Taking it slow in a remote part of the country lets the writer appreciate a different side of Japan, away from the crowds.
SHIKOKU, Japan – Sitting on the shinkansen and whizzing past iconic Mount Fuji on the so-called Golden Route between Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka is a classic tourist experience. Yet, my abiding memory of the train trip I took with my partner in Japan in December 2023 is much more sedate.
Our travels by slower trains in Shikoku – termed local , rapid and express trains, which stop at smaller stations on a rail route – are a delightful experience. The pace gives us ample time to admire the paddy fields, farms, rivers, gorges, villages and valleys along the way. Kagawa is so famous for its udon that it has been called udon-ken . At Shinpei Udon in the city’s main shopping arcade, a bowl of kake udon costs 350 yen , with the chewy sanuki noodles paired with a refreshingly light broth.) makes for a lovely afternoon stroll. The garden is also home to the Kikugetsu-tei teahouse, where we sit on tatami mats and enjoy a cup of hot matcha while gazing upon the beautiful South Pond of the garden.
As we take in the panoramic view of the Seto Inland Sea below us, we marvel at how we are sharing this experience with only a handful of Taiwanese tourists and local devotees.We board the next train after scoffing down yet another bowl of delicious sanuki udon in Kotohira. Our destination is the mysterious Iya Valley in Tokushima prefecture, known for its dramatic mountain scenery and bridges made of vines.
We spot life-size dolls by local artist Tsukimi Ayano, who makes dolls resembling her former neighbours who have either died away or moved, and places them around the old village. The Anpanman train features a popular manga superhero character whose head is made of a red bean bun. PHOTO: CHUAN KOU-CHENG), which has more than 60 food stalls. Even on a weekday evening, the place is packed with locals gathered around communal tables enjoying after-work drinks and plates of katsuo no tataki, or seared bonito.The thick, meaty fish is seared over a large fire fuelled by burning the straw of rice plants, and served with the inside still rare.
After a short but steep 20-minute walk up to the castle, we are rewarded with stunning views of the surrounding city and the Seto Inland Sea. Alternatively, ascend or descend via a ropeway cable-car system .). Unfortunately, the main wooden bathhouse known as Dogo Onsen Honkan is being renovated when we visit. The works are scheduled to be completed in December.
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