Japan's fourth largest island is its most rural and least developed. Its temples have been a pilgrimage destination for the past 1,000 years. Every spring and fall, devout Buddhists begin a two-month pilgrimage, visiting each of the island's 88 temples on foot. The island is very picturesque and off the beaten track—a look at the "real Japan.
" Dogo Onsen Hot Spring, in
Matsuyama, is a lovely spa. We enjoyed tea and sweets in the elegant private rooms after relaxing in the marble baths. Nearby,
Uchiko is a perfectly preserved village that once produced candles used in every Japanese home. The opulence of the buildings is a testament to the wealth produced by this industry. North of Kyushu is the Isamu Noguchi Garden Museum, near
Takamatsu, commemorating the work of the Japanese-American designer and sculptor. Another museum worth the side trip in Kagawa Prefecture is the Naoshima Contemporary Art Museum, on an island in the Seto Inland Sea, whose remarkable underground design is the work of the noted architect Tadao Ando.
60 mi/95 km southwest of Osaka.
