this wire bridge. I tried to cross it, but my legs were trembling a quarter way through, so I backed that thang up.

You’ll eventually make it to the second and more popular vine bridge site in Iya Valley because it’s so much more accessible. As a result, it’s a bit more touristy with a toll gate and rule that you can only cross one way. I was okay with that.

The vine bridge is a similar design with equally terrifying wide gaps. A short walk away from the bridge is Biwa Waterfall. As you make your way back to the parking lot, you’ll see vendors selling local Iya Valley specialties. The next are quick pit stops.

The first is a postcard-perfect river bend in the valley, and the other, a small peeing boy statue that is at the edge of a 200-metre precipice. The biggest highlight of the day will no doubt be at Hotel Iyaonsen. They have quite the spectacular open air onsen that’s open to visitors.

To get there, you have to take a cable car right down to the river where there are separate male and female hotspring pools. Both overlook the flowing river and pipes in the alkaline sulphurous water straight from the source, so the pools are continuously flowing.

Your onsen ticket also gets you into their indoor hotsprings as well. Returning back to Kouya, you’ll again be welcomed by a small treat and tea. Tonight, It’s time for you to be part of making dinner with a hands-on soba-making class. From scratch, Shin-san guided me through

The process of making SobaNoodles in the Iya, which is 100% buckwheat and is much shorter and fatter than the soba noodles that you’re used to. I also got to see the steaming of rice, the time honored way, with small sticks, branches, and of course, bamboo to give it life.

Just like the previous night, dinner was an incredible experience with the amoeba fish roasted by the fire, a collection of small appetizer dishes, the soba that I made, of course, and a huge pot of oden because it was pretty cold that night. It’s a bitter sweet morning enjoying

The farm stay for one last time and also saying goodbye to the incredible hosts. Cutting west in the valley, taking the beautiful scenery until you make it to Oboke Gorge, where the quirks of Iya Valley pop up once again. Here, legendary monsters spirits, spirits, and demons known as yokai take over.

In this roadside station is the Yokai House. You walk through a museum dedicated to these supernatural entities from Japanese folklore. Seeing all the different yokai on display here is truly fascinating and scary at the same time. There’s then the Yokai Village itself, where you’ll find dozens of yokai

Sculptures and statues on display in the Fujikawa Valley. Leaving Iya Valley, your next destination is the port city of Kochi in Southern Shikoku. Your first stop is Kochi Castle. Built in the 17th century, Kochi Castle is the only one in Japan where the original castle tower and main keep remain intact.

From the main gate to the long flat steps up, the base of the castle walls, a fake gate, another gate that’s the actual entrance into the castle grounds, and then the six-floor tower, you start to understand how hard it would be to conquer a castle like this.

You’ll have to store your shoes in the locker to enter, and on the ground floor, you’ll see many special artifacts, the Lord’s Reception Suite, and where arm guards hid behind these doors. As you make your way up, you’ll see models of the castle,

Get great views along the way, and at the very top, the best views. Nearby is Hirome Market, a local food hall in Kochi, and a perfect spot to pick up some lunch. With your rental car, you’ll easily be able to make it to Godaisan Park, which offers stunning

Panoramic views of Kochi City, especially from this observation tower. Steps down is also the Chikurin-ji temple, which is part of the famous Shikoku Pilgrimage Route. At its center is a beautiful red-painted five-storied pagoda. A long drive awaits you, though, as you’ll make a detour out to the city of Shimanto.

Have dinner at the nearby restaurant and stay at the Hotel Sunriver Shimanto. It’ll all make sense tomorrow. The reason why you came all the way out this way is to be able to go to the workshop, Kurogane, nestled in the quiet mountains of Shikoku.

Master Nobuya and apprentice Jesse run a knifemaking workshop that is unique in that you can literally come in with any design or knife type you want to make. From a piece of pre-laminated steel called Blue Paper #2, I’ll let you watch all the different steps we did from forging, shaping the edge,

Heat treatment, finishing the blade, and adding the handle. This full day workshop was worth every penny and will easily be one of the top highlights of your trip to Shikoku, Japan. If you want to book this, click on the link in the top right or head to the description.

Now, the only drawback of doing the itinerary this way is that you have to drive two and a half hours back to get to Kochi, have dinner, in this case, incredibly fresh bonito tataki, then check into the hotel and collapse from your very, very long day.

