Kotohira, Chichibugahama and Shonai Peninsula driving guide: Kotohira-gu, Mt Shiude and Takaya Shrine

The Kotohira, Chichibugahama and Shonai Peninsula area spans western Kagawa Prefecture (inland Chusan to Seisan), linking the 785 stone steps of Kotohira-gu, Sanuki Manno National Government Park and Zentsu-ji Temple inland with Mt Shiude on the Shonai Peninsula jutting into the Seto Inland Sea, the mirror-like low-tide pools of Chichibugahama Beach, and Kanonji City's Takaya Shrine ("Torii in the Sky"), Zenigata Sand Painting, Unpen-ji Ropeway base and Honenike Dam.

This guide follows a full-day drive from Sanuki Manno National Government Park via Kotohira and Zentsu-ji to Mt Shiude and Chichibugahama on the Shonai Peninsula, continuing south into Kanonji for Kotohiki Park, the Unpen-ji Ropeway base station and Honenike Dam, with every main road and stop listed below.

Map of the Kotohira, Chichibugahama and Shonai Peninsula area

The line follows the full-day route below, "First visit: one day from Manno and Kotohira via Shonai Peninsula and Chichibugahama to Kanonji". Numbers mark the stops: green for scenery and nature, blue for roadside stations. Tap a marker to see its name.

Recommended drives

First visit: one day from Manno and Kotohira via Shonai Peninsula and Chichibugahama to Kanonji

Start on the eastern side at Sanuki Manno National Government Park (North Gate toll booth), follow local roads near Route 319 into Kotohira Municipal Ekimae West Car Park, and walk about 10 minutes to the main approach of Kotohira-gu and the historic Kanamaruza Kabuki Theatre. Head north to Zentsu-ji Temple and Michi-no-Eki Fureai Park Mino, then take Prefectural Routes 231 and 232 onto the Shonai Peninsula up to the Mt Shiude summit car park (about 7–10 minutes on foot to Observatory No. 1 at 352 m elevation).

Drop south off Mt Shiude to Chichibugahama Beach in Nio, follow Prefectural Route 21 (Sanuki Hama Kaido) down the coast to Michi-no-Eki Kotohiki in Kanonji (beside Kotohiki Park, the Zenigata Sand Painting and Ariakehama Beach), and head inland to the Unpen-ji Ropeway base station and Honenike Dam, an Important Cultural Property masonry dam. Coming north from Tokushima and Iya on Route 32, you can start at Michi-no-Eki Takaradanosato Saita on the southern side instead.

The route is about 80 km, with around 2 hours of driving. Distance and time are calculated from map data and exclude traffic and sightseeing time. Every section on the route is toll-free. On days when low tide coincides with sunset at Chichibugahama, visit Kotohira-gu, the Unpen-ji Ropeway or Mt Shiude earlier in the day and rearrange the order so you arrive at Chichibugahama at least 30 minutes before sunset. After dark, driving 7.2 km (about 13 minutes) south on Prefectural Route 21 brings you to Kotohiki Park, where the Zenigata Sand Painting is illuminated daily until 22:00.

Choosing car parks in Kotohira and at Chichibugahama

When driving to Kotohira-gu, follow the shrine's official road map and set your car sat-nav destination to "JR Kotohira Station" to enter the approach town (the shrine's own hilltop car park is reserved via web booking 6–60 days ahead for visitors unable to climb the steps on foot). The public Kotohira Municipal Ekimae West Car Park operates 24 hours a day all year with camera-based ticketless entry: 53 spaces for ordinary cars up to 5.5 m long at ¥200 per hour (up to ¥1,000 per 24 hours from entry), and 5 spaces for large vehicles over 5.5 m at ¥400 per hour (up to ¥2,000 per 24 hours); motorcycles and mopeds are not permitted. The neighbouring Municipal Ekimae East Car Park opens only on weekends, public holidays and 29 December–3 January, and stays closed on weekdays. Private paid car parks also sit around the main approach, and because Kanamaruza Kabuki Theatre has no dedicated parking, you walk there from a municipal or private car park.

