34.3° N
Kagawa, Japan
A castle town on the Seto Inland Sea, where Takamatsu Castle draws seawater into its moats and Ritsurin Garden lies below Mount Shiun. Wasanbon studios and craft shops, with quiche and parfaits around the Marugamemachi arcade and Kitahama Alley, as Rin's picks. The leaves at Ritsurin begin to turn in November.
Where Rin would go, on the map — or build your own route
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Where Rin would go
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Made in Takamatsu
Wasanbon is a sugar made from a rare slender sugarcane called hosokibi. Takamatsu studios press it into hand-carved wooden molds and turn out dry sweets. Confectionery molds date from the Edo period and carry the seasons, flowers and birds. Mold carvers have dwindled; Mamehana's site says Yoshihiro Ichihara is the only one left in Shikoku.
Ritsurin
A workshop room where you make wasanbon sweets and nerikiri with wooden confectionery molds, started by Ayumi Uehara in 2009. By reservation; closed on Thursdays.
RinClosed on Thursdays. Book by the day before.
Ritsurin
A studio making dry sweets from hand-carved wooden molds and handmade wasanbon sugar. In front of the Ritsurin Garden entrance it runs a tea stand and a shop with a gallery, open 11 to 5; days off are posted on Instagram.
RinTea and wasanbon on the way back from Ritsurin Garden.
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Kitahama Alley
A gallery shop in Kitahama Alley with vessels, glass, lacquer, woodwork, leather and cloth by makers from Kagawa and the Seto Inland Sea, and regular exhibitions. Open 11 to 6, closed on Tuesdays. A move to Mure is planned for spring 2027.
RinIt plans to move, so see it in Kitahama now.
Marugamemachi
A shop on the second floor of the Marugamemachi Sanbangai East Building showing tableware and lacquerware by makers, with a changing programme of exhibitions and a café. Open 11 to 7; closed on the third Monday.
RinThe shows change. Look at the site before you go.
Mure & Yashima
A tableware shop in Kasugacho choosing pieces by makers from across Japan. It began online in 1999 and opened a shop in Takamatsu in 2010. Open mainly Thursday to Saturday, 11 to 5. It also holds kintsugi classes.
RinOpen only Thursday to Saturday. Check the notice for the day you go.
Marugamemachi
The shop of IKUNAS, a Kagawa magazine on local handwork, attached to the Sanuki Toy Museum. It sells crafts and food from the prefecture. Open 10 to 4; closed on Thursdays.
RinHere you can see Kagawa's traditional crafts in one go.
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Kotobukicho
A wagashi shop in Kotobukicho since 1953. It still sells Ritsurin no Kuri, a chestnut sweet named after Ritsurin Garden, in its original form. There is a café too. Open 9 to 6; closed on Wednesdays.
RinStart with Ritsurin no Kuri.
Kawaramachi
A café and fruit parlour two minutes on foot from Kawaramachi Station, begun as a greengrocer in 1948. Parfaits, cakes, sandwiches and hot sandwiches in over ten kinds. Open 11 to 7; closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
RinIt began as a greengrocer. Start with the parfait.
Kitahama Alley
A quiche specialist in Kitahama Alley. It opens around 11 once the quiches are baked and closes around 4:30 when they run out. Closed Monday and Tuesday; open days are posted on Instagram.
RinIt closes when they sell out. Go during the day.
By area
Rin is a fictional traveller. Every place here was checked by the editors to exist and be open (checked 2026-11-11). Please confirm hours on the official site before you go. Paid listings are always marked.
To see — art and sights (landmarks)
Sights · Ritsurin
Ritsurin Garden
A daimyo garden that was a villa of the Matsudaira lords of Takamatsu. Six ponds and thirteen hills are set against Mount Shiun. A Special Place of Scenic Beauty.
Open every day. In November, 6:30 am to 5 pm. There are no lights in the garden, and it is dark 30 minutes after sunset.
Sights · Tamamocho
Tamamo Park (Takamatsu Castle Ruins)
The site of a sea castle built by Ikoma Chikamasa in 1588, with seawater drawn into every moat. The keep was taken down in 1884; the keep base remains, with the Tsukimi turret, the Mizunote Gate and other Important Cultural Properties.
Closed 29 to 31 December. In November the west gate is open 6:30 am to 5 pm and the east gate 8:30 am to 5 pm.
Art · Konyamachi
Takamatsu Art Museum
The municipal art museum of Takamatsu in Konyamachi, holding collection shows and special exhibitions. Its site also has a page on Sanuki lacquer.
Closed on Mondays (the next weekday if a holiday). Open 9:30 am to 5 pm. The special exhibition Ugoku! (Moving) runs to 29 November, and is open until 7 pm on Fridays and Saturdays during it.
Sights · Yashima
Shikokumura
An open-air museum at the foot of Yashima, with 33 buildings moved from the four prefectures of Shikoku: houses, rice stores and a soy sauce brewery from the Edo to Taisho periods. It also has a gallery designed by Tadao Ando.
Closed on Tuesdays (the next day if a holiday). Open 9:30 am to 5 pm; last entry 4:30 pm.
These are landmarks, not Rin's picks. Each was checked to be open on its official site (checked 2026-11-11). Please confirm hours before you go.