Discover Shikoku
Shikoku’s leading tour provider since 2011. Shikoku, Japan’s last frontier
Booking a Holiday with Shikoku Tours
We offer a range of preplanned tours, based on years of experience. These tours are designed to show you the best of Shikoku, efficiently and in comfort. We’ve found that a charter vehicle with your own driver is the best way to get around – you won’t get lost, you don’t have to carry your own luggage, and you can go to the many places in Shikoku not served by public transport. Where public transport makes sense, we use it. Our tours are ideal for couples or small groups.
Popular Multiday Tours
These are some of our popular multiday tours. There are more in the Multiday Tour section. Please note that where departure dates are not shown, these are private tours where you can set the date at your own convenience.
Visit Now
Discover the wonders of the Inland Sea and western Japan with our expertly curated tours, available at Setouchi Tours.
Traveling beyond Shikoku?
Travel with us
Reliable & Transparent
We prioritize transparency and reliability, ensuring you can confidently rely on us for accurate information and exceptional customer satisfaction.
Competitive Rates
We understand the importance of offering competitive rates and exclusive deals, providing you with the best value for your money without compromising on quality.
Flexible Options
Whether you have fixed travel dates or require flexibility, we offer options to suit your schedule, ensuring a convenient and hassle-free travel experience.
Memorable Experiences
We are dedicated to creating unique travel experiences. We go the extra mile to recommend unique local adventures and personalize your trip.
Regional Focus
Learn More
Dōgo is a part of Matsuyama, known for Dōgo Onsen and its pretty Honkan bathhouse.
Dōgo
Learn More
A fascinating city where industry, nature, and tradition make their presence felt.
Niihama
Learn More
A rural city in southwestern Shikoku, home to one of the island’s two Geoparks.
Seiyo
Everything was well organized, and there was good communication before and during the tour. We enjoyed our time on Shikoku and definitely plan to return. It was the perfect contrast... Read More to Okinawa, where we had been before. Our tour guide, Maya-san, and our driver, Fuji-san, were outstanding.
Frank Grafenstein August 29, 2024
We hated to leave Tomoko and Toshi! They orchestrated the most well planned, exhilarating, inclusive, amazing tour. Our guide Tomoko-San was knowledgeable, supportive, caring, professional, all praise and more... Read More than we could ever want. She and Toshi, our driver, harmoniously, and safely transported us around glorious Shikoku. No request was denied. Any question that we had Tomoko-San provided a quick thorough answer. She monitored our hiking like a hawk. There is insufficient praise that we might write to compliment her talents and skills. She moves like water flows down the mountain. Toshi is her equal as a master driver: Cool, calm, pleasant, always in control, prepared for any errant drive. Our bags were heavy yet they were placed in time, on time at every location. Literally, I cried when I spoke to thank them, but my heart was so full of gratitude and love that no words came, just tears. If I have life and money, then I wish to recreate our tour again with Toshi as driver and Tomoko as guide to see the awe inspiring, verdant, lush landscape, to pray at ancient temples, to accept the hiking challenges, to stop at the markets and partake of the superior tasty produce and local products. We loved our Shikoku tour.
Denise Washington July 1, 2024
My wife and I just completed a seven-day Shikoku trip. It was a great experience. Rod is highly knowledgeable and experienced in Shikoku history and culture. He is well integrated... Read More into the community, and thus, he offers unique insights and experiences. Koei, Rod's partner and a Buddhist disciple, also accompanied us. He provided a lot of background and historical and religious perspectives during the trip. The team was also flexible as they provided alternative activities when hiking was not advised due to poor weather. The accommodations they provided were comfortable. In one instance, we stayed at a historic house, a unique and quaint experience. I especially recommend this tour for those with some level of comfort with Japanese culture and customs. It would only serve to enrich your appreciation for Japanese culture.
