In the past, the compact port city of Takamatsu was ruled by successive generations of the Matsudaira clan. Here you can experience what life was like for a feudal lord as you explore Takamatsu’s famous gardens! Travel back in time with a relaxing boat ride in the unique sea-water moat surrounding the site of Takamatsu Castle, or a sip of matcha tea in the exquisite garden of the ruling clan’s private villa.
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JR Takamatsu Station, Kotoden Chikko Station Takamatsu Port
- Time required
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Half day
JR Takamatsu Station- ５-minute walk
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1Tamamo Park, Historic Site of Takamatsu Castle
Located near the port of Takamatsu, Tamamo Park stands on the site of the former Takamatsu Castle, the headquarters of the Matsudaira daimyo lords who ruled this area during the Edo period (1603–1867). The sixteenth-century castle was rebuilt and greatly expanded in the 1640s, when the few structures that remain today were built. These include the Tsukimi (“moon-viewing”) Yagura tower and the Mizunote gate, as well as some stone walls and the castle moat, which draws its water from the Seto Inland Sea. The moat can be explored—and the fish in it fed—by boarding a boat that circles part of the inner moat in about 30 minutes. This tour also provides views of the elevated plot of land where the castle’s main keep once stood. From that site, opened to the public in 2013 after years of excavation and repairs, visitors can look out toward the city of Takamatsu and the islands of the Inland Sea in the distance.
Another notable building in the park is the Hiunkaku mansion, built in 1917 as a guest house and country estate for the Matsudaira family, the descendants of the former lords of the Takamatsu domain. Its traditional Japanese architecture incorporates Western influences and building techniques, as was customary at the time. Designated an Important Cultural Property, the Hiunkaku can now be rented for events such as tea ceremonies, concerts, and photo shoots. Highlights of the building include the Daishoin, a grand chamber of some 280 square meters, and a rock garden with pine trees and sago palms (Cycas revoluta).More Details
- １-minute walk
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2The Kagawa Museum
The Kagawa Museum is located in a scenic and well-connected location near JR Takamatsu Station and Takamatsu Port. This establishment functions both as a museum and an art gallery. It is a hub for a wide range of activities that present, promote, and research the cultural history of Kagawa Prefecture.
The museum offers a comprehensive look at the history of Kagawa Prefecture. The permanent exhibition includes a collection of replicas representing various historical artifacts related to the Matsudaira Clan, a samurai clan that controlled the Takamatsu Domain (present-day Kagawa Prefecture) in the 17th and 18th centuries. There is a folding screen with eight panels that accurately depict Takamatsu Castle and the surrounding cityscape from the mid-17th century. The folding screen has also been designated a Tangible Cultural Property by the prefectural government. In addition to the permanent exhibition, the museum holds various special exhibitions of historical and cultural artifacts from the collection of Nationally Designated Important Cultural Properties. There are also periodical exhibitions linked to Setouchi Triennale, a contemporary art festival that is held every three years on various islands in the Seto Inland Sea.
On the first floor of the museum, you will find a hands-on learning corner where you can try on traditional outfits. You can choose between a junihitoe, a formal court dress that was worn in the Heian period by noble women, or a set that combines the traditional armor (yoroi) and helmet (kabuto) worn by the samurai in feudal Japan. The traditional outfit experience is free of charge and does not require reservations. The staff at the museum will help you put on the outfits, which usually takes between 20 and 30 minutes.More Details
- Kotoden Takamatsu Chikko Station
- Ritsurin-Koen Station
- 10-minute walk
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3Ritsurin Garden
History of Ritsurin Garden.
Ritsurin Garden was originally a part of the estate of the Matsudaira family, the lords of the Takamatsu domain, who inherited its site from the Ikoma family, rulers of Sanuki province (present-day Kagawa Prefecture). First constructed in 1642, the garden was maintained and enjoyed by the Matsudaira over more than 200 years until 1868. Following the Meiji Restoration of that year, the system of domains ruled by the shogunate (warrior-led government) was replaced with a Western-style centralized government and the Matsudaira lost their status as lords. Ritsurin Garden was turned into a park and opened to the public in 1875. A symbol of Takamatsu and one of the city’s most popular sights, Ritsurin is now recognized as one of the best-preserved Edo-period (1603–1867) gardens in Japan.
The garden was built in the kaiyu or stroll garden style, popular among high-ranking samurai during the Edo period, and features a series of carefully composed views that the visitor can admire in succession while walking through the garden. At Ritsurin, many of these views focus on a pond or small hill. The garden has approximately 1,400 pine trees, and artistically placed rocks dot the grounds. Another distinctive feature is the use of shakkei (“borrowed scenery”), a technique of garden design that takes advantage of natural features outside the garden to create a sense of expanse. At Ritsurin this background is provided by Mt. Shiun to the west, which appears to be towering over the garden when seen from certain angles. One such view can be taken in from Hiraiho Hill.
Ritsurin Garden consists of the original daimyo garden, or South Garden, and the North Garden, built in the Meiji era (1868–1912). It can take up to two hours to tour the vast grounds in their entirety, and visitors can enjoy different aspects of the scenery in every season. The cherry blossoms in spring and the red and yellow foliage in autumn in particular attract numerous visitors.
The Best Viewpoints: Kikugetsutei Teahouse and Hiraiho Hill
The Kikugetsutei Teahouse and the artificial Hiraiho Hill are two of the most scenic viewpoints in Ritsurin Garden. The former is a thatched-roof structure that dates from the early 1600s and was used by the daimyo lords of the Takamatsu domain, who built the garden during the Edo period (1603–1867). This teahouse stands near the South Pond and is distinguished by its four facades, built so that it could be entered from all directions. From the tatami-mat floor of the Kikugetsu no Ma, the room closest to the pond, the view of the water from a certain angle creates an impression of floating on the surface. In addition to offering carefully devised views in every direction, Kikugetsutei’s low ceiling and few walls make the teahouse a pleasantly cool place in summer. Its ground-level perspective contrasts with that of Hiraiho Hill, the highest point in the garden, on the east side of the South Pond. Shaped to resemble Mt. Fuji, it offers views over the pond, the arched Engetsukyo (“crescent moon”) Bridge, Kikugetsutei, and beyond, where Mt. Shiun looms up in the background. This vista is occasionally complemented by an old-style pleasure boat gliding across the pond.More Details
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