is the smallest of the
four main islands of
Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
. It is long and between wide. It has a population of 3.8 million (, 3.1%). It is south of
Honshu
, historically called , is the largest and most populous island of Japan. It is located south of Hokkaidō across the Tsugaru Strait, north of Shikoku across the Inland Sea, and northeast of Kyūshū across the Kanmon Straits. The island separ ...
and northeast of
Kyushu
is the third-largest island of Japan's five main islands and the most southerly of the four largest islands ( i.e. excluding Okinawa). In the past, it has been known as , and . The historical regional name referred to Kyushu and its surroun ...
.
Shikoku's ancient names include ''Iyo-no-futana-shima'' (), ''Iyo-shima'' (), and ''Futana-shima'' (), and its current name refers to the four former
provinces that made up the island:
Awa
Awa (or variants) may refer to:
People
* Awa (given name), notable people named Awa or Hawa
* Awá (Brazil), an indigenous people of Brazil
* Awa-Kwaiker, an indigenous people of Colombia and Ecuador
Languages
* Awa language (China) or Wa (Va) ...
,
Tosa,
Sanuki, and
Iyo.
Geography
Shikoku Island, comprising Shikoku and its surrounding islets, covers about and consists of four
prefectures:
Ehime,
Kagawa may refer to:
* , the smallest prefecture of Japan by area, located on the island of Shikoku
* , a district in Kagawa Prefecture
* , a town located in Kagawa District
* , train station in Chigasaki, Kanagawa Prefecture
* Kagawa (surname) Kagawa (w ...
,
Kōchi
Kochi is a city in Kerala, India.
Kochi or Kōchi may also refer to:
People
* Kochi people, a predominantly Pashtun nomadic people of Afghanistan
* , a Japanese surname:
** Arata Kochi (born 1948 or 1949), Japanese physician and World Health Org ...
, and
Tokushima
is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Shikoku. Tokushima Prefecture has a population of 728,633 (1 October 2019) and has a geographic area of 4,146 km2 (1,601 sq mi). Tokushima Prefecture borders Kagawa Prefecture to the north, E ...
. Across the
Seto Inland Sea
The , sometimes shortened to the Inland Sea, is the body of water separating Honshū, Shikoku, and Kyūshū, three of the four main islands of Japan. It serves as a waterway connecting the Pacific Ocean to the Sea of Japan. It connects to Osaka ...
lie
Wakayama Wakayama may refer to:
*Wakayama Prefecture, a prefecture of Japan
*Wakayama (city), the capital city of Wakayama Prefecture, Japan
*Wakayama Station, a train station in Wakayama, Wakayama
*Wakayama University
, or , is a national university loc ...
,
Osaka
is a designated city in the Kansai region of Honshu in Japan. It is the capital of and most populous city in Osaka Prefecture, and the third most populous city in Japan, following Special wards of Tokyo and Yokohama. With a population of 2. ...
,
Hyōgo,
Okayama
is the capital city of Okayama Prefecture in the Chūgoku region of Japan. The city was founded on June 1, 1889. , the city has an estimated population of 720,841 and a population density of 910 persons per km2. The total area is .
The city is ...
,
Hiroshima
is the capital of Hiroshima Prefecture in Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 1,199,391. The gross domestic product (GDP) in Greater Hiroshima, Hiroshima Urban Employment Area, was US$61.3 billion as of 2010. Kazumi Matsui h ...
, and
Yamaguchi Prefecture
is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Chūgoku region of Honshu. Yamaguchi Prefecture has a population of 1,377,631 (1 February 2018) and has a geographic area of 6,112 Square kilometre, km2 (2,359 Square mile, sq mi). Y ...
s on
Honshu
, historically called , is the largest and most populous island of Japan. It is located south of Hokkaidō across the Tsugaru Strait, north of Shikoku across the Inland Sea, and northeast of Kyūshū across the Kanmon Straits. The island separ ...
