Located at the tip of Ehime, the small and accessible Matsuyama Airport is a great strategic location to make the starting point of your driving adventure as easy as possible. The airport’s size is also a massive benefit as one can easily get from tarmac to behind the wheel in under an hour as there are no crowds and no long lines in which to wait. Straight from the airport to a castle view, Imabari Castle sits as one of the top 10 sea castles in Japan. The castle has strong Himeji Castle vibes, a castle famous in Japan for its strong presence and white coating. Just like Himeji Castle, Imabari Castle has a powerful presence sitting on its own island surrounded by seawater. With beautiful spacious grounds, the castle is truly a testament to Japanese engineering and an excellent first stop on this tour of Shikoku. The drive from Imabari Castle to Uwajima Castle is as smooth as it is beautiful. The views of small Japanese villages are seemingly perfectly placed to keep the drive engaging.

A long day of driving and mysteries can only be complete with a nice relaxing evening on the beach, but not just any beach – the breathtakingly beautiful Shimonada Station. Easily accessible by car or train – easier by car as trains are limited to 1 or 2 per hour – this is a station unrivaled in beauty as it sits perfectly above the beach. Sunset is worth waiting for as the station sits facing the setting sun. Small crowds do, however, slowly form at this time but who can blame them with views this amazing. From sea castles to mountain fortresses, mysterious roads to the picturesque stations in Japan, there could be no better way to end such an active day than a trip to Dogo Onsen, otherwise known as the onsen which inspired the internal design of the bathhouse in Spirited Away. The onsen has multiple bathtubs and rooms and pride themselves on providing excellent service to all who grade their doors – just like in Spirited Away.

Before exploring Takamatsu upon arrival, perhaps take a quick stop for lunch, and in Takamatsu that can only mean one thing – Udon. Delicious and served in many styles, Udon is a Japanese thick-cut noodle that is famous in the region. Eaten hot or cold it’s the perfect dish for any weather. Udon is to Kagawa what takoyaki or okonomiyaki is to Osaka, a source of regional pride. Udon slurped and energy restored, the adventure must continue and there is no better way to get a bird’s eye view of the city than the view from Marugame Castle. Sitting atop a massive mountain overlooking Takamatsu, it’s the perfect vantage point to scope out the city you’re about to explore. Although the walk to the top of the mountain to see the castle can be a little steep at times, it’s not impossible as young and old alike make the walk to see the views.

An early morning shines beautifully on Takamatsu City, truly worthy of a final walk around before the final drive of the trip. This final day is full of mystery and natural wonder as the first stop explains. “Mystery Road” hits a little nail on the head but for good reason. Drive on this strange road gives off a mind-blowing illusion. As you drive through the hills, at whatever speed, the road gives off the illusion that you are not at all going up a hill, but are driving on a straight road. A peculiar road indeed, even after traversing the road 2-3 times, no one could answer what made the illusion happen. Perhaps you could solve it? The largest natural whirlpool in Japan, the Naruto whirlpools, are terrifying in size and power. For the best view, one should definitely check online to see when the whirlpools will be clearest that day. The whirlpools are usually clearest twice a day at low and high tides. By ship or by a bridge, Naruto whirlpool is an astonishing natural wonder, which if proper planning is done, could most certainly be the highlight of any Shikoku trip.