Hotel Iya Onsen
We started the day relaxing in our room’s open air bath before and after a fancy breakfast with a very nice view.
After enjoying the view from our room for a little while longer, it was time to check out.
A little down the road it was possible to look back and see the hotel perched on the mountainside.
Oboke Yokai House
Today was our last day in Shikoku, so we were going to be making our way to Takamatsu, where we’d be getting a flight back to Tokyo in the evening.
First stop of the day was a little Yokai museum, filled with lots of funny models of monsters from Japanese folklore.
Hashikurayama Ropeway
Next we went on the Hashikurayama Ropeway up to Hashikura Temple. We were the only people in the cabin and it whizzed up the mountain a lot faster than we expected!
Hashikura Temple
At the end of the ropeway ride was Hashikura Temple, famous for it’s old intricate wood carvings, various historic buildings and also autumn colours.
Roadside Station Takarada no sato Saita
We stopped at a michi no eki and had a little picnic for lunch, before the final stretch of driving into Takamatsu city centre
Ritsuin Garden
Last spot for the day was Ritsuin Garden, a large traditional garden in the middle of Takamatsu
Takamatsu Airport
We left the garden just as it was getting dark and it was time to head to the airport. We dropped off the car and then had some dinner at the one restaurant at the small airport. Takamatsu’s local dish is Udon, so that’s what we had, along with some tempura prawns and veg.
After a short hour long flight to Haneda, we took the taxi to our final hotel in Akihabara.