And the adventures continue on day 6 deep in the Nakatsu Gorge and the town of Niyodogawa. This area is known as Niyodo Blue, referring to the pristine sapphire blue river that cuts through the gorge. The best way to see it is with a wetsuit,

Water shoes, life jacket, helmet, and going on a canyoning trip with Niyodo Adventure On this guided tour, you’ll get up close with the river. It starts off easy with some acclimatization in the cooler waters, and then you traverse into the canyon with Nori-san guiding you through a bunch

Of different obstacles, some you’ll expect and others you won’t see coming. Are you ready? No. I didn’t know this is what I was signing up for. You go up abseiling down cliffs and then letting go. Go leaving into the raging river. Awesome. Ready? Slipping down natural rock slides,

Sneaking in behind waterfalls, both small and large, and just taking in the natural wonder that is Nakatsu Gorge. Nice and easy. After you dry off, it’s time to head into the official Nakatsu Gorge hiking course. This is a sacred Shinto area formed 300 million years ago.

This is an easy 2.3 km hike that runs through the gorge. Along the way, you’ll see seven statues, such as these ones, dedicated to a different gods of good luck. Massive boulders, beautiful blue waters, shades of gray, green, and red dot your way.

The main highlight is Uryu Falls, where water drops 20 meters, and you’ll see hanging rope above it, marking it as an important Shinto site. As another action-pack day, you’ll be excited to settle in relatively early to your hotel, Seiran No Sato, in the mountain town of Tsuno.

Here, you’ll be able to enjoy a new modern hotel built from locally harvested wood. Where each room has views of the gentle Shimanto River. For dinner, they serve an amazing set that includes bonito tataki, local eel, seasonal tempura, eggplant cutlet, and a Shimanto chicken pot. Their kitchen continues to stand out

For breakfast, and after a hearty start to the morning, they’ll hit the road once again, this time to Northern Shikoku and the city of Matsuyama. Matsuyama Castle is truly one of a kind. To get up to the castle grounds,

You have to choose between the gondola or chairlift that run parallel to each other. It was a no-brainer to pick the chairlift that is continuously running and gives you some nice hang time. Thinking about the difficulty of taking over a castle, Matsuyama Castle is significantly more challenging than Kochi Castle,

With an array of obstacles, including long paths, impossible to scale walls, and gates upon gates upon gates with kill zones galore. When you finally get to the main keep, you see how it continues to be well defended. Within that main keep, you’ll be impressed with the numerous

Examples of samurai armor and katanas on display. There’s also an opportunity to try one on. On the second level, they have a VR station to get aerial views of the castle, and at the very top, you’ll get awesome panoramic views of Matsuyama City. And don’t forget to grab a stamp,

Fresh orange juice, and orange top soft serve before you go. A famous area of Matsuyama is Dogo Onsen, which has one of the oldest onsens in Japan, dating back 1,000 years. Surrounding the original onsen are numerous onsen hotels. The one that we recommend you booking is Yamatoya Honten.

And yup, I couldn’t believe it when I saw a massage chair in the room. Serving as inspiration for Miyazaki’s Spirited Away, Dogo Onsen Honkan is the original public bathhouse. When I went, it was undergoing massive renovations, so reservations were required as only a small section of it was available.

It’s said to be fully restored and open by by the summer of 2024. The whole Dogo Onsen area is quite charming, with its covered shopping arcades, alternative modern public bathhouses, its famed clock tower, and historic train. Food options are better back in the downtown area,

So take the tram back to the Matsuyama City station, which is easily recognizable by the ferris wheel on its roof. Nearby is the Botchan Train Museum, which is strangely tucked away behind a Starbucks, but this is where you’ll see a life-size replica of the historic number one locomotive, dioramas,

Various train parts, and photos of old Matsuyama City. For dinner, locals recommended this izakaya, and it did not disappoint. You got to try their lettuce wrap with housemade dressing, torched mackerel, cheesy bacon potato salad, Ehime chicken tataki, charcoal grilled chicken, and tamagoyaki.

After my reservation at Dogo Onsen, Honkan, I returned back to my hotel and went to their onsen, which was honestly way better. The hotel also has an all-you-can-drink sake station, snacks, and foot massage machines. From Matsuyama, head out early in the morning to the town of Ozu to see the picturesque Ozu Castle

Perched up on a hill and overlooking Hijikawa River. The interesting story behind the castle is that the keep was completely demolished in 1888, but was then reconstructed in 2004. That’s why when you get in the castle, you’ll notice all the fresh wood used to rebuild the tower by using traditional techniques.