. To the west lie
Ōita and
Miyazaki Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Kyūshū. Miyazaki Prefecture has a population of 1,073,054 (1 June 2019) and has a geographic area of 7,735 km2 (2,986 sq mi). Miyazaki Prefecture borders Ōita Prefecture to the north, Kuma ...
s on
Kyushu
is the third-largest island of Japan's five main islands and the most southerly of the four largest islands ( i.e. excluding Okinawa). In the past, it has been known as , and . The historical regional name referred to Kyushu and its surroun ...
.
Shikoku is ranked as the
50th largest island by area in the world. Additionally, it is ranked as the
23rd most populated island in the world, with a population density of 193 inhabitants per square kilometre (500/sq mi).
Mountains running east and west divide Shikoku into a narrow northern subregion, fronting on the
Seto Inland Sea
The , sometimes shortened to the Inland Sea, is the body of water separating Honshū, Shikoku, and Kyūshū, three of the four main islands of Japan. It serves as a waterway connecting the Pacific Ocean to the Sea of Japan. It connects to Osaka ...
, and a southern part facing the Pacific Ocean. The ''
Hydrangea hirta
''Hydrangea hirta'', also known as the "nettle-leaved hydrangea", is a species of flowering plant in the family Hydrangeaceae that is native to East Asia. Due to the beauty and sturdiness of the species' flowers it can be found outside of its ran ...
'' species can be found in these mountain ranges. Most of the 3.8 million inhabitants live in the north, and all but one of the island's few larger cities are located there.
Mount Ishizuchi () in Ehime at is the highest mountain on the island. Industry is moderately well developed and includes the processing of ores from the important
Besshi copper mine
The was a rich source of copper in Niihama, Ehime Prefecture, Japan. The deposits were discovered in 1690, and copper mining began in the following year. From then until the closing of the mine in 1973, Besshi produced about 700,000 tons of ...
. Land is used intensively. Wide alluvial areas, especially in the eastern part of the zone, are planted with rice and subsequently are double-cropped with winter wheat and barley. Fruit is grown throughout the northern area in great variety, including citrus fruits, persimmons, peaches, and grapes. Because of wheat production,
Sanuki udon
Sanuki udon () has been the type of udon noodle most popular in the Kagawa prefecture in Japan, but is now easily found throughout the neighboring Kansai region and much of Japan. It is characterized by its square shape and flat edges with rathe ...
() became an important part of the diet in Kagawa Prefecture (formerly Sanuki Province) in the
Edo period
The or is the period between 1603 and 1867 in the history of Japan, when Japan was under the rule of the Tokugawa shogunate and the country's 300 regional '' daimyo''. Emerging from the chaos of the Sengoku period, the Edo period was characteriz ...
.
The larger southern area of Shikoku is mountainous and sparsely populated. The only significant lowland is a small alluvial plain at
Kōchi
Kochi is a city in Kerala, India.
Kochi or Kōchi may also refer to:
People
* Kochi people, a predominantly Pashtun nomadic people of Afghanistan
* , a Japanese surname:
** Arata Kochi (born 1948 or 1949), Japanese physician and World Health Org ...
, the prefectural capital. The area's mild winters stimulated some
truck farming, specializing in growing out-of-season vegetables under plastic covering. Two crops of rice can be cultivated annually in the southern area. The
pulp and paper industry
The pulp and paper industry comprises companies that use wood as raw material and produce pulp, paper, paperboard and other cellulose-based products.
Manufacturing process
The pulp is fed to a paper machine where it is formed as a paper web an ...
took advantage of the abundant forests and hydroelectric power.
The major river in Shikoku is the
Yoshino River. It runs from its source close to
Mount Ishizuchi, flowing basically west to east across the northern boundaries of Kōchi and Tokushima Prefectures, reaching the sea at the city of Tokushima. The Yoshino is famous for Japan's best white-water rafting, with trips going along the Oboke Koboke sections of the river.
