Japan's Hidden Gem Island Is A Total Paradise Of Temples, Food, And Coastal Charm

Japan's 10 biggest cities are spread out across its three largest islands: Honshu, Hokkaido, and Kyushu. While crowds are drawn to these destinations, the country's fourth main island, Shikoku, serves as a scenic getaway that's chock-full of temples, castles, hot springs, art and dance festivals, and delicious food. The name Shikoku, meaning "four countries," refers to the island's four prefectures, each of which boasts its own unique sightseeing draws.

While Shikoku itself is off the beaten path compared to Tokyo, it has one path that's become well-trodden over the last 1,200 years. The 88-temple Shikoku Pilgrimage will take you all around the island in a rough circle as you retrace the steps of the Buddhist monk Kukai. Even if you don't embark on the full spiritual journey, you may see pilgrims in sedge hats and white vests doing it at Ryozen-ji, the first of the 88 temples.

Like Kyushu, Japan's lesser-known haven of hot springs, Shikoku is a place where even bathing becomes an adventure. Fans of "Spirited Away," the Oscar-winning animated movie that was once the country's highest-grossing film, should feel at home doing that in Ehime Prefecture. It's where you'll find the 3,000-year-old bathhouse that inspired the movie's setting. Dogo Onsen Honkan is considered Japan's oldest hot spring. It's located just across town from Matsuyama Castle, one of 12 remaining original castles in Japan. The bathhouse reopened in 2024 after five years of renovation, and you can still bathe there for as little as 700 yen (about $5).

If you want to see another authentic Japanese castle that's not a reconstruction, head to Kochi Prefecture in Shikoku. Built in the 1600s, Kochi Castle is the only one nationwide where the original tower and main keep are still left standing all these centuries later. While in Kochi, you can also feast on the regional dish of katsuo no tataki, or broiled bonito slices.

Over in Kagawa Prefecture, you'll find Naoshima, an island renowned for its contemporary art. Every three years, it hosts Japan's premier art festival, the Setouchi Trienelle, which unfolds across three seasonal sessions in spring, summer, and fall. Take a ferry from the prefectural capital of Takamatsu to Miyanoura Port, and you'll behold a big red pumpkin upon your arrival to Naoshima. The ladybug-like sculpture was created by the "princess of polka dots," Yayoi Kusama. She also created the Instagrammable pumpkin on a pier that serves as the island's symbol.

While a typhoon swept away the original pumpkin, a replacement went up in 2022. It can be found at Benesse House, a museum-and-hotel-in-one designed by Pritzker-Prize-winning architect Tadao Ando. The Ando Museum, situated nearby, is dedicated to his work. That work includes buildings like Tokyo's Omotesando Hills shopping complex and Beyonce and Jay-Z's $200-million Malibu home, which became the most expensive house ever purchased in California's history in 2023. Guests of Benesse House can not only sleep in style like Beyonce, but they can also access the museum round-the-clock.

Shikoku's greatest cultural export to greater Japan is perhaps the Awa Odori, a 400-year-old traditional dance that's now showcased all over the country. Musicians accompany the spirited dancers when they appear at events like the 2025 World Expo in Osaka and Tokyo's annual Koenji Awa Odori Festival. The dance originated in Tokushima Prefecture, where it's performed daily at the Awa Odori Taikan Hall. In August, the dancing breaks out into the streets as the city of Tokushima draws a million-plus visitors to its Awa Odori Festival.

It takes about three hours to reach Tokushima by highway bus from Kansai International Airport in Osaka. On the way, the buses stop at Naruto Park, where you can survey the Naruto Whirlpools by land or sightseeing boat. The expressway from Kobe to Naruto also crosses Awaji Island, where you can zip-line into the King of Monster's mouth at a real-life Godzilla landmark.

The Naruto Whirlpools are famous enough to have a popular ramen topping named after them. Narutomaki are the fish cake slices with a pink swirl pattern that adorn many ramen noodle bowls. Foodies will want to chow down on Tokushima's local ramen variety, too. The soup comes in different colors and flavors like white, yellow, brown, hot, or sweet. In addition to pork slices, bean sprouts, and green onions, Tokushima Ramen is topped with raw egg, a potentially dangerous food in the U.S. tourists should expect to see on menus in Japan.