5 Photogenic Spectacular Spots in Kagawa

Kagawa Prefecture is a treasure trove of spectacular views woven by the warm light of the Seto Inland Sea and its calm waters. In fact, "photogenic spots" known only to those in the know are scattered here and there. This article covers Chichibugahama Beach, Shodoshima, Angel Road, Zenigata Sunae, Okushi Nature Park Observation Deck and Mt. Shiudeyama.

01｜Chichibugahama Beach | Kagawa's Version of the Salar de Uyuni

At low tide, the sight of the water's surface reflecting the sky like a mirror is truly breathtaking. At dusk, the sky is dyed orange and pink, and your silhouette reflected in the water mirror makes for a fantastical shot.

• Best Time: One hour around low tide / the hours when the sun sets (especially spring through autumn)
• Shooting Tip: Aiming from a very low angle right at the water's surface creates a spectacular composition where sky and earth melt together. Making the subject a backlit silhouette is the photogenic key
• Access: Nio-cho, Mitoyo City; about 20 minutes by car from either the "Sanuki-Toyonaka IC" or the "Mitoyo-Tosaka IC" on the Takamatsu Expressway

02｜Shodoshima, Angel Road | A Path of Sand Where Angels Walk

A sandbar path that emerges from the sea only twice a day at low tide. The sight of a slender sand path stretching across the emerald-green sea is just like a world of fantasy. The figures of loved ones walking hand in hand also make a picture.

• Best Time: At low tide from a sunny morning to early afternoon (spring to early summer offers ideal sea clarity)
• Shooting Tip: An overhead shot looking down from the elevated observation deck is standard. The view from behind of someone walking from atop the sandbar toward the horizon is also romantic
• Access: About 5 minutes by car or 10 minutes by local bus from Tonosho Port (about a 15-minute walk from Tonosho Town Hall)

03｜Zenigata Sunae (Kan'ei Tsuho) | Giant Art Carved into the Sandy Beach

Looking down from the summit observation deck of Kotohiki Park, a giant coin design drawn in white sand, 122 metres east to west and 90 metres north to south, stands out clearly. This mysterious art, calculated to appear as a perfect circle depending on the viewing angle, is a one-of-a-kind photogenic experience.

• Best Time: Early morning or evening when the light is soft (shadows appear and add a sense of depth)
• Shooting Tip: A head-on angle from the observation deck is basic. The wider you shoot, the more beautifully the entire sand picture fits in frame
• Access: About 10 minutes by car from JR Kanonji Station (a road runs up to near the summit of Mount Kotohiki, where the observatory stands)

04｜Okushi Nature Park Observation Deck | A Blue Spectacle Overlooking the Seto Inland Sea

From this observation deck on the Ogushi Peninsula in Sanuki City, you can take in the islands of the Seto Inland Sea and the clear blue water at a glance. The panorama where the blues of the sky and sea overlap creates an overwhelming sense of openness when shot with a wide-angle lens.

• Best Time: Morning to midday (light hits the sea surface and sparkles brilliantly)
• Shooting Tip: Placing a fence or tree in the foreground as a frame increases the sense of depth. The contrast of blue and white on a sunny day is the best
• Access: Oda, Sanuki City; about 20 minutes by car from the "Shido IC" on the Takamatsu Expressway (about 20 minutes by car from JR Shido Station)

05｜Mt. Shiudeyama | A Spectacular View of Cherry Blossoms Floating Above a Sea of Clouds

In spring, cherry blossoms color the area near the summit, and on clear days a spectacular view overlooking the Seto Inland Sea unfolds. When conditions align, morning mist covers the sea surface, and you may encounter a fantastical scene where the islands seem to float above the clouds.

• Best Time: Early morning during the full-bloom period of late March to early April
• Shooting Tip: The "bokeh-circles x spectacular view" composition, blurring the cherry blossoms in the foreground and placing the Seto Inland Sea in the background, is hugely popular on social media
• Access: Takuma-cho, Mitoyo City; by car from the "Sanuki-Toyonaka IC" or "Mitoyo-Tosaka IC" (a road runs up near the summit; during the cherry blossom season private cars require an advance reservation)

A feature of Kagawa's spectacular views is that they are all somehow wrapped in gentle, soft light. Even at the same place, the expression changes completely depending on the time and season, so there are new discoveries no matter how many times you visit. Please go and find your own favorite shot.

