A Trip to Experience Nature and Culture! 13 Recommended Sightseeing Spots in Kagawa for Family Travel

Takamatsu, the central city of Kagawa, not only has many sightseeing spots gathered in one area, but also has a well-developed public transportation system, so you can fully enjoy it with just walking and trains or buses.
However, if you plan to go outside Takamatsu, train and bus services are limited, so getting around will be smoother if you use a rental car.
When traveling with children, luggage tends to increase, so being able to reduce the burden of moving around is also a major advantage of renting a car.

Kagawa has many charming remote islands, but some of them have limited public transportation on the island, which can make family travel with children more challenging.
Shodoshima, however, has a relatively well-developed bus network, and there are many sightseeing spots children can enjoy, such as Michi-no-Eki Shodoshima Olive Park and Choshikei Monkey Park, Osaru no Kuni.
If you want to explore one of Kagawa’s remote islands with your children, Shodoshima is a great choice.

Many travelers planning a trip to Kagawa likely have Kotohiragu Shrine, one of the prefecture’s most famous power spots and popular sightseeing destinations, on their list.
However, to reach the main shrine of Kotohiragu, you need to climb 785 stone steps.
If you are traveling with children, the fully reservation-only Konpira Sanpai Tozan Shuttle Taxi, which takes visitors to Daimon Gate at the midpoint of the approach (the 365th step), is recommended.
Another option is not going all the way to the main shrine and instead strolling around the scattered auxiliary shrines, rest areas, and souvenir shops within the grounds.
When visiting Kotohiragu Shrine, be sure to plan a comfortable sightseeing schedule that matches your child’s stamina and condition.

The only national park in Shikoku, located by Manno Pond, Japan’s largest irrigation reservoir and a nationally designated Place of Scenic Beauty.
The vast park grounds cover Approx. 350 hectares and are a treasure trove of flowers. From spring through fall, you can enjoy seasonal blooms such as tulips, nemophila, hydrangeas, and cosmos.
There are also many nature-friendly spots, including Shoryu Falls, with its dramatic 9-meter drop inspired by a rising dragon, the Nature Ecology Garden, which restores a satoyama environment, and the Manno Pond Observation Promenade, where you can enjoy a relaxing walk.

One of the largest theme parks in the Chugoku and Shikoku regions.
In addition to an area where you can enjoy 22 attractions such as roller coasters, VR attractions, a giant Ferris wheel, and parades featuring all the park characters, there are also a variety of themed zones including Reoma Flower World, where you can admire seasonal flowers such as tulips and roses, and Oriental Trip, which faithfully recreates famous Asian ruins. The scale is so large that it is hard to see everything in a single day.

A next-generation aquarium that opened in June 2020 in Utazu Town, Kagawa Prefecture, the gateway to Shikoku at the foot of the Great Seto Bridge.
With the theme of Shikoku Suikei, it features an exhibition style that recreates diverse waterscapes from around Shikoku, including the Seto Inland Sea, the Pacific Ocean, and the clear Shimanto River. The aquarium is home to Approx. 400 species and 14,000 individual creatures.
Among the 70 waterscapes throughout the aquarium, the Watasumi no Kei tank, one of the largest in Shikoku at 11 meters wide and 5.5 meters high, is especially impressive.

Ritsurin Garden was completed nearly 300 years ago after successive lords of the Takamatsu Domain expanded and refined it as the Matsudaira family’s villa.
The flat garden area alone is a very large 16 hectares, but including Mount Shiun in the background, the total area reaches Approx. 75 hectares.
Among all cultural gardens designated as Special Places of Scenic Beauty by the national government, it is the largest in Japan.

A large hands-on complex in Takamatsu City, Kagawa Prefecture, where play and learning come together. It is also easy to access, located Approx. 7 minutes from Takamatsu Airport by car or limousine bus.
Centered around the Wakuwaku Children’s Hall, which has studios and play equipment where children can enjoy and learn through art, science, and music, as well as a café and rest area, the outdoor area is also equipped with large playground equipment and cycling courses.
Another major attraction is its proximity to Takamatsu Airport, allowing visitors to watch airplanes take off and land up close.

A spot in Higashikagawa City, Kagawa Prefecture, known as an extremely free-spirited zoo.
Inside the zoo, small animals such as rabbits and peacocks roam freely, allowing visitors to interact with them in a natural setting. Large animals such as tigers, lions, giraffes, and zebras are also on display, and some animals can be fed with food purchased inside the zoo.
There are also special events such as chances to hold baby lions and tigers, shake hands with otters, and take commemorative photos with snakes and birds of prey, offering unique experiences you can only have here.

A 158-meter observation tower rising in Utazu Town, Kagawa Prefecture. Approx. 7,000 half mirrors covering the exterior walls reflect the light and create its distinctive shine.
From 127 meters above ground, you can enjoy panoramic views of the Great Seto Bridge and the Seto Inland Sea, and it is also known as a spot for beautiful sunsets and night views.
Other unique facilities include Play Park, where you can enjoy a variety of attractions, and Sorakin, a fantastical space decorated with goldfish, mirrors, and mirror balls.
At Sorakin, located on the 3rd to 5th floors of the tower, you can enjoy an otherworldly space created by art, spectacular views, and goldfish.
The Play Park on the 1st floor of the main building and annex is filled with play equipment for small children. Even just inside the building, families can enjoy a wide range of experiences together.

