everything is condensed in takamatsu

Glow of the sea
Warmth of the mountains
Attraction of the town
Everything is condensed in Takamatsu!
Your memory may also be condensed here!


Sitting in the first class cabin of a limited express train, rollicking through the mountainous towns between Takamatsu and Matsuyama. My lips smack of this morning's salty (but totes delicious) breakfast. We loved Takamatsu. Not in the way that we loved Naoshima – we were always going to love our stay on a little island featuring copious contemporary art and architecture while staying in a fancy pants hotel/gallery/installation/resorty thing with mindblowing inland sea views and sunny 25 degree days.



Takamatsu gave us something different. Sure our dodge-wah hotel offered us twin beds, smoked out scents and Japan's smallest bathroom, but for a simple 7000 yen a night it didn't matter. Takamatsu is the capital of the island of Shikoku with a population around 350,000. Famous for its sankuki udon, the sanuki people are friendly and take much pride in Ritsurin-Koen and the region as a whole. And it has to be said that Sanuki girls are some of the prettiest in Japan.


Who would have thought two twenty-somethings with their epic cameras and ipods and DS-lites would dig a garden so much. Lakes and stone bridges and spiders and bonsai amongst the mountains.


Oh, and the giant goldfish were everywhere!

We finished up at the park with some powdered matchi (green tea) and japanese sweets.

The powdered green tea is an acquired taste.

For 100 yen a day, they have bikes for hire. These cruisey commuters complete with handy basket, are an awesome way to explore Takamatsu's flat and bike-friendly offerings.


The footpath is generally split into a pedestrian lane and cycling lanes and the stairs offer a bike ramp – amazoid! Or you can just cycle down japan's longest undercover mall for some crazy dodgem-pedestrian times. We were totally sad to say goodbye to our blue friends...

You can cope being poor here cuz it's all about the sanuki udon. You can get sanuki udon (handmade noodles) from around 120 yen a bowl. And we ate plenty of it. The best was at the place just down from our hotel. You can watch the chef make the noodles through the front windows in the morning.


the sanuki people are very well dressed but then for a town the size of geelong, they have it all – walkin store, supreme etc etc, with friendly dudes and fine threads. Throughout the backstreets are endless designer boutiques and dreamy streetwear stores.


There's also this little warehouse district to the east of the ferry called Kitahama Alley with rough guide touted 'hipster' cafes, designer trinket shops, furniture stores and a hipster bar that was sadly closed when we visited.

There's an awesome record store called more music. And our favourite bar was Gowariyasu, just a five minute bike ride away. Five dishes and four beers set us back just 3000 yen. Two beers and two desserts was 1400 yen. Tasty and the cheapness – just what we like! The walls were covered in flyers for the rad things that happen in the town. Impressive.


we had our first crepes in takamatsu. Fake cream, red bean and matchi ice cream flavour...



the roadworks were special

there are two huge hayku yen store with the goodness. And you can buy bonito flakes in bulk


We had an awesome time. We miss you takamatsu!