Shikoku has four important capes: Gamōda in
Anan, Tokushima on the easternmost point on the island, Sada in
Ikata, Ehime
is a small peninsula town located in Nishiuwa District, Ehime Prefecture, Japan. , the town had an estimated population of 8,497 in 15638 households and a population density of 90 persons per km². The total area of the town is
Following a rec ...
on the westernmost point. Muroto in
Muroto, Kōchi
270px, Muroto City Hall
270px, Muroto city center aerial photograph
is a city located in Kōchi Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 12,121 in 7079 households and a population density of 49 persons per km2. The total ar ...
and Ashizuri, the southern extreme of Shikoku, in
Tosashimizu, Kōchi, jut into the Pacific Ocean. The island's northernmost point is in
Takamatsu.
Unlike the other three major islands of Japan, Shikoku has no active volcanoes, and is the largest of Japan's islands to completely lack them. But Shikoku did experience volcanic activity in the distant prehistoric past; a major volcanic
caldera
A caldera ( ) is a large cauldron-like hollow that forms shortly after the emptying of a magma chamber in a volcano eruption. When large volumes of magma are erupted over a short time, structural support for the rock above the magma chamber is ...
in the area of Mount Ishizuchi was active during the
Miocene
The Miocene ( ) is the first geological epoch of the Neogene Period and extends from about (Ma). The Miocene was named by Scottish geologist Charles Lyell; the name comes from the Greek words (', "less") and (', "new") and means "less recen ...
around 14 million years ago.
File:Mount_Ishizuchi.jpg, Mount Ishizuchi is the highest mountain in Shikoku
File:Ashizurimisaki Cape.JPG, Cape Ashizuri is at the southernmost tip of Shikoku
File:Shimanto_sada_chinkabashi_fukin.jpg, Shimanto River
The is a river in western Kōchi Prefecture, Japan. 196 km in length, it has a watershed of 2,270 km². Its name is written with kanji meaning "forty thousand and ten".
Since the river is remote from major cities and does not have an ...
File:Seto-Inland-Sea-Photo.jpg, Seto Inland Sea
Population
Shikoku has a total population of 3,630,320 in 2022. The largest city is
Matsuyama (population: 507,137) and is the capital of
Ehime Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Shikoku. Ehime Prefecture has a population of 1,342,011 (1 June 2019) and has a geographic area of 5,676 km2 (2,191 sq mi). Ehime Prefecture borders Kagawa Prefecture to the northeast, Toku ...
. Shikoku is the main island with the third largest population density, at .
File:松山 Matsuyama - panoramio.jpg, Matsuyama City
270px, Matsuyama City Hall
270px, Ehime Prefectural Capital Building
is the capital city of Ehime Prefecture on the island of Shikoku in Japan and also Shikoku's largest city. , the city had an estimated population of 505,948 in 243541 househ ...
File:Takamatsu-M3687.jpg, Takamatsu City
File:高知城 天守からの景色3 Kochi Castle - panoramio.jpg, Kōchi City
Kochi is a city in Kerala, India.
Kochi or Kōchi may also refer to:
People
* Kochi people, a predominantly Pashtun nomadic people of Afghanistan
* , a Japanese surname:
** Arata Kochi (born 1948 or 1949), Japanese physician and World Health Org ...
File:Tokushima City Shiroyama distant view.JPG, Tokushima City
is the capital city of Tokushima Prefecture on Shikoku island in Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 249,865 in 122085 households and a population density of 1305 persons per km².The total area of the city is .
Geography
The city ...
Per Japanese census data, and, Shikoku region's peak population was at 1950 and has had negative population growth from 1950 to 1970 and 1990 onward.
Culture
Society and architecture
Shikoku has historically been rather isolated and therefore it has kept the original characteristics of Japan for a longer period, especially in regards to vegetation and some architectural techniques. There are many Buddhist temples.
The "lost" Shikoku has been described by an American writer,
Alex Kerr, who lived in a remote mountain village near Oboke (大歩危) for many years from 1970 onwards.
Ashizuri-Uwakai National Park is located in the south-western part of Shikoku.