A hands-on museum located in Marugamemachi Shopping Street in Takamatsu City, Kagawa Prefecture.
Inside, you will find exhibits and play areas for a wide range of ages, including the Baby Wood Education Plaza for children ages 0 to 2 and their guardians, the Good Toy Renrakusen where visitors can try toys and board games from Japan and abroad, and the Sanuki no Mori Hiroba made from various kinds of local wood such as Kagawa-grown cypress and cedar.
Another attraction is the chance to experience Kagawa’s culture with all five senses through local materials and traditional crafts such as soy sauce barrels, olive wood, and Aji stone.
The attached café and museum shop also offer menu items made with ingredients unique to Kagawa and traditional crafts.

A park in Sakaide City, Kagawa Prefecture, developed to commemorate the completion of the Great Seto Bridge.
It features a variety of facilities and areas, including the Great Seto Bridge Memorial Museum and Bridge Theater, where you can learn about the history of the bridge and its construction technology, Hamaguribayashi with scenery inspired by a Japanese garden, and a children’s plaza with play equipment themed around ships and bridges.
At the main facility, the Great Seto Bridge Memorial Museum, visitors can clearly learn about the full scale of the construction project and the path to completion through moving models and powerful video displays.
With its spacious lawn areas and playground equipment, it is also an ideal place for families with children to relax.

A facility where you can try making Kagawa’s famous Sanuki udon by hand. It is also easy to access, located Approx. 25 minutes from JR Takamatsu Station by bus.
Starting from kneading the flour, stepping on and stretching the dough with your feet, cutting the finished dough, and finally eating it yourself, the whole experience takes Approx. 50 minutes.
If you do not have much time or are not hungry, it is also nice that you can take the noodles you made home with you.
Another fun highlight is the chance to make udon in an entertaining way, including the udon dance, where participants step on the dough in time with music and tambourines.

A popular park known for its Mediterranean-like scenery and extensive facilities. There are many photo spots you will want to capture, including a white windmill standing on a hill overlooking the Seto Inland Sea and an English garden filled with Approx. 120 kinds of herbs and roses in bloom.
Shodoshima was a filming location for the movie Kiki’s Delivery Service. The building used as a movie set still remains and now operates as a shop selling handmade accessories and miscellaneous goods.
Many visitors use the free rental brooms to take photos that make them look as if they are flying through the sky like the witch in the movie.

A nature zoo located in Choshikei Gorge, a scenic spot on Shodoshima known alongside Kankakei Gorge.
Approx. 300 fed wild Japanese monkeys live in the park.
You can closely observe these monkeys, which are also designated as a prefectural Natural Monument, doing adorable things such as grooming each other and huddling together for warmth, and you can also enjoy feeding them.

A Japanese film and literature theme park created from the open set used to film Twenty-Four Eyes, a movie depicting the bond between a female teacher and 12 children.
On a site of Approx. 10,000 square meters along the coast overlooking the Seto Inland Sea, a small village from the Taisho and early Showa periods has been recreated.
With its wooden schoolhouse, the male teacher’s house, fishermen’s homes, teahouses, souvenir shops, and more, the scenery lined with buildings that appeared in scenes from the classic film is full of nostalgic Taisho and early Showa atmosphere.

JR Hotel Clement Takamatsu is just a 1-minute walk from JR Takamatsu Station.
It is also right next to Kotoden Takamatsu-Chikko Station, the airport limousine bus stop, and the ferry and high-speed boat terminals at Takamatsu Port, offering outstanding convenience.
One of its highlights is the guest rooms with sweeping views of the beautiful Seto Inland Sea and the cityscape of Takamatsu.
The hotel’s only Anpanman Room is filled with features sure to delight young children, including Anpanman plush toys, toys, and original amenities.

A hotel in a quiet suburban area, located Approx. 20 minutes from JR Takamatsu Station by bus. You can enjoy a მშვიდかな stay in a calm setting.
The guest rooms come in a variety of types, including single, deluxe, and suite rooms, and all are equipped with convenient amenities such as air purifiers, free Wi-Fi, wired LAN, and VOD-enabled TVs.
The family-popular Kids Space Room is filled with features that let children play freely indoors, including wall bouldering, a large-screen projector, and walls they can draw on.
In addition, baby cribs and humidifiers are available to borrow free of charge, so families with small children can stay with peace of mind.

A resort hotel in an excellent location, just a 3-minute walk from Angel Road, one of Shodoshima’s most popular sightseeing spots. From every guest room, you can enjoy sweeping views of the graceful island-dotted scenery of the Seto Inland Sea and the majestic form of Yashima in Shikoku, like a masterpiece displayed in a frame.
With as many as 100 guest rooms in a variety of styles, including rooms with open-air baths, suites, and Japanese-Western style rooms, you can choose according to the purpose of your trip and your group.
Traditional Japanese-style rooms that are convenient for families with small children and sophisticated designer rooms are also popular.