Shikoku

Seto Inland Sea

Shikoku is a fascinating place. There are many places to see and things to do and I admit to have fallen in love with this island. To anyone considering to visit, here are some general info that might be useful -

/ keeping a pulse in the digital world
The b-mobile data visitor sim card is pretty useful travelling around countryside Japan, and the coverage (NTT docomo network) superb as I could get connection wherever i went - through cities, forests, valleys and mountains. Plugged into the digital world, and armed with GPS, and Google-sensei (including the almightly Google maps) - the possibilities are endless and you no longer have to worry about what to do, where to go, and how to do it.

The only annoying thing is that thanks to privacy laws (I reckon), after putting the data sim in, whenever I took photos from my Samsung Galaxy S4, one can hear a very audible camera shutter sound. There is no way to mute or even dim this. Not really helpful when you're trying to take a photograph of a deer grazing in the forest, but such is life I suppose.

/ travelling in shikoku
If you are an international traveller, do consider investing in a JR all Shikoku pass for travelling between cities. This will open the door to exploring the island over long distances cheaply and effectively via JR trains and railway lines. As the pass covers consecutive days of travel, it is important to do some travel planning if you are the sort to spend days at a place before moving on. The All Shikoku Pass can be purchased overseas or in Shikoku itself at JR Shikoku Travel Agency sales/exchange offices (note - I think there are only 4 of these in Shikoku) so if you need to buy another pass for your travels, you can do so.

In towns, there are local commuter trains, buses and also rental bicycles for hire.


/ staying in shikoku
Depending on what type of traveller you are, Shikoku has the typical range of accomodations which range from business hotels (typically located by the train station near the major JR train stops), onsens, minshukus and backpacker inns. As i travelled in June, during the low travel season, I found it no issue it all to look for accomodation either by emailing a few days before, or just searching once you reach the town.

/ Highlights of Shikoku 
   // Matsuyama
   // Shimanami Kaido | Cycling
   // Ohenro-san | Pilgrimage and the Giving Culture
   // Land and Water | Hiking, Cycling and White-water
   // Naoshima | Art Island

ok, lets start visiting!