City guide · 高松 Takamatsu
Takamatsu
Shikoku's port gateway to Honshu: Ritsurin Garden, a seawater moat, and the start of Seto Inland Sea island hopping
Takamatsu is the capital of Kagawa Prefecture and Shikoku's gateway port facing Honshu; the pines and ponds of Ritsurin Garden and the seawater moat of Tamamo Park by the harbor are the city's two most rewarding faces. The port is right outside the station, making it easy to hop over to Naoshima and Shodoshima. Also worth visiting in the city are Tamamo Park on the Takamatsu Castle ruins, a seaside water castle whose moat is fed directly by the sea and is especially lovely in cherry-blossom season; Yashima, a flat-topped tableland whose summit looks over the Seto Inland Sea and Takamatsu, with the Shikoku Mura open-air museum at its southern foot; the Takamatsu City Museum of Art, in the area of the central shopping street, one of the longest covered shopping arcades in Japan; and Megijima, about 20 minutes by ferry from Takamatsu Port, which legend holds is the Ogre Island of the Momotaro tale.
History
How the city came to be
Takamatsu is the castle town of the Takamatsu Domain: Ikoma Chikamasa began building Takamatsu Castle in 1588, Ikoma Takatoshi began creating the forerunner of Ritsurin Garden around 1625, and after Matsudaira Yorishige was given the Takamatsu Domain in 1642, Ritsurin Garden was expanded by successive lords as their garden and was largely completed in 1745; the city was established in 1890, and the Seto Ohashi Bridge opened in 1988.
- 1588Ikoma Chikamasa begins building Takamatsu Castle
- c. 1625Ikoma Takatoshi begins creating the forerunner of Ritsurin Garden
- 1642Matsudaira Yorishige is given the Takamatsu Domain; Ritsurin Garden is then expanded by successive lords as their garden
- 1745Ritsurin Garden is largely completed
- 1875Ritsurin Garden opens to the public
- 1890February 15: the city of Takamatsu is formally established
- 1945July 3: Takamatsu is hit by air raids and most of the city is destroyed
- 1988April 10: the Seto Ohashi Bridge opens, giving Takamatsu a direct rail link to Honshu
Stories
Stories of the city
From a retainer's residence to a lord's villa
History · Ritsurin Garden
Ritsurin Garden's origins go back to the early 17th century and are generally traced to the garden of the residence of Sato Doeki, a retainer of the Ikoma family who ruled Sanuki. After Matsudaira Yorishige, first lord of the Takamatsu domain, arrived in 1642, the site was properly developed as the lords' villa, Ritsurin-so, and successive lords continued to improve it.
The 60 famous views and Hiraga Gennai
History · Ritsurin Garden
The fifth lord, Matsudaira Yoriyasu, set up a medicinal herb garden and in 1745 named the garden's "60 famous views", largely establishing its present appearance; 50 of them survive today, 46 in the South Garden and 4 in the North Garden. The naturalist Hiraga Gennai served here for two years as the first head of the herb garden.
From daimyo garden to public park
History · Ritsurin Garden
After the Meiji Restoration, the grounds of Ritsurin-so were taken over by the government, and on March 16, 1875, they opened to the public as the prefectural Ritsurin Park. The garden was designated a Place of Scenic Beauty in 1922 and raised to a National Special Place of Scenic Beauty in 1953.
Before you go
Rules to know in Takamatsu
There is no tipping in Japan
Do
- Say thank you with 'arigatō gozaimashita'
Don’t
- Pressing loose change on staff
Japan is a no-tipping country and bills usually include service; if you press a tip on staff, some will politely refuse.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: JNTO: Japanese table manners
Take off your shoes when you see a genkan (entrance step)
Do
- Take off your shoes at the entrance of homes, some restaurants, temples and hot-spring facilities
- If unsure, look for a shoe rack or slippers at the entrance
Don’t
- Stepping onto tatami or indoor wooden floors in shoes
It is seen as very rude.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: JNTO: Japanese etiquette
No phone calls on trains and the shinkansen; queue to board
Do
- Put your phone on silent; on the shinkansen, take calls in the area between carriages
- Queue at the marked spots on either side of the train door, and let people off before you get on
- Give priority seats to older people, pregnant women and passengers with limited mobility
Don’t
- Talking on the phone or playing sound aloud in the train
Not illegal, but you will get looks and a reminder from the conductor.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: JNTO: Japanese etiquette
Trips beyond the city
These places can be explored from this city but lie outside it. See each place for transport and visiting guidance.