Daniel Micsunescu June 1, 2024
If you're going to Japan, go to the island of Shikoku and use the best tour provider: Shikoku Tours. Our eight-day trip with them was planned easily via email, allowing... Read More for flexibility and visiting more temples on the 88 Temple Pilgrimage. We created many memorable experiences and appreciated a stress-free tour, with Fuji san behind the wheel and behind a camera, sharing interesting tidbits along our journey. The hotel accommodations were comfortable, the meals delicious and the onsens healing. Rod and his team are reliable, transparent and offer exceptional customer service. Working with Shikoku Tours is working with the best!
Cindie Hubiak June 1, 2024
This was an excellent route for scenery and cycling. Great places to stop for lunch each day and for accommodation and dinner each night. Very informative and pleasant guide and... Read More helpful and reliable driver. Very high quality e-bikes similar to my Specialisef Creo. Would highly recommend this trip to anyone.
John Wilson April 1, 2024
We were looking for a three day hike on Matsuyama Island and Rod was incredibly helpful in organising our itinerary. Everything ran very smoothly and our guide, Mizu, was... Read More a fantastic guide and nothing was too much trouble, especially looking after the eating arrangements for our daughter who has a severe nut allergy. Would thoroughly recommend this company.
Andrew Holderness April 1, 2024
I contacted Shikoku tours enquiring about an experience with Geisha after having searched multiple websites and being unsuccessful or having little to no human interaction. Finally we found Shikoku Tours... Read More and with the help of their team who displayed fantastic communication skills we got the ball rolling and were able to organise an experience that was catered to our needs of experiencing a traditional cultural arts night at Hanahimerou, Matsuyamas prestigious Geisha house. From the onset Shikoku Tours was fantastic as they even organised for us to be in formal Kimono for my partner and I at our request. And this is what I mean when I say they catered to our request. They helped organise a meeting with a talented team. Organising the Kimono dresser and hair stylist to attend our hotel in the afternoon, this add on was reasonably priced and the service was exceptional. I would love to thank the ladies who attended the hotel to help us get ready! We then went for a short walk through Matsuyama while the sun was setting to have a small shopping session in our kimono. My partners was a beautiful Navy Colour. I was very happy with the beautiful Kimono provided. The hair stylist was also exceptional and provided a beautiful hair do with some florals and braids. Very lovely. Once our walk was completed we headed towards Hanahimerou. Once we arrived we met the famous Akebono Seki, the proprietress of the establishment. We had told staff at the hotel that we were attending Hanahimerou and they said we would have a fantastic time. Her reputation in town is renowned, a beautiful lady with a fantastic sense of humour and very graceful proprietress. Accompanied by the beautiful Geisha Sakichi! She is a talented dancer and an amazing teacher, with her patience we were able to have a go at learning the Shamisen. And thank you to Shikoku tours for ensuring we had a very lovely English speaking guide Ms Tomikubo present. The evening was really lovely. It was fantastic to hear that Sakichi had attended University in Australia, she is a commodity with her language skills and an educated woman. We enjoyed a fantastic multi course dinner and laughed over Sake and Kirin beers. We played games and I managed to lose so I had to drink up. Sakichi’s traditional dancing skills took us back to more traditional times, her Kimono was simply marvellous. She was in fact a walking piece of art showing us cultural traditional dances and Japanese hospitality. My husband said it was the best night of our entire month long trip to Japan and it was exceptionally memorable. I am glad that we came to Shikoku for this experience. We will come back again as Shikoku has so much beauty to offer. Thank you to all that were involved at Shikoku tours for organising this amazing evening! I highly recommend this business as a means to experience Shikoku! Shikoku is a fantastic destination and I am glad this business helped us to experience its beauty, culture and flavours! Grab a Mikan juice and come and sit in the sun and beautiful weather! Thank you to Rob and Ayakasan for organising the experience.