What I really loved about this castle was just how quiet it was and how it really focused on its architecture and giving you a look at how a new castle would look like. You’ll truly appreciate Ozu Castle’s idyllic setting when you come. With the combo ticket that’s offered,

You’ll also be able to visit Garyu Sanso Villa. Around four years and 9,000 artisans were required to construct this villa that truly epitomizes the union of nature and tea. It’s not hard to slip back in time with this extraordinary architecture, fine details, and esthetic concept of wabi-sabi that sees the beauty of imperfection.

Behind is a beautiful garden that eventually leads to a thatched roof tea house named Furo-An that overlooks Hijikawa River. If you happen to be Ozu on a Sunday, you’ll be lucky enough to visit their version of a flea market. It’s got a lot of retro signs throughout

The space, and as you walk around to the different stalls, you’ll see that this market focuses on nostalgic toys from the show-up period. There are plenty of games for kids, and if you look closely, you might find some goodies for yourself, too. A short drive away is the town of Uchiko,

Once a prosperous town of wax and paper production. As you explore Uchiko, you’ll learn about the architecture of that time, including the intricate lattice work, see examples of what homes and stores were like, and be able to walk into a traditional candle-making store that continues the 200-year tradition,

Where candles are made by smearing layers around a wick, like rings of a tree. The other symbol of Uchiko is the full-scale kabuki theater. You appreciate the English tour guide that they have on hand and being able to see and hear some of the inner workings, including trap doors, rotating stage, and basement.

You’ll get to roam around all parts of the theater. Just spent a lovely afternoon in Uchiko. Uchiko just has a really easygoing, authentic, charming vibe that really gives an air of just what it was like to live here over a century where you go. Shikoku, you’ve blown me away.

When you get back to Dogo Onsen, delve into the mikan, tangerine that the Ehime Prefecture is best known for, and then have dinner at a local restaurant. In my research of this region’s obsession with the mikan, I discovered the confectionery store, Seikodo, in Imabari. What drew me in was their mochi-wrapped mikan.

But as I talked to the owner, I learned about their original specialty, the boat-shaped red bean dessert, and their new mochi popsicle. Both were amazing. This is another detour that’s worth making. Keep driving east to the town of Kotohira, which is home to Shikoku’s most popular shrine that’s nicknamed “Kompirasan”.

The approach to the shrine is lined with souvenir shops and restaurants, which is just the start of the 785 steps you’ll need to do to get to the main shrine. At the top, you’ll have a great view of the plains below. When you make it back down,

Reward yourself with soft-serve decorated with these colorful rice balls. And if you have time, make sure you use the free foot onsen to relax your aching muscles. It’s your final stretch of driving. Drop off your car when you get to Takamatsu and check into Hotel Wing,

Which is outfitted with its own mini onsen-style bathroom, which I found amazing. You’ll take the local train to a steakhouse that specializes in olive wagyu. These are cattle that come from the olive-producing island of Shodoshima nearby. These cows have a unique diet of toasted

Olives, giving them evenly-marbled, rich and nuttier umami flavor. At Ichigo, I was able to have 150 grams of the lamp part of a cattle. Coming pre-seared, you get to cook the olive wagyu to your liking on a hot stone.

You can tell from my reaction that this was easily the best steak I’ve ever had. Oishi indeed. Now, you could end the trip right there as this is your last destination in Shikoku, but why not add two more days to see Naoshima Island and Okayama? After trying the famed sanuki udon

In town, head over to the ferry pier and buy your tickets to Naoshima Island. North of Shikoku is the Seto Inland Sea. This area is known for its mild climate and laidback atmosphere, making it very much like the Mediterranean of Japan. One of the islands that’s risen in popularity is Naoshima for its

Contemporary art, so it’d be a real shame to miss this while you’re here. The passenger and car ferry takes less than an hour to get there. As you pull in, you’ll see the first of many art installations scattered all over the island. And this is the Red Pumpkin by Yayoi Kusama.

A short walk away from the pier is Sparky’s House. They have container-style buildings and also a renovated house divided into many rooms and come with well-equipped kitchens. Using the bike rental from the property, head back down to the pier and take in the beautiful glow of the lingering sun by the red pumpkin.

For dinner, if you didn’t make reservations ahead of time, you might be in a bit of a bind, but luckily, I was able to find the last table at Cin.na.mon that surprised me with how good their stuffed chicken wings, sashimi, and curry were.