Traditions
Shikoku is also famous for its
88-temple pilgrimage of temples. The pilgrimage was established by the Heian-period Buddhist priest
Kūkai, a native of present-day Zentsūji-cho in Kagawa prefecture. According to legend, Kūkai still appears to pilgrims today. Most modern-day pilgrims travel by bus, rarely choosing the old-fashioned method of going by foot. They are seen wearing white jackets emblazoned with the characters reading ''dōgyō ninin'' () meaning "two traveling together".
Tokushima Prefecture also has its annual
Awa Odori running in August at the time of the
Obon festival, which attracts thousands of tourists each year from all over Japan and from abroad.
Kōchi Prefecture is home to the first annual
Yosakoi
Yosakoi () is a unique style of dance that originated in Japan and that is performed at festivals and events all over the country. The first Yosakoi festival was held in 1954 in Kōchi, Japan, on the island of Shikoku. Yosakoi-style dancing has ...
festival. The largest festival in Kōchi, it takes place in August every year and attracts dancers and tourists from all over Japan.
Food
One of the major foods of Shikoku is
udon
Udon ( or ) is a thick noodle made from wheat flour, used in Japanese cuisine. It is a comfort food for many Japanese people. There are a variety of ways it is prepared and served. Its simplest form is in a hot soup as with a mild broth called ...
.
Udon
Udon ( or ) is a thick noodle made from wheat flour, used in Japanese cuisine. It is a comfort food for many Japanese people. There are a variety of ways it is prepared and served. Its simplest form is in a hot soup as with a mild broth called ...
is often served hot as a noodle soup in its simplest form, as ''kake udon'', in a mildly flavoured broth called ''
kakejiru,'' which is made of
dashi, soy sauce (
shōyu), and
mirin
is a type of rice wine and a common ingredient in Japanese cooking. It is similar to sake but with a lower alcohol content and higher sugar content. The sugar content is a complex carbohydrate that forms naturally during the fermentation pro ...
. It is usually topped with thinly chopped scallions. Other common toppings include
tempura
is a typical Japanese dish usually consisting of seafood, meat and vegetables that have been battered and deep fried. The dish was introduced by the Portuguese in Nagasaki through fritter-cooking techniques in the 16th century. The word ''tem ...
, often prawn or ''
kakiage'' (a type of mixed tempura
fritter
A fritter is a portion of meat, seafood, fruit, vegetables or other ingredients which have been Batter (cooking), battered or breading, breaded, or just a portion of dough without further ingredients, that is deep-frying, deep-fried. Fritters ar ...
), or ''
aburaage
is a Japanese food product made from twice-fried soybeans. It is produced by cutting tofu into thin slices and deep-frying them first at 110–120 °C, and then again at 180–200 °C. ''Abura-age'' is often used to wrap , and is added to miso ...
'', a type of deep-fried
tofu pockets seasoned with sugar, mirin, and soy sauce. A thin slice of
kamaboko
is a type of cured , a processed seafood product common in Japanese cuisine.
is made by forming various pureed deboned white fish with either natural or man-made additives and flavorings into distinctive loaves, which are then steamed u ...
, a halfmoon-shaped fish cake, is often added.
Shichimi
, also known as or simply ''shichimi'', is a common Japanese spice mixture containing seven ingredients. Tōgarashi is the Japanese name for ''Capsicum annuum'', a red pepper native to Central and South America, and it is this ingredient that ...
can be added to taste. Another specialty is
Kōchi
Kochi is a city in Kerala, India.
Kochi or Kōchi may also refer to:
People
* Kochi people, a predominantly Pashtun nomadic people of Afghanistan
* , a Japanese surname:
** Arata Kochi (born 1948 or 1949), Japanese physician and World Health Org ...
's signature dish, seared
bonito
Bonitos are a tribe of medium-sized, ray-finned predatory fish in the family Scombridae – a family it shares with the mackerel, tuna, and Spanish mackerel tribes, and also the butterfly kingfish. Also called the tribe Sardini, it consists of ...
.
The warm climate of Shikoku lends itself to the cultivation of citrus fruits. As a result,
yuzu
Yuzu (''Citrus junos'', from Japanese or ) is a citrus fruit and plant in the family Rutaceae of East Asian origin. Yuzu has been cultivated mainly in East Asia, though recently also in New Zealand, Australia, Spain, Italy, and France.