Lena M January 1, 2024
Dear Rod, We want to thank you for the extraordinary trip in Shikoku that you arranged for our family! When we were planning the trip you were always... Read More good-natured and understanding about our goals for the tour as well as special food requirements and the type of accommodations. You helped us identify great (and challenging) hikes to 18+ temples and shrines and visit 2 castles! Not to mention a wonderful stay in Iya Valley – the onsen and the delightful soba lady. Actually, every day was a pleasure and this was not only a matter of planning but because of our careful and very kind driver Toshi-San and our guide Tomo-San. As we wrote to you a couple of days into our trip, Tomo-San is a jewel. Every day she went above and beyond to make every aspect of our trip effortless. Her organization and flexibility, her easy smile and constant concern for our family’s happiness was at another level – more than any other guide we have ever experienced. This trip will hold a special place in our memories for all of our lives. Rest assured that the next time we visit Shikoku, we will certainly contact Shikoku Tours. Our very best regards, Alan Stein and Antonella Antonini
Alan Stein January 1, 2024
It was really easy and convenient to book with Shikoku Tours, just a few exchanges of ideas via emails, and our trip was finalised. Payment was hassle free too. Clear... Read More instructions and information were given. On the day of the trip, we were greeted by the most pleasant and courteous driver, Mr Horai, outside our hotel. He drove skillfully and carefully through the winding mountain road, we felt very safe with him. We were able to complete the itinerary due to his precise time management and superb driving. Special note of thanks to our coordinator, Ms Ayaka. She was so helpful and patient with our enquiries. Thank you Shikoku Tours, for making our trip a memorable one! :)
chaihon Tan November 21, 2023
A big thank you to the team at Shikoku Tours for putting together the perfect tour of Shikoku. During the planning phase we shared that we’d like to bike... Read More the Shiminami Kaido, hike parts of the 88 Temple Pilgrimage and explore the Iya Valley. Our final itinerary included all this and more! With Shikoku Tours we saw so much more than we would have on our own. Rod, our hiking and biking guide, is a wealth of Shikoku, Buddhism and Shinto knowledge. Shimizu-San, our driver, safely shuttled us to the starting point of each day’s activity and patiently waited for us at the end. Rod and Shimizu-San made a great team. Our accommodations were all very comfortable and most had stunning views. The included meals were some of the best we had in all of Japan. We highly recommend Shikoku Tours!!!
Juli Sanders November 21, 2023
We loved our customized tour with Shikoku Tours. Our guide, Fujisan was fun and engaging but not too much. Just right. We went from west to east and stayed in... Read More a variety of accommodations. Fujisan is a multi talented guy and loved coffee as much as we did. We wanted to learn more about Sake and we did. We changed the itinerary a bit depending on our interests and the weather. It would have been impossible to experience the variety of places without Shikoku Tours. Thank you!!
Nancy Woods November 21, 2023
Rod Walters put together an amazing custom trip for us. We started our correspondence asking if we could modify a cab tour, and in the end Rod understood our... Read More interests, timeline and travel style and put together a fantastic tour with drivers and guides. He understood our interests and even suggested things we were not previously aware of but loved. In a short, yet comfortable time frame, we saw the Noguchi Museum, Kompira Shrine, Ritsurin garden, Teshima and Kurashiki and more. His choice of lodgings delighted us too. We could not recommend Rod and Shikoku Tours more highly.
Patricia Motzkin November 21, 2023
Last July, we decided that we wanted to hike a portion of the 88 Temple walk in Shikoku, Japan, in the Fall. After researching available tours on the internet, we... Read More contacted Shikoku Tours and discovered that we could customize a tour with a guide and a van with a driver. We worked directly with Rod at Shikoku Tours by email and agreed on a tour to include over 20 temples in all prefectures of Shikoku over an 8 day period in October at a price that was acceptable for all of us. We booked our own flights over on Japan Airlines to Tokyo Haneda with a 2 hour layover and connecting JAL flight to Matsuyama. The connections were flawless and the hotel in Matsuyama which was booked by Shikoku Tours was an excellent choice. We enjoyed a free day there and then met our guide and driver the next morning. Tomo was our guide and Toshi was our driver for the next 8 days. Tomo was the best individual guide we had ever worked with in many years of travel all over the world. She was very knowledgeable, organized, friendly, caring, and helpful. Toshi was an excellent driver and the new van was always spotless. We hiked every day between temples and visited on average 4 temples a day with our extensive hiking and rides in the van. It was all an incredible and flawless adventure and so amazing to visit remote temples hundreds of years old and with hardly any visitors. In fact, with Tomo’s help, we exceeded our goal and visited 28 temples and really were introduced to so much more in Shikoku, including a stay in a 200 year old house in a small fishing village on the coast. . Shikoku Tours did an excellent job in arranging everything for us, in supplying a truly excellent guide and in making us really want to return to Shikoku to visit more of the 88 temples with Shikoku Tours. Highly recommended!!!
