5 Photogenic Buildings and Townscapes in Kagawa

Kagawa Prefecture, where the scent of history and art drifts through the air, is dotted with buildings and townscapes that make you instinctively want to press the shutter. Let's set out on a journey around the photogenic charms of Kagawa, which is about more than just udon!

1. Marugame Castle: An Overwhelming Shot at the "Famous Castle of Stone Walls" Gleaming White

One of the 12 castles with surviving original keeps, Marugame Castle offers an exquisite contrast between its white-plastered keep and the stone walls with their beautiful fan-shaped slopes. The combination with a blue sky is breathtakingly beautiful.

Recommended shooting points

• Time of day: The morning light makes the shadows of the stone walls stand out.
• Season: Spring (cherry blossoms x the white keep) is especially dramatic.
• Angle: A "frog's-eye" composition looking up from the base of the stone walls is full of impact.

Access: About a 10-minute walk from JR Marugame Station.

2. Old Konpira Grand Playhouse (Kanamaruza): A Time Slip to the Edo Period

Kanamaruza is renowned as the oldest surviving playhouse in Japan. Its warm wooden exterior and the wooden lattices running vertically and horizontally create distinctive shadows.

Recommended shooting points

• Time of day: The slanting light of the evening beautifully captures the texture of the wood grain.
• Season: Autumn to winter is recommended for its mellow atmosphere.
• Angle: Two patterns -- a composition capturing the whole from the front, plus a close-up of the lattice pattern.

Access: About a 15-minute walk from Kotoden Kotohira Station.

3. Higashiyama Kaii Setouchi Art Museum: A Miraculous Landscape Where Sea and Architecture Melt Together

This museum, standing on the seaside of Sakaide City, features overwhelming white modern architecture set against the Seto Inland Sea. The building, sea, and sky overlap like a single painting.

Recommended shooting points

• Time of day: The magic hour (around sunset) dyes the sky, sea, and building orange.
• Season: Spring and autumn, when the air is clear and you can see all the way to distant islands.
• Angle: A horizontal composition of the whole building from the sea side. If there's a reflection on the water surface, it becomes even more fantastical.

Access: About 10 minutes by bus from JR Sakaide Station.

4. Kotohira and the Stone-Step Town of the Kotohiragu Approach: A Temple-Gate Town Brimming with Retro Charm

The approach lined with cobblestones and historic merchant houses is a retro spot that makes a picture no matter where you crop it. The glow of lanterns and stone lanterns creates a warm atmosphere.

Recommended shooting points

• Time of day: The early-morning hours with few people are fantastical. The lantern illumination at dusk is also ideal.
• Season: Even mellow rainy days are full of charm.
• Angle: The trick is to emphasize depth with a vertical composition that draws the stone steps into an S-curve.

Access: Right by Kotoden Kotohira Station on foot.

5. The Village Around Ieura Port on Teshima: Framing the Original Landscape of the Seto Inland Sea

The Ieura Port area on Teshima is a nostalgic village where white-walled old houses mingle with the blue sea. The island's atmosphere, where art and daily life coexist, shines with unique brilliance on social media.

Recommended shooting points

• Time of day: The soft morning light makes the white walls glow gently.
• Season: Early summer to summer, when the contrast of blue sky and sea reaches its peak.
• Angle: Create a sense of story with a "picture-frame composition" in which the sea is visible at the far end of an alley.

Access: About 35 to 60 minutes by ferry from Takamatsu Port or Uno Port.

Kagawa is a prefecture where history, nature, and contemporary art are exquisitely mixed -- irresistible for anyone holding a camera. By all means, head out to find your favorite shot.

Practical Information for Your Visit

• Best season and time of day: Marugame Castle is at its best in spring for the cherry blossoms and in autumn when the air is clear. Kanamaruza and the Higashiyama Kaii Setouchi Art Museum both close at 5:00 p.m., so if you want to photograph their interiors, go in the morning or early afternoon. Evening scenes and the magic hour mean photographing the exteriors from outside.
• Opening hours / operating periods: The Marugame Castle keep is open 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (last entry to the keep 4:00 p.m. / no regular closing days, though it may close temporarily in severe weather). The former Konpira Grand Playhouse (Kanamaruza) is open 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (last admission 4:30 p.m. / open all year round, but closed during performances and events). The Higashiyama Kaii Setouchi Art Museum is open 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (last admission 4:30 p.m. / closed on Mondays, or open when Monday is a holiday and closed the following Tuesday instead, closed over the New Year period from December 27 to January 1 and during exhibition preparation periods).
• Admission: Marugame Castle keep - 400 yen for adults, free for junior high school age and under (20% group discount; free for Marugame residents aged 65 and over and for people with physical or mental disabilities). The former Konpira Grand Playhouse (Kanamaruza) - 500 yen for adults, 300 yen for junior high and high school students, 200 yen for elementary school students. Higashiyama Kaii Setouchi Art Museum - 400 yen for general visitors (320 yen for groups). Strolling the castle grounds (Kameyama Park), the approach to Kotohiragu Shrine and the villages of Teshima is itself free of charge.
• Access: Marugame Castle is within walking distance of JR Marugame Station. Kanamaruza and the approach to Kotohiragu Shrine are a walk from Kotoden Kotohira Station or JR Kotohira Station. The Higashiyama Kaii Setouchi Art Museum is reached by local bus from JR Sakaide Station (the bus stops and timetable at Sakaide Station changed on March 1, 2026, so check the latest times on the official website). Teshima's Ieura Port is reached by boat from Takamatsu Port, Uno Port and elsewhere.
• Parking: Check the official websites for the latest information on whether each facility has parking and what it costs. The temple town of Kotohira and the villages of Teshima have narrow roads, and parking on the street obstructs traffic, so always use the designated parking lots.
• Photography rules: Photography is restricted inside the exhibition rooms of art museums, including the Higashiyama Kaii Setouchi Art Museum. At Kanamaruza too, follow the on-site signs and the staff's instructions regarding whether interior photography and tripods are permitted. At Kotohiragu Shrine there are places, such as the interiors of the shrine buildings, where photography is prohibited. The village of Ieura on Teshima and the temple town of Kotohira are places where people live. Be considerate: do not photograph private houses, gardens, laundry or residents without permission, and do not set up a tripod in narrow lanes. Commercial photography and drone flights require prior application to the facility or local authority concerned.
• Safety notes: The approach to Kotohiragu Shrine runs up 785 stone steps to the main hall, and they become slippery in the rain. Wear comfortable shoes and keep hydrated. At Marugame Castle, the slope up to the keep (Mikaeri-zaka) is steep, and there are places along the edge of the stone walls with no railings. Never step backwards while looking through the viewfinder.

* Prices, opening hours and bus timetables are subject to change. Always check the latest information on each facility's official website before visiting.

(Sources: Marugame City official website, "Marugame Castle viewing hours and admission"; Kotohira Town official website, "The former Konpira Grand Playhouse (Kanamaruza)"; Kagawa Prefectural Higashiyama Kaii Setouchi Art Museum official website)