I ...
,
mikan
''Citrus unshiu'' is a semi-seedless and easy-peeling citrus species, also known as miyagawa mandarin, unshu mikan, cold hardy mandarin, satsuma mandarin, satsuma orange, naartjie, and tangerine. ''Citrus unshiu'' was named after Unshu (Wenzho ...
and other citrus fruits are plentiful on Shikoku and have become synonymous with the regions they are grown in.
Movements
Pioneering
natural farmer Masanobu Fukuoka, author of ''
The One-Straw Revolution'', developed his methods here on his family's farm.
Sports
Historically no Shikoku-based
sports
Sport pertains to any form of competitive physical activity or game that aims to use, maintain, or improve physical ability and skills while providing enjoyment to participants and, in some cases, entertainment to spectators. Sports can, th ...
team has competed in the top Japanese division of
baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each, taking turns batting and fielding. The game occurs over the course of several plays, with each play generally beginning when a player on the fielding tea ...
,
football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 players who primarily use their feet to propel the ball around a rectangular field called a pitch. The objective of the game is ...
or even
rugby union
Rugby union, commonly known simply as rugby, is a close-contact team sport that originated at Rugby School in the first half of the 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand. In its m ...
. Currently the major teams competing in Shikoku's major cities include:
*
Naruto,
Tokushima
is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Shikoku. Tokushima Prefecture has a population of 728,633 (1 October 2019) and has a geographic area of 4,146 km2 (1,601 sq mi). Tokushima Prefecture borders Kagawa Prefecture to the north, E ...
:
Tokushima Vortis (football,
J. League Division 1
The , known as the for sponsorship reasons, is the top level of the system. Founded in 1992, it is one of the most successful leagues in Asian Football Confederation, Asian club football. Contested by 18 clubs, it operates on a system of promot ...
),
Tokushima Indigo Socks (baseball,
Shikoku-Kyūshū Island League
The is an independent professional baseball league on the island of Shikoku in Japan. (None of the teams in Nippon Professional Baseball are based in Shikoku.) The league currently has four teams, and has its league headquarters in Takamatsu.
Th ...
)
*
Matsuyama,
Ehime:
Ehime F.C.
is a professional football club based in Matsuyama, the capital city of Ehime Prefecture of Japan. After winning the JFL championship in 2005, the club now plays in .
History
The club was founded in 1970 as Matsuyama Soccer Club and rena ...
(J2),
Ehime Mandarin Pirates
The are a professional baseball team in the Shikoku Island League Plus of Japan. Established in 2005, the Mandarin Pirates mainly play their home games at Botchan Stadium in Matsuyama, the capital city of Ehime Prefecture
is a prefecture o ...
(SKIL)
*
Takamatsu,
Kagawa may refer to:
* , the smallest prefecture of Japan by area, located on the island of Shikoku
* , a district in Kagawa Prefecture
* , a town located in Kagawa District
* , train station in Chigasaki, Kanagawa Prefecture
* Kagawa (surname) Kagawa (w ...
:
Kamatamare Sanuki (
JFL),
Kagawa Olive Guyners (SKIL)
*
Kōchi
Kochi is a city in Kerala, India.
Kochi or Kōchi may also refer to:
People
* Kochi people, a predominantly Pashtun nomadic people of Afghanistan
* , a Japanese surname:
** Arata Kochi (born 1948 or 1949), Japanese physician and World Health Org ...
,
Kōchi
Kochi is a city in Kerala, India.
Kochi or Kōchi may also refer to:
People
* Kochi people, a predominantly Pashtun nomadic people of Afghanistan
* , a Japanese surname:
** Arata Kochi (born 1948 or 1949), Japanese physician and World Health Org ...
:
Kōchi Fighting Dogs (SKIL)
Notable sportspeople
Two time darts Women's World Champion
Mikuru Suzuki is a native of Takamatsu in Kagawa Prefecture on Shikoku.
