Planning a Trip

Getting There

By Plane -- JAL flies from Tokyo's Haneda Airport (¥25,700/$245 for a one-way ticket) in 1 hour and 20 minutes. There is also air service from Osaka, Sapporo, Nagoya, and Fukuoka. An airport bus delivers passengers downtown in about 45 minutes for ¥740 ($7.05).

By Train -- JR's Marine Liner trains depart from Okayama Station approximately once an hour, reaching Takamatsu in an hour; the fare is ¥1,470 ($14). From Matsuyama, trains take less than 2 1/2 hours and cost ¥5,500 ($52).

By Bus -- Buses depart from Tokyo Station nightly at 8:20pm, reaching Takamatsu at 5:55am the next day. One-way fare is ¥10,000 ($95). There are also night buses from Shinjuku.

Visitor Information

The Takamatsu Information Plaza (tel. 087/851-2009; open daily 9am-6pm), located outside the main exit of the train station in a small building on the left side of the circular plaza, offers an English-language map of the city and the Kagawa Welcome Card, a free miniguide complete with a discount card offering reduced rates for participating hotels, shops, restaurants, and attractions. The Shikoku Passport -- also available here -- also gives discounts to some of the listings below. Information is also available online at www.city.takamatsu.kagawa.jp/english.

If you crave a bit of news from home or plan to remain in the area, head for I-Pal Kagawa, 1-11-63 Bancho (tel. 087/837-5908; open Tues-Sun 9am-6pm), located about a 15-minute walk south of Takamatsu Station on Chuo Dori in the northwest corner of Central (Chuo) Park. Here you'll find magazines and newspapers in many languages, CNN on the tube, and three computers you can use free of charge for 30 minutes. This is also a good place to find out what's going on in the area.

Internet Access

Since I-Pal Kagawa, above, has only three computers, you might be better off going to Queensberry@Café, on the third floor of the Maritime Plaza in the Hall Building of Takamatsu Symbol Tower, just outside Takamatsu Station (tel. 087/811-2040). It's open daily 11am to midnight, charging ¥100 (95¢) for 30 minutes, plus a one-drink minimum.

Orientation & Getting Around

Takamatsu Station, Takamatsu Port, and the local streetcar terminus are clustered at the north edge of the city on the coast of the Seto Inland Sea, in a new urban development called Sunport Takamatsu, which also includes the 30-story Takamatsu Symbol Tower, convention halls, exhibition and concert facilities, restaurants, shops, and offices. Office workers take respite along the Waterfront Harbor Walk and Tamamo Park, site of Takamatsu Castle's remains.

Most of the hotels and restaurants listed below, as well as Ritsurin Park, are located south and southeast of Sunport Takamatsu. Chuo Dori is the town's main avenue, running south from Sunport to Ritsurin Park and beyond. Bisecting Chuo Dori and paralleling it to the east are 2.5km (1 1/2 miles) of shopping arcade.

Although the main attractions of Takamatsu are spread out, they're easily reached from Takamatsu Station by JR train or by a commuter streetcar called the Kotoden Line. The Kotoden streetcar terminus, called Kotoden Chikko Station, is a 2-minute walk from Takamatsu Station's main exit, past the ANA hotel and to the right. Two stops south on the Kotoden streetcar (or a 25-min. walk from Takamatsu Station) is Kawaramachi Station, where you'll find many department stores, restaurants, and nightspots.