Practical Information for Your Visit

The details below are drawn from official announcements by the facilities, local governments and transport operators concerned (as of September 2026). Opening hours, fees and road closures change, so please check the official websites linked here before you travel.

Chichibugahama Beach

• Hours and fees: Open at all times; admission and parking are free.
• Access: About 20 minutes by car from Sanuki-Toyonaka IC or Mitoyo-Tosaka IC on the Takamatsu Expressway. From JR Takuma Station, take the Mitoyo City community bus (Nio line) to the Chichibugahama stop, but services are infrequent and may not match the sunset window.
• Conditions for the mirror effect: The mirror-like reflection requires low tide to coincide with sunset and light winds. The Mitoyo City Tourism Exchange Bureau publishes an official calendar listing the low-tide and sunset times for each day, and you should check your date against it.
• Crowds: During the sunset season, especially Golden Week, the summer holidays and weekend evenings, the car park fills and the surrounding roads become congested. Temporary car parks are sometimes opened.

(Source: Mitoyo City Tourism Exchange Bureau, https://www.mitoyo-kanko.com/chichibugahama/ )

Angel Road

• When you can cross: The sandbar can only be walked around low tide, roughly two to three hours either side of the low-tide time. Tonosho Town publishes a tide table.
• Access: About 5 minutes by car or 10 minutes by local bus from Tonosho Port; about 15 minutes on foot from Tonosho Town Hall.

(Source: Tonosho Town, https://www.town.tonosho.kagawa.jp/gyosei/soshiki/shoko/4/3/172.html )

Zenigata Sunae

• Hours and fees: Kotohiki Park is open at all times and is free, as is the car park. The sand coin is illuminated from sunset until 22:00.
• Dimensions: It is an ellipse measuring 122 m east to west, 90 m north to south, with a circumference of 345 m.
• Photography: The shape cannot be made out from the beach itself, so shoot from the hilltop observation deck (Zogahana-iwa Zenigata Observatory) in Kotohiki Park. Entering the sand design is prohibited because it damages the shape.
• Access: About 10 minutes by car from JR Kanonji Station. A road runs up to near the summit of Mount Kotohiki, where the observatory stands.

(Source: Kanonji City, https://www.city.kanonji.kagawa.jp/soshiki/21/333.html )

Ogushi Nature Park

• Location: Oda, Kamosho and Ogushi in Sanuki City, Kagawa Prefecture.
• Fees: Free entry (some facilities inside charge).
• Access: About 20 minutes by car from JR Shido Station, about 15 minutes from Kotoden Shido Station, and about 20 minutes from Shido IC on the Takamatsu Expressway. Public transport is limited, so a car is effectively required.
• Parking: Available, but when a concert is held at the Theatron open-air music ground, traffic restrictions close the park car park and visitors must use designated temporary car parks. Check the event schedule before visiting.
• Enquiries: Sanuki City Commerce and Tourism Division, 087-894-1114.

(Source: Kagawa Prefecture Tourism Association, https://www.my-kagawa.jp/point/183/ and Sanuki City, https://www.city.sanuki.lg.jp/soshiki/shokokanko/gyomu/3/6/2326.html )

Mount Shiude

• Cherry-blossom season restrictions (important): In 2026, from 27 March to 12 April, access by private car required an advance reservation and a fee (1,750 yen on weekdays, 2,300 yen at weekends, meeting at Ohama Fishing Port). Visitors who arrive without a reservation cannot go up.
• Access: By car from Sanuki-Toyonaka IC or Mitoyo-Tosaka IC on the Takamatsu Expressway.
• Parking: There is a car park near the summit, but spaces are limited and it fills easily at weekends even outside the blossom season.

(Source: Mitoyo City Tourism Exchange Bureau, https://www.mitoyo-kanko.com/shiude-access/ )