Timothy Neufeld October 28, 2023
I had such a wonderful time in Shikoku! The whole adventure was put together so well, with every little detail well thought out and executed perfectly.
Trisha Moses October 28, 2023
If you are going to Japan, please do not miss out on visiting some of the beautiful places that are beyond the usual tourist sites. The island of Shikoku is... Read More special. You will see why when you go there, and find an incredible amount of diversity in the landscapes, the food, and the culture in each region of the island. Though I have traveled around many parts of Japan, it is the people who I met on Shikoku who I left feeling the most connected to, thanks to their warmth, kindness, and sense of humor. Shikoku Tours will be the perfect people to guide your explorations here. While you can find details online about things to do and places to stay on Shikoku, you'll will have a richer experience if you allow Shikoku Tours to do your planning. On a recent trip, Shikoku Tours sent me to a small seaside town that has nothing written about it in any of the Japan travel sites or blogs. At first I wasn't sure why I was going, but Shikoku Tours knew my interests and recommended a night there. I stayed in a beautiful private home with the most incredible host, met several interesting local people who are focused on revitalizing the area, and had one of the most memorable meals with the local people I met. Nothing beats local knowledge when it comes to travel, and the first-hand insights and relationships that Shikoku Tours has will take your trip from the typical tourist track to an unexpected discovery that opens you up to something new.
Bethany Betzler October 28, 2023
We had a wonderful week with Shikoku Tours, touring Washi paper making facilities and learning in depth knowledge about the paper making craft. Rod was the perfect host, and he... Read More was very knowledgeable about the culture, the language, the areas we visited and all of the things we needed help with. I cannot imagine how different our trip would have been without his top-not interpreting skills and excellent guidance. I am so happy we mad the decision to see Shikoku before the other parts of Japan. I think some of the more rural and historic areas in Shikoku were definitely the most beautiful parts of the country at large. Rod was very knowledgable about the area's history, and shared in depth details that really helped us get a full understanding of the people and places we visited. I cannot imagine a better fit for a tour of this area. He had special connections to some of the business owners and restaurant owners that were very helpful. And the accommodations he recommended were top notch. We were extremely happy with Shikoku Tours!
Kelly Porter October 28, 2023
Shikoku Tours arranged a private tour for us that covered four corners of the island. Our driver/guide paid attention to every detail and made sure everything went smoothly. The... Read More island is rich in culture, history, and unspoiled natural settings. It was a great experience!
June Cho October 28, 2023
Great tour with Fuji-san. We were promptly picked up at our first location and ushered along a 3 day tour of the Shikoku region. Each location had a different unique... Read More experience ranging from busy city to rural town, all places were well picked and curated for our enjoyment. Along the ride we were treated to various mini stops ranging from a spectacular view to a small hike and even a stop at the fantastic vine bridge. We ended our tour with a deeper knowledge and appreciation for this part of Japan. Many thanks to Shikoku tours and Fujiyama-san for making this a memorable experience.
