Shikokuchuo combines centuries of Japanese history and culture with a beautiful setting between the Shikoku Mountains and the Seto Inland Sea. Visit ancient Buddhist temples, tour a traditional “minka’ house and explore the flower-strew Suiha Highlands.
Things to do in Shikokuchuo
Shikokuchuo is one of the largest producers of paper in Japan. Walking around the city, you’ll see shops filled with beautiful paper products. Colourful packs of origami squares make excellent souvenirs and gifts. You can learn more about the booming industry at the Paper Museum, where exhibits spotlight both traditional and modern paper production techniques.
Tour Manabe House, one of the oldest buildings in the Ehime Prefecture. The thatch-roof “minka” house is a National Treasure and offers a fascinating glimpse of life in 17th-century Japan. It’s reimagined as a local history museum and furnished with tatami mats and wooden antiques.
Sankakuji Temple is perched on the slopes of Mt. Misumiji and commands sweeping views over the city and surrounding peaks. A steep stone staircase leads up to the temple and through the impressive main gate. Wild cherry blossom trees and Japanese maples shade the tranquil temple grounds. Senryuji Temple is another serene Buddhist sanctuary hidden in the mountains. Walk around the cavernous main hall and admire a 300-year-old tree.
Postcard-perfect vistas await in the Suiha Highlands. Set between the mountains and the sea, the area is almost 900 metres above sea level. Visit in spring to see the highlands carpeted in canary-yellow rapeseed flowers and pastel-pink cherry blossoms. They’re replaced with vibrant cosmos flowers in summer and early autumn.
Getting around Shikokuchuo
Parts of Shikokuchuo are pedestrian-friendly and easy to get around on foot. Buses are a fast and affordable way to get around Shikokuchuo. The city is in the Ehime Prefecture, a 1.5-hour drive from Matsuyama and Kochi. Kochi Airport is a one-hour drive away.