Japan Shikoku

Takamatsu is a city located in central Kagawa Prefecture on the island of Shikoku in Japan, and is the capital city of the prefectural government. It is a port city located on the Seto Inland Sea, and is the closest port to Honshu from Shikoku island. For this reason it flourished under the Daimyo (feudal lords) as a castle town in the fiefdom of Takamatsu, during the Edo Period. Local points of interest include the castle, gardens, traditional village, hot springs, and a museum.

Matsuyama is the capital city of Ehime Prefecture on the island of Shikoku in Japan and also Shikoku's largest city. It is located on the northeastern portion of the Dogo Plain. Its name means "pine mountain". The city is known for its hot springs (onsen), among the oldest in Japan, and is home to the Dogo Onsen Honkan, a Meiji Period wooden public bathhouse dating from 1894. A second favorite tourist spot is Matsuyama Castle. Eight of the eighty-eight temples in the Shikoku Pilgrimage are in Matsuyama.

Kochi is the capital city of Kochi Prefecture located on the island of Shikoku in Japan. A symbol of the city is its most famous dish, katsuo tataki, made by lightly searing and seasoning tuna. The area of Kochi has three distinct geographic sections. The major settled part of the city lies at the head of Urado Bay, in a narrow alluvial plain crossed by several rivers, notably the Kagami River and Kokubu River. The plain is bounded by mountains to the north and a range of hills to the south and west. Kōchi has a very wet humid subtropical climate, receiving twice as much rainfall as Shikoku’s other chief cities Matsuyama and Takamatsu.

Tokushima is the capital city of Tokushima Prefecture on Shikoku island in Japan. In terms of layout and organization, Tokushima displays the typical characteristics of a Japanese castle town. Every August, during the Obon Festival, Tokushima holds a cultural dance festival, the Awa Odori. During the festival, residents ranging from young children to professional dance troupes perform a distinctive style of Japanese traditional dance in regional costumes, accompanied by strings, drums, and singing.