In darkness, the outdoor sculptures by the pier come to life in different ways, so it’s worth riding around to check them out. There’s no time to waste. You only have a day to see Naoshima Island, but it’s totally doable.

The key is the book a place that has bikes, or better yet, e-bikes for rent. Here’s a tip. If you’re looking for photos of the Red Pumpkin without a crowd around it, head out in the morning to have it all to yourself.

From here, you’ll bike all the way around clockwise to the Tsutsuji-so bus stop, which, locals said, is an easier, flatter ride. Park your bike here because you’re not allowed to go any further. While you’re waiting, you can check out the iconic yellow pumpkin, or just hop on the bus to Chichu Art Museum.

What’s most important about Chichu Art Museum is that you need to make reservations ahead of time, and to do it when the date’s open because they sell out quick. Arrive at your time slot, they’ll check you in at the gate, and you’ll be able to enter.

Also, good to know is that they’ll give you this bag because cameras and phones aren’t allowed inside, which I found to be quite refreshing. The museum is brilliant and a must see. Instead of waiting for the shuttle, set out on foot and walk to the next art site, Lee Ufan Museum.

I didn’t have time to go inside, but it’s definitely worth checking out their outdoor sculptures. A short distance away is Valley Gallery. Here you’ll see Yoyoi Kusama’s Narcissus Garden, which we also got to see a version of this in Bentonville, Arkansas, and Tsuyoshi Ozawa’s Slag Buddha 88. Continue walking along the path enjoying

Other open-air art pieces scattered along the seashore before making it to Benesse House Museum, which was also designed by star architect Tadao Ando. In the museum, you’ll find contemporary art from artists from Japan and all around the world. As you explore, you get a real appreciation

Of the the existence of nature, art, and architecture. Everything comes full circle, continuing along the Coast, passing by more incredible outdoor art pieces, the other Benesse House hotel buildings, and of course, the irresistible Yellow Pumpkin by Yoyoi Kusama. Ride back to your hotel, and along the way, stop in Honmura,

Where you can treat yourself to gelato and a snack. Return your e-bike, and get a complimentary shuttle to the ferry terminal. And that is how a short but very sweet visit to Naoshima Island is like, and you’ll be on your way across the Seto Inland Sea to the Uno Port of Okayama.

Transfer into Okayama City, and after a quick bowl of ramen, it’s time to call it a night. You’re going to end off the trip with two big highlights of this region, Kojima and Kurashiki. It’s ambitious, but YOLO, right? Start your morning by taking the train to Kojima Station.

This is the birthplace of Japanese denim, and it’s pretty obvious once you step out of the station. Take the taxi to Betty Smith, a jeans manufacturer that has the oldest jeans factory and the only jeans museum in Japan. The reason why you’ve made it all the way

Out here is to be able to do their jeans making experience. Start with picking the type of jeans that you want to customize, and your instructor will hem it for you. Afterwards, you get to choose from a huge selection of buttons, rivets, and leather patches.

The leather patch goes on, and then your task will be to attach the top button for your jeans using this mechanical tool. Once that’s done, you’ll move on to the next device where you’ll attach all four rivets to your jeans. When you’re done, you’ll have your very own Betty Smith custom-made jeans.

Before you go, check out their two jeans museums that share with you the history, evolution, and process behind making jeans in Japan. Cabbing back towards the station is where you’ll find Kojima Jean Street, the mecca of premium Japanese denim. From Kojima,

You take the JR back to Okayama and then chain trains to Kurashiki. Kurashiki Bikan Historic Quarter is a characteristically Japanese townscape that has whitewashed traditional buildings, stone-tiled streets and centered around a canal. Many people even call it “Little Venice”. From a beautiful square,

A quirky piggy bank and retro toy museum, boutique shops, confectionery stops, the first Western art museum in Japan, charming cafés, and local legends, you’ll enjoy wandering around and soaking in the atmosphere. The most photogenic part of Kurashiki is

No doubt the willow-lined canal, where you can do a punting boat ride for only 500 ¥. Locals rave about this tonkatsu restaurant. So before heading back to Okayama, join the queue and have a crispy and juicy tonkatsu smothered with a well balanced demi-glace sauce.

Well, that’s a wrap to 12 incredible days in Shikoku, Naoshima, and Okayama. If you’re to see more Japan, make sure to check out our other videos. And if you’re the person that loves maps, itinerary, spreadsheets, and all the nitty-gritty details, make sure to head over to our blog at goingawesomeplaces.com

The links are in the description down below. Thanks for watching, and keep going to awesome places!