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Where to stay in Takamatsu: choosing an area.

Takamatsu is compact: the port, the station and the shopping streets are all close together. Wherever you stay, the centre is never far — but the best spot depends on where you are heading the next day. Here are the areas, by the kind of trip you are planning.

Times and fares were checked on the official websites in September 2026. They can change, so please check again before you go.

First, choose by the kind of trip

1. TIP 1Taking the boat to the islands? Stay near the station and port.Boats to Naoshima, Teshima and Shodoshima leave from Takamatsu Port, right in front of JR Takamatsu Station.
2. TIP 2Getting around by Kotoden? Stay around Kawaramachi.All three Kotoden lines meet at Kawaramachi, with direct trains to the stations for Ritsurin Garden, Kotohira-gu and Yashima.
3. TIP 3Here for the food? Stay near the shopping arcades.Covered shopping streets run on and on, lined with udon shops and izakaya.
4. TIP 4Want a quiet walk in the garden? Stay near Ritsurin Garden.It opens between 5:30 and 7:00 depending on the season, so you can walk it before the crowds.
5. TIP 5Travelling as a family or group? Consider a private rental.Instead of splitting into several hotel rooms, you all stay under one roof.
6. TIP 6Coming by car? Check parking first.Parking in the centre can cost extra, so make sure your stay has a space.

① Around JR Takamatsu Station and the port

JR Takamatsu Station and Takamatsu Port (the ferry terminal) sit side by side, and the airport limousine bus runs all the way to the station (about 45 min). A good base the night before a boat trip, or for JR trains to other cities in Shikoku.

• Takamatsu Castle Ruins (Tamamo Park) are right by the station.
• There are plenty of hotels around the station. For dinner, walk to the shopping arcades or take the Kotoden two stops to Kawaramachi.
• Our stays within walking distance: HOSHI NO UMI (Hamanocho, about 20 min on foot to the port) and HIBI NO NE (Ogimachi, about 15 min on foot to JR Takamatsu Station). Both are west of the station.

② Around Kawaramachi and the shopping arcades

Kawaramachi is where the Kotoden’s Kotohira, Nagao and Shido lines meet. Covered shopping streets run north towards Kataharamachi, full of udon shops, izakaya and cafés — this is the heart of the city. The airport limousine bus stops here too (about 30 min).

• Direct trains from Kawaramachi to the stations for Ritsurin Garden, Kotohira-gu (Konpira-san) and Yashima.
• Even on rainy days, you can walk to dinner under the arcade roofs.
• Our stays two stops from Kawaramachi: HARETOKE and YOI NO HOSHI (Matsufukucho), a 4-minute walk from Matsushima-Nichome Station on the Kotoden Shido Line, each with free parking for one car.

③ Around Ritsurin Garden

The area around Ritsurin Garden, a nationally designated Special Place of Scenic Beauty, is quieter than the centre. It is about a 7-minute walk from Ritsurin-Koen Station on the Kotoden Kotohira Line. The airport limousine bus stops at Ritsurin-koen-mae (about 23 min), a 1-minute walk from the garden.

• Opening hours change by month: from 5:30 in April–September, and from 7:00 in December–February. Admission is ¥500 for adults.
• There are fewer places to eat than around Kawaramachi, so for dinner, head into the centre.

Or stay on an island?

Staying on Naoshima or Shodoshima lets you enjoy the islands in the quiet of the evening and early morning. But there are only so many places to stay, and some shops close in the early evening. Stay in Takamatsu and take day trips by boat, and you can have dinner in the city — and head to a different island the next day.

Boat times and fares are in “From Takamatsu Port to Naoshima, Teshima and Shodoshima”.

For families and groups: private rentals

For families or groups of four or more, a private rental — a whole house or a whole floor — is worth considering. Everyone can gather in one place, cook in the kitchen and do laundry.

• Many have no front desk, and check-in is usually self check-in. Read the instructions sent before you arrive carefully.
• Check how many separate bedrooms there are, how many beds, and whether there is parking, so there are no surprises when you arrive.
• Each stay has its own house rules, such as rubbish sorting and quiet hours at night.

Where our four stays are

Getting around

• From the airport, see “From Takamatsu Airport into the city”; for the local trains, see “How to ride the Kotoden”.
• Kotoden trains and buses accept transport IC cards such as Suica and ICOCA.

Our four stays in Takamatsu

HIBI NO NE　Check availability