At Chichibugahama Beach, ordinary periods offer a free general car park for 300 ordinary cars (large buses with 50+ seats ¥2,500, medium buses with 25+ seats ¥1,000, microbuses free). Over the 3-day holiday weekend of 21–23 November 2026 from 15:00 to 17:00 (last entry 16:30), beachfront Chichibugahama Car Park No. 1 (beside KAKIGORI CAFÉ Himuro; 95 spaces for vehicles under 6 m long) switches to advance online booking at ¥2,960 per car (¥500 parking fee plus environmental conservation contribution), alongside the free general car park (280 spaces, 1–3 minutes on foot) and free temporary car parks (about 200 spaces, 10–30 minutes on foot). In November 2026, the prime sunset-and-low-tide windows fall on 5–11 November and 21–26 November.

Private-car restrictions at Mt Shiude and Takaya Shrine ("Torii in the Sky")

On the Shonai Peninsula, Mt Shiude has only 60 summit parking spaces, and large buses are prohibited year-round on its narrow, winding climb. Outside spring—including the hydrangea season from late June to mid-July (about 2,000 bushes)—private and rental cars can drive up to the summit car park free of charge without booking. During the spring cherry-blossom season only (27 March–12 April in 2026; scheduled for 26 March–11 April in 2027), cars, rental cars and motorcycles must hold an advance online reservation (5 daily time slots of 60 cars each with full turnover, meeting at Ohama Fishing Port at the foot of the mountain), and unbooked vehicles—including mopeds of 50 cc or under and bicycles—cannot enter.

In Kanonji City, Forest Road Toyonaka-Shippozan leading up to Takaya Shrine Hongu (404 m elevation, "Torii in the Sky") is completely closed to all vehicles from 8:30 on 28 September to 25 December 2026 for slope stabilisation works at 5 locations. The weekend and holiday shuttle bus from the Ariake Ground car park in Kotohiki Park (¥1,500 return for adults, ¥700 for elementary-school children; tickets sold at Michi-no-Eki Kotohiki, with private cars barred during shuttle hours) is also suspended throughout the same period. To visit Hongu during the works, park free at Takaya Shrine Ge-gu (Lower Shrine) near Prefectural Route 21 (about 50 spaces on the shrine grounds plus 40 spaces in Car Park No. 2) and climb the walking trail for about 50 minutes (1.5 km, ending with 270 stone steps). Even if the Ge-gu car parks fill up, street parking and parking on private land nearby are strictly prohibited.

Roads you can drive

Places to stop

Views and nature

Numbers match the map.

Roadside stations

Best seasons and crowds

Sunrise is at 6:35 and sunset at 17:01 on 14 November 2026, 6:42 and 16:57 on 21 November, and 6:50 and 16:54 on 30 November (nearby Takamatsu reference).

Roads and restrictions checked on 14 November 2026

• Forest Road Toyonaka-Shippozan to Takaya Shrine Hongu ("Torii in the Sky") is completely closed to all vehicles from 8:30 on 28 September to 25 December 2026 for slope works. The weekend/holiday shuttle bus is also suspended, so Hongu is reached only on foot (about 50 minutes) from the Ge-gu car parks.
• At Chichibugahama Beach, Car Park No. 1 (95 spaces) operates by advance online reservation (¥2,960 per ordinary car) from 15:00 to 17:00 (last entry 16:30) over 21–23 November 2026, alongside the free general (280 spaces) and free temporary (about 200 spaces) car parks.
• At Sanuki Manno National Government Park, parking fees rise to ¥2,000 for ordinary and large vehicles (¥500 for motorcycles) on weekends, public holidays and 21, 23–25 and 28 December during Winter Fantasy (21 November 2026–11 January 2027).
• At Mt Shiude, the accessible parking spaces in front of the Shiudeyama Archaeological Museum are closed from 7 to 9 December 2026 for cable replacement (the main 60-space summit car park remains open).
• In Kotohiki Park, the summit observatory driveway is one-way with a tunnel clearance limit of 3.0 m height and 2.1 m width.

