- Japan Tips
5 Great Things to Do in Kagawa Prefecture in Japan
Kagawa prefecture is located on the beautiful island of Shikoku. It borders the Seto Inland Sea, as well as neighboring Shikoku prefectures Ehime and Tokushima.
It also is connected to Honshu by an engineering marvel, “The Great Seto Bridge”. Kagawa prefecture is a great tourist spot and, according to The Japan Jimes, a prefecture that attracts more visitors every year.
This is partly due to its being such a relatively undiscovered part of Japan. The prefecture is also known as the ‘udon prefecture’ and is famous for its udon noodles.
So, what is living in Kagawa prefecture like? Here are some of our favourite places and attractions!
5 things you can do while living in Kagawa Prefecture
1) Eat udon noodles
Kagawa prefecture, like every other prefecture in Japan, has its own local cuisine. Kagawa is famous for its thick and delicious udon noodles.
Throughout Kagawa prefecture, there are many udon restaurants – some modern, others quite traditional. However, tourists and locals visit all of them frequently.
So what restaurants are the best to go to and eat udon?
Well for our pick, we are going to recommend “Waraya”, one of the most famous udon restaurants in Kagawa.
Waraya is famous for its local ingredients and its secret udon sauce. However, if you come here you are likely going to need to wait, as the restaurant is popular with local residents. The restaurant is a short distance to the Shikoku Mura (an open-air museum showcasing Shikoku architecture)
In addition, it is located in a repurposed house from the Edo period, so there is plenty to look at and enjoy.
2) Eat kakigori
Another thing you will want to do while staying in Kagawa is check out the many kakigori shaved-ice shops. We especially recommend Hidamari’s kakigori stand in Takamatsu city!
Open during the summer, Hidamari is a great spot to eat kakigori with your friends. You can look at their full menu, but what makes Hidamari so special is the friendly atmosphere and the generous sizes of shaved ice. Also, all the orders are made across their counter.
Think outside the lunch box, and eat like the locals this summer and enjoy this part of Kagawa’s daily life.
3) Visit the Takamatsu Art Museum
The Takamatsu Art Museum is accessible from Takamatsu station (a 15-minute walk) and is open between the hours of 9am and 5pm. The Museum is relatively modern, with refurbishments made in 2016.
What makes this museum so special, besides having over 1600 different artistic works in a variety of mediums, is its deep connection to the Kagawa community.
In fact, in addition to holding large galleries dedicated to both Japanese and international art, the museum also has a gallery devoted to its local citizens.
Besides these facilities, the museum also has a library, lobby, and children’s art space. You can find out more about the Takamatsu Art Museum here.
4) Check out Kagawa University
If you are looking at studying in Japan, or continuing your research in Japan, you may wish to check out Kagawa University as an option.
Although smaller compared to giant international universities in Tokyo, Kagawa University has a good student life for both foreign students and prefecture residents.
What’s more, the university has many exchange programs sponsored by MEXT, including programs for teaching in Japan and studying Japanese. The university is also quite central to most of Kagawa prefecture.
5) Check out the Ritsurin Garden
The garden was awarded 3 stars from the Michelin Green Guide Japan. The beauty of this garden is the ability to create special, changeable scenery at every step. The garden has many viewing spots including various tearooms, small museums and boat rides.
What’s more, it is just like the gardens of Osaka or Kyoto, each season is reflected in the garden. This allows you to experience unique forest scenery that seems like a dream. If you love all things bright and beautiful, check out some of Japan’s best gardens here.
Bonus things you can do while in Kagawa prefecture!
Attempt the Shikoku Pilgrimage
Although this is not unique to Kagawa, if you have time and a sense of adventure you may wish to attempt the Shikoku Pilgrimage. This pilgrimage is a 1200km walk that encompasses the whole of Shikoku and where pilgrims will visit all 88 temples.
The pilgrimage does, however, require a good degree of planning and you may wish to have sufficient Japanese language ability before attempting. Alternatively, if you do not have time to complete 88 temples, why not try some shorter walks to the main temples in Zentsuji?
“Kagawa is a peaceful prefecture”
What do you think? Would you like to live in or visit Kagawa in Shikoku? Check out this blog post for more information about visas and immigration in Japan.
Interested in living and working in Japan? Check out ALT jobs with Interac here.
About the Author
Brian McDonough is a consultant at Interac, Japan’s largest provider of ALTs (Assistant Language Teachers). Originally from the US, Brian has lived in Japan for over 25 years, giving him a unique perspective on the cultural differences and challenges people face when moving to Japan. He has first-hand experience of working in Japan as an American.