Anil Curry September 28, 2023
What a great trip . The walking was demanding , but very satisfying. Our guide Tomoko & driver Fuji were absolutely fantastic they helped make the trip very memorable.They were... Read More great fun and so accommodating. Definitely 5 star plus
Greg Lapwood July 28, 2023
Shikoku Tours did a fabulous job of picking just the right locations on Shikoku, picking our wonderful driver/guide - Fuji-san. From arranging our amazing Geisha dinner in Matsuyama, to... Read More the Iya Valley, to the vine bridge, exploring the beautiful coast and visiting beautiful shrines and temples. The choice of lodging was always excellent. We had some rain, and Fuji-san was able to rearrange some of our activities that needed to be inside rather than outside - with apparent ease. We loved our time on Shikoku and highly recommend Shikoku Tours.
Betsy Witthohn June 28, 2023
Testimonials
We were a family group of two couples, following the "Unique Accommodation of Shikoku" itinerary, customized for our needs. The accommodations were unique as promised; several on a very small scale where we could connect to the proprietors who were uniformly enthusiastic hosts. All (or most) meals were included, and we were treated generously to regional specialties. My vegetarian requests were fulfilled with delicious options.
We were able to get e-bikes to make a morning on the Shimanami Kaido bike path, a delight on our first day. We spent two nights in the Iya valley in a renovated farmhouse with a large hearth where we gathered for food and fun with the proprietor's family. Schedule changes forced by weather were as much fun as the original plans, including a river boat ride, and visit to a traditional indigo factory. Our driver spoke English and answered a million questions.
We added an extra, the geisha dinner for the night before our trip started, and were blown away with how much fun we had. Our "geiko" was the consummate hostess, and we even got to try out the musical instruments (we are musicians). We left exhilarated; it was the perfect start to our adventure. Shikoku Tours really delivered the goods, and I recommend it highly.
Shinsuke, Mari and Kumiko welcomed me in their Kominka during 3 amazing days. This experience appears to me as the highlight of my Japanese trip. We cooked soba and sushi together. They took me to their favorite places in the Iya Valley, where I discovered very peaceful and charming viewpoints. Their traditional home also offers a spectacular view where no one can disturb you apart from the birds. My heartfelt thanks to ShikokuTours who organized this trip with great professionalism and support all along the way!
I just completed half of the Shikoku 88 temple pilgrimage through Shikoku Tours. Beforehand they worked closely and patiently with me to meet my needs. Everything went perfectly, from my driver who ensured that I was always comfortable, to the carefully chosen lodgings and thoughtfully scheduled temple visits.
My wife and I enjoyed cycling the Shimamanai Kaido route, there is enough time to go explore some of the intermediate and advanced routes. The accommodations were great. We had good communication and support from the company when we had a misunderstanding about a reservation. Rod was easy to deal with and shared good suggestions we used about places to eat and drink at and we enjoyed our tour.
This tour is perfect for travelers who want to learn about Japan and do not want to be around tourists. By traveling this lovely island and experiencing temples, castles, gardens, seashore, mountains without other tourists is wonderful. The tour is perfect for open-minded travelers who don't mind seeing as many temples as they have time for - each one is different, beautiful, old, and differently located. If speaking English is important, this is not the tour.
Thanks for arranging such a unique tour.
Rod provided an exceptional tour. He was friendly, informative, flexible, and very easy to work with. He had great suggestions on best sites and best itinerary. We would recommend him without any reservation. Thanks Rod for a great day!
We thoroughly enjoyed our trip with Shikoku Tours and the interactions with the agent, Rod Walters, and our driver. The trip was customized to meet our desire to visit several of the temples on the Shikoku Pilgrimage route and our driver had a lot of knowledge about the places we visited and areas we traveled through. This was a great value for the money spent and we will recommend them to others and use them when we return.
My wife and myself would like to express our thanks and appreciation to you and your team for a well thought out itinerary that gave us a full flavor of Shikoku from all aspects. Key is the varied accommodation that you guys have arranged. It’s was so awe inspiring. My wife favorite is the modern one just inland from shimantoand my favouriteis the one in iyavalley. I will be recommending my friends to you guys for in future.
