Goshikidai Area Sightseeing Course (by car)

01 　Sakaide Station

• Have a great trip!

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02 　National Treasure Kandani Shrine

• Kandani Shrine enshrines Himusubi-no-Mikoto, Okutsuhiko-no-Mikoto, and Okutsuhime-no-Mikoto along with the four Kasuga deities. There is also a sacred rock called Yogoishi behind the shrine. It is an ancient shrine mentioned in the Engishiki. The main hall is built on a foundation of rough stones about 1.5m high, with a three-bay façade and two-bay depth. It has a gabled roof with beautiful curves flowing from the ridge to the front porch, covered with cypress bark. An ink inscription on the ridge beam dates the construction to 1219, making it the oldest existing shrine architecture in Japan from the early Kamakura period.

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03 　Takaya Shrine

• In ancient times, the Takaya clan resided here and enshrined their ancestor, Amatone-no-Mikoto, as their tutelary deity. The local people called it the “Forest Shrine” and it was granted the Fifth Lower Rank in 867. During the funeral procession of Emperor Sutoku, when they reached Takaya Shrine (in Takaya Town), a sudden storm arose, so the procession temporarily placed the coffin on a large stone. Blood then dripped onto the stone. The stone platform where the coffin was placed is still preserved in the shrine grounds, and Takaya Shrine is also called the “Blood Shrine.”

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04 　Shiromine-ji Temple (81st temple of the Shikoku Pilgrimage)

• Shiromine-ji Temple, the 81st temple of the Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage, is located in the mountains of Goshikidai Hakuho. It is believed to have been built during the Heian period, based on evidence that Shingon and Tendai sect temples built halls in the mountains for ascetic practices, and the discovery of patterned roof tiles popular in the late Heian period. Additionally, in 1164 (Chōkan 2), Tonshō-ji Temple was built within Shiromine-ji to pray for the repose of Emperor Sutoku’s soul.

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05 　Gejoishi (Mani Wheel Stupa) Round Trip

• On the right is a Kasatoba (Mani Wheel Stupa), a designated tangible cultural property of Kagawa Prefecture, dated 1321. From this point, even the most noble people were forbidden to use vehicles when entering the sacred grounds of Shiromine-ji. On the left is a supplementary stone monument erected by the Takamatsu Domain in 1836, which records that a shelter was built to preserve the Kasatoba.

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06 　Kyukamura Sanuki Goshikidai and Goshikidai Visitor Center

• Goshikidai Visitor Center: A nature experience facility located in the Setonaikai National Park, providing visitors with local nature information and activities. You can find seasonal information about the wildlife and plants of Goshikidai, as well as interactive exhibits and videos that allow you to see, hear, and touch.

  Parking available

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07 　Osaki-yama Park ("Matakimai")

• “Matakimai” by artist Masayuki Nagare. “Matakimai” is a Kagawa dialect meaning “please come again.” It’s an artwork that shows various expressions over time with the Seto Inland Sea as a backdrop.

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08 　Osaki-no-Hana

• Osaki-no-Hana is the northernmost point of Goshikidai on the Sakaide side, jutting out into the narrowest strait in the Seto Inland Sea, about 9km wide. The rice ball-shaped islands visible from here, Otsuchi Island and Kotsuchi Island, are both uninhabited. These two islands are called “Tsuchinoto Strait” and have been known as good fishing grounds since ancient times, as they are in the area where Honshu and Shikoku are closest.

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09 　Sakaide Station (End point)