Transportation
Roads
Shikoku is connected to Honshu by three
expressways
Expressway may refer to:
*Controlled-access highway, the highest-grade type of highway with access ramps, lane markings, etc., for high-speed traffic.
*Limited-access road, a lower grade of highway or arterial road.
*Expressway, the fictional slide ...
, which together form the
Honshū–Shikoku Bridge Project
The is a system of bridges connecting the islands of Honshu and Shikoku across the Inland Sea of Japan, which were previously only connected by ferry. It consists of three major connections. All bridges are now controlled by the Honshu-Shikok ...
.
*
Kobe-Awaji-Naruto Expressway
The is a tolled Expressways of Japan, expressway that connects Hyōgo Prefecture, Hyōgo and Tokushima Prefecture, Tokushima prefectures in Japan by crossings of the Akashi Strait and Naruto Strait. Built between 1970 and 1998, it is one of the t ...
(Eastern Shikoku)
*
Seto-Chūō Expressway
The is a tolled Expressways of Japan, expressway that connects Okayama Prefecture, Okayama and Kagawa Prefecture, Kagawa prefectures in Japan across a series of five small islands in the Seto Inland Sea. Built between 1978 and 1988, it is one of t ...
(Central Shikoku)
*
Nishiseto Expressway
The , often called the is an expressway in Japan that connects Onomichi, Hiroshima and Imabari, Ehime, going through nine of the Geiyo Islands, including Ōshima, Ōmishima, and Innoshima. The road and multiple bridges crossing across the Set ...
(Western Shikoku)
The eastern gateway to Shikoku,
Naruto in
Tokushima Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Shikoku. Tokushima Prefecture has a population of 728,633 (1 October 2019) and has a geographic area of 4,146 km2 (1,601 sq mi). Tokushima Prefecture borders Kagawa Prefecture to the north, E ...
has been linked to the
Kobe-Awaji-Naruto Expressway
The is a tolled Expressways of Japan, expressway that connects Hyōgo Prefecture, Hyōgo and Tokushima Prefecture, Tokushima prefectures in Japan by crossings of the Akashi Strait and Naruto Strait. Built between 1970 and 1998, it is one of the t ...
since 1998. This line connects Shikoku to the
Kansai
The or the , lies in the southern-central region of Japan's main island Honshu, Honshū. The region includes the Prefectures of Japan, prefectures of Nara Prefecture, Nara, Wakayama Prefecture, Wakayama, Kyoto Prefecture, Kyoto, Osaka Prefectur ...
area which has a large population, including the large
conurbation
A conurbation is a region comprising a number of metropolises, cities, large towns, and other urban areas which through population growth and physical expansion, have merged to form one continuous urban or industrially developed area. In most ca ...
s of
Osaka
is a designated city in the Kansai region of Honshu in Japan. It is the capital of and most populous city in Osaka Prefecture, and the third most populous city in Japan, following Special wards of Tokyo and Yokohama. With a population of 2. ...
,
Kyoto
Kyoto (; Japanese: , ''Kyōto'' ), officially , is the capital city of Kyoto Prefecture in Japan. Located in the Kansai region on the island of Honshu, Kyoto forms a part of the Keihanshin metropolitan area along with Osaka and Kobe. , the ci ...
, and
Kobe
Kobe ( , ; officially , ) is the capital city of Hyōgo Prefecture Japan. With a population around 1.5 million, Kobe is Japan's seventh-largest city and the third-largest port city after Tokyo and Yokohama. It is located in Kansai region, whic ...
. Therefore, the Kobe-Awaji-Naruto Expressway carries a large traffic volume. Many highway buses are operated between
Kansai
The or the , lies in the southern-central region of Japan's main island Honshu, Honshū. The region includes the Prefectures of Japan, prefectures of Nara Prefecture, Nara, Wakayama Prefecture, Wakayama, Kyoto Prefecture, Kyoto, Osaka Prefectur ...
and
Tokushima Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Shikoku. Tokushima Prefecture has a population of 728,633 (1 October 2019) and has a geographic area of 4,146 km2 (1,601 sq mi). Tokushima Prefecture borders Kagawa Prefecture to the north, E ...
