Shikoku 四国

Shikoku is the smallest of Japan's four main islands and one of its least-visited, best known for the 88 Temple Pilgrimage (Ohenro), a roughly 1,200-kilometer loop of sacred sites tracing the footsteps of the Buddhist monk Kūkai. The island is defined by dramatic natural scenery — the swirling tidal whirlpools of the Naruto Strait, the impossibly clear turquoise waters of the Iya Valley, and vine bridges built by fleeing samurai centuries ago. Shikoku's four prefectures — Tokushima, Kagawa, Ehime, and Kōchi — each have a distinct identity, from Kagawa's udon obsession to Kōchi's rowdy, sake-heavy festival culture. With no Shinkansen access, Shikoku remains one of the more untouched corners of Japan.

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Shikoku has no Shinkansen line, so most visitors arrive via Okayama on the mainland, crossing the Seto Great Bridge by limited express train into Takamatsu, Shikoku's main gateway (about 1 hour from Okayama). Matsuyama and Kōchi also have small airports with domestic flights from Tokyo and Osaka. Once on the island, a car is highly recommended — rural areas like the Iya Valley have very limited public transit, and much of Shikoku's appeal lies in its slower-paced countryside.