Recommended sightseeing point and taste of Kagawa
Sunport Takamatsu & Gourmet Spots
The Sunport Takamatsu area is the right spot to begin your sightseeing adventures in Kagawa, with everything from hotels to parks, museums, and performance halls all lined up just outside the seaport terminal. Takamatsu Symbol Tower, the tallest tower in Shikoku, features public facilities like international conference rooms, as well as citizen’s business facilities. We are also confident in our eateries-- such as Japanese, European and Chinese restaurants produced by famous chefs known as Iron Chefs, and our "Ramen Port," lined with ramen shops known throughout Japan-- to be some of Japan's leading gourmet hotspots.
Ritsurin Garden & Japanese Sweets
Only beginning with the beautiful and famous Ritsurin Park, the Sanuki Road is spotted here and there with historical parks, some particularly renowned for their flowers. There are over 100 locations famous for their sakura, or cherry blossoms, about 20 for their azaleas, 10 for their hydrangeas, 8 for their bush clover, and on and on. It can only make your journey all the more enjoyable to take a moment's rest and sip some tea while looking out across these impressive flower gardens. Once here, you can also try scores of traditional Japanese sweets showcasing the different seasons of Japan. Famous historic confections that have come down to each region include "Sanbonto", a high-grade sugar candy made from refined sugar cane with its superb aroma and modest yet elegant sweetness. Other sweets that capture and awaken the fresh, quintessential taste of the Seto Inland Sea. We hope you enjoy the traditional tastes of Kagawa.
Shionoe Hot Springs
Hot spring spots can be found all over the prefecture. The Konpira hot springs, Shodoshima hot springs, and finally, in the far recesses of Takamatsu, the Shionoe hot springs, are all well known. The Shionoe hot springs was discovered around 1,300 years ago, an onsen with a long and distinguished history, imparted by Kobodaishi Kukai as a pristine spa region. Surrounded by mountainous greenery, it is lined with hot spring inns and hotels, each one particular and unique in its refinement. The dancing fireflies of the season and the distinguished freshwater fish cooking are symbolic of this town.
Konpirasan's Okasai and Oshinuki-zushi
The Konpirasan Shrine you are surely familiar with holds colorful events throughout all four seasons, such as the Okasai, a spring cherry blossoms festival, and the Koyosai, an autumn leaves festival. Not to speak of Konpirasan, unique and glamorous festivals are spread throughout the shrines and temples in Kagawa. At some turning point dating far back, "oshinuki-zushi" (one of a great number of varieties of sushi) began its makings at around the same time as udon. It is particularly popular during the period of budding new leaves in spring to eat Spanish mackerel in oshinuki-zushi.
Shodoshima Olive Park and Somen Noodles
Certainly, this is Aegean Sea of Japan. Shodoshima, with its relaxing olive greenery, is the producer of many things, from its healthy and cosmetically enhancing olive products, to its somen noodles and soy sauce. The cool taste of somen in the summer is of course a must, but the delicate flavor of these white somen noodles dried in the winter sun simply cannot be missed. This is the taste of the island in all its exquisiteness.
Udon is Not the Only Famous Cuisine Here!
Welcome to the "Udon Kingdom" of Japan, where about 800 to 900 shops crowd this smallest prefecture of Japan. For udon toppings, there are for example shrimp tempura and vegetable tempura, kneaded goods using minced fish, rich in taste and imbibed with the flavor of the Sanuki region. You can further enjoy a variety of seafood cuisines, made with the joy of the sea, including tai (sea bream), hamachi (Japanese amberjack or yellowtail), hirame (flounder), prawns, and the like.
Bone-in Chicken
"Bone-in Chicken" regards the thighs, the full length of the leg cooked on the bone. Marugame is claimed the birthplace of this food. Cooked slowly while adding special spices, the skin becomes crisp and aromatic, the meat moist and juicy as one bites into it. It goes quite well with fresh cabbage, and to dine on these while still hot, with beer, cannot be beat. Try it once and you are sure to be hooked.