.
The central part of Shikoku is connected to Honshu by ferry, air, and – since 1988 – by the
Great Seto Bridge network. Until completion of the bridges, the region was isolated from the rest of Japan. The freer movement between Honshu and Shikoku was expected to promote economic development on both sides of the bridges, which has not materialized yet.
Within the island, a web of
national highways connects the major population centers. These include
Routes 11,
32,
33,
55, and
56.
Rail
The
Shikoku Railway Company (JR Shikoku) serves the island and connects to Honshu via the
Great Seto Bridge. JR lines include:
*
Yosan Line
*
Dosan Line
*
Kōtoku Line
The is a railway line in northeastern Shikoku, Japan that connects the prefectural capitals Takamatsu (Kagawa) and Tokushima (Tokushima). Shikoku Railway Company (JR Shikoku) owns and operates the line, whose name comes from the characters in th ...
*
Tokushima Line
*
Mugi Line
*
Naruto Line
*
Uchiko Line
*
Yodo Line
*
Honshi Bisan Line
*
Seto Ōhashi Line
Private railway lines operate in each of the four prefectures on Shikoku.
Air travel
Shikoku lacks a full international airport but has four regional/domestic airports (
Tokushima Airport,
Takamatsu Airport,
Kōchi Ryōma Airport
Kochi is a city in Kerala, India.
Kochi or Kōchi may also refer to:
People
* Kochi people, a predominantly Pashtun nomadic people of Afghanistan
* , a Japanese surname:
** Arata Kochi (born 1948 or 1949), Japanese physician and World Health Org ...
and
Matsuyama Airport). All of these airports have flights to Tokyo and other major Japanese cities such as
Osaka
is a designated city in the Kansai region of Honshu in Japan. It is the capital of and most populous city in Osaka Prefecture, and the third most populous city in Japan, following Special wards of Tokyo and Yokohama. With a population of 2. ...
,
Nagoya
is the largest city in the Chūbu region, the fourth-most populous city and third most populous urban area in Japan, with a population of 2.3million in 2020. Located on the Pacific coast in central Honshu, it is the capital and the most pop ...
,
Sapporo
( ain, サッ・ポロ・ペッ, Satporopet, lit=Dry, Great River) is a city in Japan. It is the largest city north of Tokyo and the largest city on Hokkaido, the northernmost main island of the country. It ranks as the fifth most populous city ...
, and
Fukuoka
is the sixth-largest city in Japan, the second-largest port city after Yokohama, and the capital city of Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. The city is built along the shores of Hakata Bay, and has been a center of international commerce since ancie ...
. International flights to
Seoul
Seoul (; ; ), officially known as the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea.Before 1972, Seoul was the ''de jure'' capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) as stated iArticle 103 ...
,
South Korea
South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and sharing a Korean Demilitarized Zone, land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed ...
are serviced by
Asiana Airlines from
Matsuyama and
Takamatsu. There are periodic international charter flights as well.
Sea Travel
Ferries link Shikoku to destinations including Honshu,
Kyushu
is the third-largest island of Japan's five main islands and the most southerly of the four largest islands ( i.e. excluding Okinawa). In the past, it has been known as , and . The historical regional name referred to Kyushu and its surroun ...
, and islands around Shikoku.
See also
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Japanese archipelago
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Geography of Japan
Japan is an archipelagic country comprising a stratovolcanic archipelago over along the Pacific coast of East Asia. It consists of 6,852 islands. The five main islands are Hokkaido, Honshu, Kyushu, Shikoku and Okinawa. There are 6,847 remote i ...
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Regions of Japan
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Shikoku dialect
References
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External links
Kitaro Shikoku Peace Bell Project
{{Authority control
Japanese archipelago
Islands of Ehime Prefecture
Islands of Kagawa Prefecture
Islands of Kōchi Prefecture
Islands of Tokushima Prefecture