Kagawa Prefecture, in the north of Shikoku, is the smallest of Japan’s prefectures, and is best known for its beloved sanuki udon culture. You can get a taste of it at Shikokumura, an open-air museum that brings Kagawa’s rural past to life, gathering traditional houses and buildings relocated from across Shikoku. Among them, is Zaigo Udon honke Waraya, an Edo-period thatched farmhouse that now serves handmade udon. One specialty is zaigo udon, a dish named after the local word zaigo (meaning “living in the countryside”), conveying the flavors and spirit of the region’s traditions. You can also try shoyu-mame, broad beans marinated in soy sauce — a simple but rich taste that reflects Kagawa’s agricultural heritage. A visit to Shikokumura and Waraya is essentially a journey into Kagawa’s culinary and cultural heart.
From Takamatsu, take a limited express train for two and a half hours and you will reach Matsuyama, the capital of your next destination, Ehime Prefecture.

Hiroshima Prefecture offers more than its well-known historical and sightseeing sites: it's also a destination for spiritual reflection and artistic discovery. In Fukuyama City, the Shinshoji Zen Museum and Garden welcomes you into the world of Zen through multisensory experiences. Founded in 1965, this temple of the Rinzai Zen sect invites you to participate in zazen meditation, tea ceremony, and sutra copying, in addition to enjoying shojin vegetarian cuisine. Besides beautiful landscaped gardens, the grounds feature historical treasures including a 17th-century relocated building, a restored tea house by Sen no Rikyu, and a building by architect Terunobu Fujimori incorporating pine trees. In the Shogondo gallery, you can admire a unique collection of works by Zen master Hakuin Ekaku, while the art pavilion "Kohtei", where visitors can experience Zen through contemporary art, is also a highlight. Shinshoji is a space designed to restore the mind and body through a blend of tradition, nature, and art.
From Fukuyama, a one-hour trip by Sanyo Shinkansen will bring you to your next stop, Yamaguchi.

Shimane Prefecture faces the Sea of Japan, stretching from east to west. It’s a region steeped in Japan’s mythology. In Shimane, countless Japanese gods gather every year, hence its charming nickname “Land of Gods.” The exact location of this godly gathering is Izumo Taisha Grand Shrine, one of Japan’s most sacred and ancient shrines. Surrounded by forests, this shrine is dedicated to Okuninushi, the deity of en-musubi, or sacred connections. His stories, including the healing of the “White Hare of Inaba,” speak of compassion and wisdom, and of his contribution to the land’s development. Today, many come to Izumo Taisha to seek blessings not only for romantic ties but for all meaningful relationships: between individuals, with nature, and across time. The shrine’s atmosphere invites you to slow down and reflect on the invisible threads that connect us all.
From Izumo, a limited express train will take you directly to your next destination, Tottori Prefecture, in approximately two hours.

Okayama Prefecture is located along the Seto Inland Sea in the Chugoku region and is known for its rich heritage and connections to Japanese folklore. One of its historic and cultural landmarks is Kibitsujinja Shrine in Okayama City. The shrine’s main hall, built in the rare Kibitsu-zukuri architectural style, is designated a National Treasure. Dedicated to Okibitsuhiko no Okami, this ancient shrine served as the guardian shrine of the former Kibi Province and has long drawn the devotion of locals. The legendary tale of Kibitsuhiko's battle against the demon Ura is said to have inspired the famous Japanese folktale of Momotaro. Even today, traditional rituals linked to this mythology are carefully preserved, including the popular Narikama Ritual, where the rumbling sound of the cauldron heated to boil water is used for fortune-telling. At Kibitsu Shrine, you can step into a living tradition where legend, ritual, and architecture come together in a timeless atmosphere.