BUMBLING TOURIST

A Day in Kotohira Shikoku: The Sailor Temple, Udon, and Scenic Hikes

A decorative mailbox featuring a pink Slowpoke figure on top, with the mailbox itself painted red and adorned with illustrations of a bridge and a bowl of noodles.
Yadon in Japanese, Slow Poke in English…. Yadon is close to Udon so Yadon has become a mascot in Takamatsu, the birth place of UDON!
Here is a video we made of out day climbing Konpaira San in Kotohira Kagawa Japan

We set our alarms for 4:30am to have a bath in a hopefully empty bath, nope. It was still lovely regardless of the occupancy.

Interior of a train with cartoon character designs printed on a pink bench, while a passenger is sitting nearby, focused on his device.
Taking the train to Kotohira to climb a mountain!

We set out to see Kotohira city and Kotohiragu shrine to see Konparisan, the mountain that rises out of the otherwise agricultural flat land around it. This temple is specifically for sailors which will become more evident later… We took the Kotohira line to Kotoden-Kotohira which cost about 750 Yen each. The train ride took about one hour. We bought a ticket from a little machine and got on the themed train (each train on the line was themed, ours was electrical themed and had faces on all the seats).

A couple smiles for a selfie near a red bridge and body of water, with traditional Japanese lanterns hanging above.
Arriving in Kotohira

Once we arrived at Kotoden-Kotohira, we walked along the river (lined with lanterns and ducks swimming) to the base of the mountain hike. 

A woman wearing a knitted sweater and beanie sits by a wooden deck with her feet in a small, shallow pool. She smiles at the camera, surrounded by a serene outdoor setting with trees and traditional Japanese architecture.
Soaking our feet before climbing a mountain

We briefly stopped at a vending machine to have a hot coffee and warm up before the climb. We also stopped at what appeared to be a hotel with a lovely free outdoor foot bath. We took off our socks and soaked in the hot water, preparing for the climb to come…

A cup of coffee topped with whipped cream and crushed nuts, placed on a wooden table. The cup is branded with 'AKABOSHI COFFEE' and a plastic spoon is resting inside.

We then stopped at a little cafe for a latte (hazelnut) and got convinced to eat a hot korokke (potato in panko deep fried) by a sweet old man that let us sit with him. I think his wife also gave us a discount! Anyways, we were sufficiently warm and ready to climb the mountain now!

A young woman sitting outside, wearing a knitted hat and a cozy sweater, holding a food item close to her face while looking pleasantly surprised. A camera hangs around her neck.
Local korokke in Kotohira

The first bit was mostly steps, passing dope stone lions, creepy scuba diver statues and many people hiking with their dogs (also a lot of dog statues). We walked between huge moss covered trees and climbed steps, all whilst ogling at old kamakura (stone lanterns) covered in moss. 

Stone lanterns surrounded by trees with sun shining through, featuring moss and inscriptions on stone background.
Starting our climb of Kotohira san

At Kotohiragu the path split. Most people turned around here and climbed back down the hill, but there was a further 35 minute hike to the top of the mountain. Jives convinced me to go the last bit of the way. It was a difficult hike, very steep, over gorgeous bridges and along sheer drops, but totally worth it! 

A woman standing on stone steps, smiling at the camera. She is wearing a cream-colored sweater, blue jeans, and sneakers, with a camera slung over her shoulder. In the background, there are other people walking up the steps and trees lining the path under a cloudy sky.
Climbing to the shrine Kotohiraguin Kotohira Shikoku

10 minutes from the top I hit a wall… I was exhausted. A Japanese man, hiking the 88 temple pilgrimage, cheered me on. I walked the last two steep stairways to the top of the mountain. At the top there was a little shrine trinket shop and a temple, as well as an amazing view and a little hidden tengu in the mountain face looking down on us. 

A rocky cliffside partially covered with moss and vegetation, featuring a small ledge in the center where two stone-like figures appear to be resting against the rock face.
Hidden tengu faces rewarding those who climb the full way up the mountain in Kotohira
A traditional Japanese shrine building with an ornate roof, surrounded by trees and a stone path. The entrance features red pillars and decorative lanterns.
The top of Kotohira san
Scenic view from a mountain peak overlooking a valley, with a wooden structure and stone balustrade in the foreground, and clouds scattered in the sky.
The view down to where we started the climb

We then made our descent (many doggos joined us). The middle shrine had a dog statue and dog ema (prayer) tiles. There was a temple horse along the way as well as a giant propeller (from a boat) that looked a lot like a shrine in a way.

A smiling woman poses next to a bronze statue of a dog at a temple, with stone inscriptions and a wooden sign in the background.
Doggo statue in Kotohira

We made it back to the bottom at around 1pm ish.

A smiling individual in warm clothing stands next to a large golden propeller sculpture in an outdoor park setting.
Propeller statue for sailors at Kotohira

We then visited an udon place. Udon was invented in Takamatsu, so we had to try it here! Inside the shop you order a base order. I got regular udon in a small size, Jives got a curry udon with an egg. You then pick your toppings, sort of more like fried side dishes. I got an imitation crab, lotus root and shrimp cake. We then paid. You then add your free toppings; green onion, ginger, hot sauce etc. We then found a place to sit and eat. It was delicious and warm. The total was about 2200 Yen, less than $20 CAD.

A table set with two plates of Japanese food. One plate contains a bowl of udon noodles with green onions and seaweed, while the other plate features tempura shrimp and vegetables. A red condiment shaker is also visible on the table.
Trying Udon in Takamatsu

We then walked back to the station, taking the train back to our accommodation. We stopped at a kombini on the way to the hotel.

A smiling man wearing a brown coat stands in front of a store with colorful lights and a display of items. The background features a tiled pathway and nearby buildings.
Record shopping in Takamatsu Kagawa Shikoku Japan

At 3pm we went to the onsen at the hotel to have a bath and warm up. Later on we went out again to check out two more record shops. The first record shop was “Wax Gate”. This was a small store but it packed a punch! The owner looked like reggae but Japanese. He was bumping the Carly Simon! He asked where we were from and was super friendly! I got two records, an ELO concept album and a Japanese “lady face” album full of golden tracks. Jives got; a Chick Corea album, Herbie Hancock and Stanley Turrentine Volume 1, and Kensaki “On the Road”. 

We then went to Mushroom, a lovely little eclectic place with no space to move and jazz blaring. Jives got two Kimiko Kasi albums and Terumasa Hino “City Connection” This shop was so fun! There were things everywhere, little figures and stuffed mushrooms and records in every space including the floor. 

We then went to Coco curry. I got a veggie curry at a spice level three and Jives got a level five. We then went back to the room where we watched some Olympics and headed to bed.

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