Getting there and fuel

None of the 3 roadside stations on the map—Michi-no-Eki Takaradanosato Saita, Michi-no-Eki Fureai Park Mino and Michi-no-Eki Kotohiki—nor nearby Michi-no-Eki Sora-no-Yume Mominoki Park or Michi-no-Eki Toyohama has a petrol station. Refuel along Routes 11 or 32 in Kotohira, Zentsuji, Takuma, Nio or central Kanonji before climbing Mt Shiude on the Shonai Peninsula or heading inland towards the Unpen-ji Ropeway base and Honenike Dam. EV chargers are installed at Michi-no-Eki Takaradanosato Saita, Michi-no-Eki Fureai Park Mino, Michi-no-Eki Sora-no-Yume Mominoki Park (Route 32) and Michi-no-Eki Toyohama (Route 11), while Michi-no-Eki Kotohiki has no EV charger. Because Kanonji Smart IC requires an ETC card, check how to add one in our guide to ETC cards for rental cars in Japan.

If you don't have a car

Compare rental branches across the prefecture in Car Rental in Kagawa: Takamatsu Airport and Station Compared, or go straight to the Takamatsu Airport car rental comparison if flying in and the Takamatsu Station car rental comparison if arriving by rail. Drivers crossing the Seto Ohashi Bridge from the Shinkansen can check the Okayama Station car rental comparison, and travellers continuing across Shikoku to another airport can review one-way car rental fees and rules.

Frequently asked questions

Where should I drive with one day around Kotohira, Chichibugahama and the Shonai Peninsula?

Start at Sanuki Manno National Government Park, visit Kotohira (Kotohira-gu and Kanamaruza) and Zentsu-ji Temple, pass Michi-no-Eki Fureai Park Mino to climb Mt Shiude on the Shonai Peninsula, then continue via Chichibugahama Beach and Michi-no-Eki Kotohiki (Kotohiki Park and Zenigata Sand Painting) to the Unpen-ji Ropeway base station and Honenike Dam—about 80 km and around 2 hours of driving before stops. If you want the mirror sunset at Chichibugahama, adjust the order to arrive at least 30 minutes before sunset.

Where should I park for Kotohira-gu and Kanamaruza?

Set your sat-nav destination to "JR Kotohira Station" and use the 24-hour ticketless Kotohira Municipal Ekimae West Car Park (53 ordinary spaces, ¥200 per hour, max ¥1,000 per 24 hours; no motorcycles) or private paid car parks near the main approach. Kanamaruza has no dedicated car park, and the Municipal Ekimae East Car Park opens only on weekends, public holidays and 29 December–3 January (closed on weekdays).

When can I see the mirror reflection at Chichibugahama, and do I need to book parking?

The tide pools mirror the sky when low tide coincides with sunset and calm winds (in November 2026, 5–11 November and 21–26 November). On standard days the 300-space general car park is free and requires no booking, whereas on 21–23 November 2026 from 15:00 to 17:00 beachfront Car Park No. 1 (95 spaces) requires advance online booking at ¥2,960 per car alongside 280 free general spaces and about 200 free temporary spaces.

Can I drive up Mt Shiude without a reservation?

Yes—outside the spring cherry-blossom restriction period (27 March–12 April in 2026; 26 March–11 April planned in 2027), including during the hydrangea season in late June to mid-July, private and rental cars can drive up to the 60-space summit car park free of charge without booking. Only the cherry-blossom period requires advance online booking (5 daily turnover slots), and large buses are barred year-round.

Can I reach Takaya Shrine ("Torii in the Sky") by car or shuttle bus right now?

No—Forest Road Toyonaka-Shippozan up to Hongu is completely closed to all vehicles from 8:30 on 28 September to 25 December 2026 for slope stabilisation works, and the weekend/holiday shuttle bus is suspended for the same period. Park free at Takaya Shrine Ge-gu near Prefectural Route 21 (about 50 spaces on the grounds plus 40 spaces in Car Park No. 2) and walk up the 1.5 km trail (about 50 minutes) to Hongu.

Nearby areas and guides

• Shodoshima driving guide: ferries, Kankakei and Olive Park
• Iya and Oboke driving guide: vine bridges, gorges and road restrictions
• Shimanami Kaido Driving Guide: Onomichi to Imabari Island by Island, with Map
• Shikoku Karst Driving Guide: Tengu-kogen, Himetsuru-daira and Onogahara with Map
• Kagawa Prefecture driving and travel guide