Kagawa Prefecture occupies the northeastern tip of Shikoku island, separated from the Chugoku region by the tranquil Seto Inland Sea. Japan's smallest prefecture by area is famous far beyond its modest geography: Sanuki udon noodles are practically a regional religion, the 785-step climb to Kotohira-gu Shrine is a pilgrimage milestone, Ritsurin Garden ranks among Japan's most beautiful stroll-style parks, and the art islands of Naoshima and Teshima have made this quiet sea route an international contemporary-art destination.
Top attractions
The most popular and significant attractions in Kagawa.
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1
Ritsurin Garden
This is a strolling garden built up over roughly a century by the Takamatsu feudal lords, using Mount Shiun as a backdrop and six ponds connected by paths. It is one of the largest Edo-period gardens preserved in Japan, and the layout is designed so that the view changes at almost every turn rather than opening onto one grand vista.
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2
Kotohira-gu Shrine (Konpira-san)
Konpira-san is a shrine dedicated to Omononushi, historically associated with seafarers and safe voyages, set on the slopes of Mount Zozu. Reaching the main hall means climbing a long stone stairway lined with stone lanterns and old lodging houses, and the walk itself is part of the experience.
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3
Naoshima Art Island
Naoshima is a small Seto Inland Sea island that Benesse Corporation and architect Tadao Ando turned into a cluster of museums and installations from the 1990s onward, mixing contemporary art with the island's fishing-village setting. Yayoi Kusama's yellow pumpkin sculpture on the waterfront has become the island's unofficial symbol.
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4
Chichu Art Museum
Designed by Tadao Ando and built largely underground so it doesn't disturb the island's landscape, this museum houses a small, fixed collection built around Claude Monet's water lily paintings, along with site-specific works by James Turrell and Walter De Maria. The concrete galleries use natural light, so the rooms look different depending on the time of day and weather.
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5
Takamatsu Castle (Tamamo Park)
Takamatsu Castle was one of Japan's three major seaside castles, built with a moat that drew seawater directly from the Seto Inland Sea rather than a river or well. Most of the original structures were dismantled after the Meiji period, so today the grounds are a public park, but the stone foundations and one restored turret give a sense of the original scale.
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6
Shikoku Mura Open-Air Museum
This open-air museum relocated traditional buildings from across Shikoku, including thatched-roof farmhouses, a kabuki stage, and a vine suspension bridge modeled on the ones in the Iya Valley, and reassembled them on a hillside near Yashima. Walking through it gives a sense of rural Shikoku life before the buildings that housed it disappeared.
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7
Marugame Castle
Marugame Castle keeps one of only twelve castle keeps in Japan that survive from the original feudal era rather than being postwar concrete reconstructions. It's known less for the keep's size, which is modest, than for its stone walls, which rise in tiers to among the tallest of any Japanese castle.
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8
Zentsuji Temple (Temple No. 75 Shikoku Pilgrimage)
Zentsuji is the largest temple on the 88-temple Shikoku pilgrimage route and marks the birthplace of Kukai (Kobo Daishi), the monk who founded Shingon Buddhism. The grounds are split into an eastern precinct with a five-story pagoda and a western precinct built around the site associated with his birth.
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9
Teshima Art Museum
Designed by architect Ryue Nishizawa with artist Rei Naito, this museum is a single concrete shell shaped like a water droplet, built into a hillside overlooking rice terraces and the Seto Inland Sea. Inside there is no other art besides the building itself: water continuously seeps up through tiny holes in the floor, forming droplets that merge and ripple across the concrete in response to air currents. Visitors sit or lie on the floor and watch the water move for as long as they like, since there is no set route or time limit.
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10
Shodoshima Olive Park
This is the site where olive cultivation in Japan began in the early 20th century, and the park is built around terraced olive groves running down to the coast. A white Greek-style windmill on the hillside became widely recognized after appearing as a filming location for the live-action Kiki's Delivery Service, and it now draws visitors who pose next to it with brooms. The on-site museum covers the history of olive farming on the island and its Mediterranean-climate connection.
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Explore by your interests.
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Practical information
What you need to know before you go.
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Tips for visiting attractions
Make the most of your sightseeing time.
Pre-book Chichu Art Museum timed-entry tickets online at benesse-artsite.jp — walk-ins are often refused in peak season
Ritsurin Garden is best visited at opening time before tour groups arrive
Buy a Naoshima island ferry pass and Benesse multi-museum ticket to save money on multiple art venues
Konpira-san's 785 steps to the main hall are paved and manageable in 45 minutes; the full 1,368-step climb to the inner shrine adds 45 minutes more and is worth the quieter atmosphere
Frequently asked questions
How many days do I need to see Naoshima?
One full day covers Chichu Art Museum, Benesse House Museum, and the Art House Project in Honmura village. Two days allows a more leisurely pace and possible side trip to Teshima.
Is Ritsurin Garden worth the admission fee?
Yes — it is consistently rated among Japan's top three most beautiful gardens and is far less crowded than the famous Kenroku-en in Kanazawa or Korakuen in Okayama.