Shikoku-Mura open air museum at Yashima, Takamatsu

Shikoku-Mura 四国村 is an open air museum / art village situated at the base of Yashima Mountain in Takamatsu. Thirty three traditional buildings from all over Shikoku Island Japan have been reconstructed here. Shikoku-Mura is a 6-7 minute walk from the Kotoden Yashima station which can be reached via Takamatsu’s centrally located Kawaramachi station.

The first installations you’ll see when you enter (¥800 for adults, free/¥300/¥400/¥500 for children depending on age) are the water wheel and the the vine bridge. You can walk across the vine bridge but you’ll have to be careful – there are some big gaps between the planks of wood. If you don’t fancy walking over it you can take the parallel pathway.

On the left below is the Shodoshima Farmers’ Kabuki Theatre.

As well as admiring the traditional buildings from the outside, most of them can be viewed from the inside too.

Following the path for the first half of the open air village is all uphill, so you might need to take a few breaks if it is a hot summer’s day.

Right near the top is a lighthouse from Okunoshima, and three different lighthouse keepers’ houses from around Shikoku. You can get a good view of parts of Takamatsu from the top.

In one of the houses is a very nice resting area where you can get iced Japanese tea, and ice cream whilst sitting on tatami mats.

There are many water features around the village, including waterfalls, a waterwheel and a rice milling machine powered by water.

The way down from the top is much easier than the way up, just try not to get bitten by insects – you are surrounded by trees and water so you need to be careful.

I can highly recommend Shikoku-Mura for a good half a day of sightseeing. If you are looking to fill the other half of the day without going far there is an aquarium and temple on the top of the mountain (you can get a bus to the top), and there is a shrine next to Shikoku-Mura as well.