Kochi Castle

This is a coastal area in the southern part of Kochi prefecture. The area is famous for the statue of Sakamoto Ryoma, of the Tosa clan, a heroic figure, whose statue which gazes over the pacific ocean appears to be recalling the hero's great tales. It is also known as an ideal area to view the moon.

This is a bridge in the west part of Tokushima prefecture that traverses a valley. It is said that when Minamoto clan built this bridge, it was made by tying several tree roots together, so that it could be severed at any time to be able to escape. The 42 meter bridge has various gaps in the flooring, making it quite the adrenaline rush.

This is a shrine that allowed Mount Ishizuchi to be considered a holy mountain, in 685 AD. It is one of Japan's seven worshipped mountains, with Ishizuchihiko no Mikoto as the shrine God. It is also the shrine set at the highest altitude is west Japan, at 1,982 meters. In particular, there is a very steep part of the hill, for 230 meters, where it can be only climbed by using the chain, which provides an intense experience that taps into the survival instincts.

This shrine hosts the Gods known as Ninigi no Mikoto, Ukemochi no KamiKonohano-sakuyahime no Mikoto, with the main shrine hall at the top of the 407 meter Mount Inazumi. Its construction date is known. From the top area (which is 270 steps up) visitors can see views of the whole of Kannonji Temple along with the Setouchi coast, which has given the shrine the alternate moniker of "The heavenly Torii gate". Night views are equally as stunning, drawing numerous photographers to the area regardless of the time of day.

This is a sandy beach facing the Setouchi coast in the western part of Kagawa prefecture. With its stunningly clear salt waters, it is known as the "heavenly mirror" as it is an ideal photo spot to take a picture of a landscape, with it faithfully reflected by the sea. This has made the area particularly popular for photographers, as well as holidaygoers who visit the area in the summer for beach and water activities.

This is the main shrine of the Konpira Shrine group, but its construction date is not known. It hosts the Gods known as Oomononushi no Mikoto and Emperor Sutoku, and is particularly revered by fishermen and mariners, due to the temple Gods acting as protectors for those at sea. The shrine has enjoyed popularity due to its unique souvenir of a gold emblem being imprinted onto a circular trinket. The path up to the temple is long, with 1368 stone steps.

An Onsen built in 1997, situated in the western part of Kagawa prefecture, this is often a stop off spot for those visiting the shrine of Konpira Shrine. The local area is known for its special production of udon, with many restaurants serving unique types of udon noodle, as well as a Japanese sake museum built from a sake storage facility.※Credit：旅と温泉の無料写真素材　おんふぉと　http://on-photo.com/

This is a temple of the Shingon Buzan sect, and built in 729 AD. The main object of worship is known as Yakushi Nyorai, and is said to be built based on the legend of the second coming of Emonzaburo. There is also a famous area where visitors walk along a long tunnel, where the buddhist ideas of the Taizo-kai (fertility and life giving) and Kongo-kai strength as hard as the toughest diamond, representing unwavering strength). It has also be awarded one star in the Michelin tourist guide.

This is Shikoku's only nationally governed park, located in Kagawa prefecture. The park contains natural habitats for animals, a flower garden and an auto camping area. The area is particularly popular as a seasonal park as there are various varieties of flowers for all seasons, and for which there are seasonal festival events held regularly throughout the year.

This is Japan's oldest onsen hot spring town with 3000 years of history, situated in Matsuyama city. It has been cherished by many emperors over the years, including nobles such as Prince Shotoku, as well as cultural influencers such as Kobayashi Issa and Natsume Soseki. There are plentiful food and drink establishments, including the Dogo Onsen center at the center.　※Credit：旅と温泉の無料写真素材　おんふぉと　http://on-photo.com/

A castle built in 1603 by Kato Yoshiakira, it is one of Japan's 12 remaining castle towers, and was awarded 2 stars in the Michelin tourist guide. It was Japan's last complete castle tower to be built, and symbolizes the Momoyama era(1568-1600) culture in which it was built. In the morning of the weekends, one can see the traditional "castle drumming" which was originally used to escort people quickly into the castle.

This is a castle which was built in 1602 by Ikoma Chikamasa. It is one of Japan's 12 remaining castle towers, and is famous for being built on Japan's tallest castle stone hill of 66 meters, giving it the name of the "stone castle". Visitors can also see a wooden model of the castle which was originally created as a proposal submitted to the Edo Bakufu Shogunate.

This is the longest river in Shikoku, at 196 kilometers, that flows through the western part of Kochi prefecture. It is known as one of Japan's last pure river flows, by the fact that the river's water path is not established by a man made dam. It is ideal for experiencing the natural local areas due to the various rafting, canoeing and other boating experiences available.

This is a road of 59.4 km connecting Hiroshima Onomichi City and Imabari City in Ehime prefecture. There are six large islands in the area, which is also known as "the Bridge art museum" as ten bridges are linked here. It is popular as a cycling road, and bicycles can be rented here.

This is an island of Hiroshima in the Seto Inland Sea. It is famous as the only island that is home to a factory producing poisonous gases, and is home to around 700 rabbits that had previously been used for scientific experiments. It is a well known tour spot with plentiful facilities including a camping area, leisure facilities and onsen.

A castle built in 1601 by Todo Takatora. In 1615, the castle ownership was taken over by the eldest son of Date Masamune, known as Hidemune, who carried out various reservations, to produce the castle that is seen today. At the time of being built, the northern side was said to be impenetrable due to facing the sea. The castle has an unusual pentagon shaped castle tower tiers. On the roof, there is a decorative tile which is said to have been included to wish for luck and longevity.

This is a famous park in Takamatsu city. With Mount Shiun in the background, there are 6 ponds and 13 man made mountain areas, which boasts 400 years of history. There are various seasonal flowers that bloom from the trees in this areas, making it a park that constantly changes with the seasons, and its sheer variety of flora has meant that it has become known as a park with a "new view with every step taken".

This is a mountain that protrudes out into the Setouchi coast, located in Kagawa prefecture. The name originates from a Chinese legend, and there are five mountains named with the colors of red, yellow, blue, black and white, hence the name "Go-iro" which means "5 colors". The Shiromine Temple and Negoro Temple, which were recognized by the Japanese poet and author Kukai as one of the "88 holy places of Shikoku" is also nearby. The mountain and coastal area also give way to stunning views.

This is an island on the Setouchi coast, in Ehime prefecture. It is also known as the cat island due to the approximately 100 wild cats that live on the island, which has made the area popular in recent years, and of course, particularly so for cat lovers! However, it is important to be aware that there are no lodging or food facilities at all - even vending machines!