If it weren't for the tour we would not have been able to navigate the region on our own. Our intent was to do a mini pilgrimage not knowing Tokushima and Takamatsu are urban areas and you need to go a good distance to reach certain temples in the back of beyond. Views in that hill country were spectacular --Tairyuji cable car, the riveting blue of the river, ancient cypresses -- and hair raising. Glad my sister was not driving!
Once the driver understood our serious intent we got tips about special views, proper spots for prayer and an introduction to the priest at our last temple. Our earlier impression was that most pilgrims have little interaction with temple staff much less entry into temple inner spaces. The priest gave us a full tour replete with explanation of Shingon lineage and significance of the small temple.
Yes, it was as they say Sugoi!
Everything went fine. The cloud cover stayed in place in the mountains and the heat was much easier to bear. Climbing to Iwayaji was a bit of a struggle for me but I trudged along patiently. I was surprised by how much I remembered from last year, recalling temple 44 as soon as we approached it on the road. We passed the inn where I stayed last fall.
I want to put in a good word about our driver. He did an excellent job. He was most helpful to us throughout the day in ways I am sure were more than what could be expected. He made things easy and enjoyable.
And I want to express my gratitude to you. Despite the heat, we enjoyed our day with you very much. And because of you I have been able to visit the pilgrimage temples which is quite important to me. I hope to have the chance to see you again soon.
And so tomorrow we move on the Hiroshima and a baseball game. There's still much to see and do before we return to our everyday lives.
All our best wishes.
If it weren't for the tour we would not have been able to navigate the region on our own. Our intent was to do a mini pilgrimage not knowing Tokushima and Takamatsu are urban areas and you need to go a good distance to reach certain temples in the back of beyond. Views in that hill country were spectacular --Tairyuji cable car, the riveting blue of the river, ancient cypresses -- and hair raising. Glad my sister was not driving!
Once the driver understood our serious intent we got tips about special views, proper spots for prayer and an introduction to the priest at our last temple. Our earlier impression was that most pilgrims have little interaction with temple staff much less entry into temple inner spaces. The priest gave us a full tour replete with explanation of Shingon lineage and signi
Safe and sound in Onomichi after returning from Habu by ferry to Imabari and bussing back here. Sal’s rear end was not able to face too much more cycling and by going from Habu we only missed one bridge to the end and about 15 km of the Shimanami Kaido. We thoroughly enjoyed the cycling and the accommodation.
Thank you for your arrangement of this part of our holiday. Going off the beaten track and exploring parts of Shikoku Island was wonderful and the stay at Suminoe Ryokan was a delight. You provided real highlights of our Japanese holiday.
We propose giving your name to a few friends in Australia that are contemplating Japanese holidays in the near future and hopefully you may be able to assist them plot out a holiday; hopefully without the constraints of Golden Week.
Thanks again for the arrangement and support along the way.
Cheers, John
It was a very enjoyable trip. My wife and I will surely remember it for many many years. The itinerary was carefully drafted, the hotels were nice, the food was delicious and the temples were cherry-picked. Our driver Mr Katou is very professional. He is punctual, hardworking and attentive to details. In fact, his English is not bad at all.
Everything is simply fantastic.
We have to thank you again, Rod, for giving us such a memorable trip. The only criticism is that you sent too many colleagues to receive us at the airport! But thank you anyway.
Mary and I very much enjoyed the sea kayaking today. Our guide was excellent and even swam off to find us some local sea life to look at (including an octopus!).
Our guide had given us a CD with photos on that he took on the trip, once we are back from our holiday next week I'd be glad to look through and share.
Thanks for organising this for us,
Tom
I was a difficult customer: I got in touch with Shikoku Tours just over two weeks before our visit, with a list of demands: the art festival, serious hiking along the Henro and Mt Tsurugi, the 24 Eyes movie village - and all appropriate for my young sons too. Rod rose to the challenge, and spent hours with me crafting our week, providing details down to bus and train times, and unerringly picking interesting, great places for us to stay. Thank you, Rod, for a wonderful week.