Shikoku advice please

Planning to visit Shikoku for a week in late November or early December.
I have visited Takamatsu and Naruto in the past.
Could any member please advise other interesting places to visit, any ryokan with nice rotenburo , inexpensive hotels ( around 10K‰~ ) ? Also popular koyo destination if any ?
Will All Shikoku Rail Pass be recommended for this trip? Or would a rental car be better option?

Perhaps you've already done this, but I think it's worth looking at the various locations listed here:
http://www.japan-guide.com/list/e1107.html


Some famous autumn leaf spots in Shikoku...

Kagawa Prefecture
- Okuboji Temple (Sanuki City)
- Konpirasan (Kotohira)
- Kankakei Gorge (Shodoshima)
- Ritsurin Garden (Takamatsu)

Tokushima Prefecture:
- Iya Valley (Miyoshi)
- Kamagatani Gorge (Naka)

Kochi Prefecture
- Befu Gorge (Kami)
- Todoroki Falls (Kami)
- Kuroson Valley (Shimanto)

Ehime Prefecture
- Besshi Line (Niihama)
- Nametoko Gorge (Uwajima)

Some other things. Aki in Kochi is nice, as well as Shimanto with the Shimanto River. The two capes, Ashizuri and Muroto are also popular and you can do whale watching from them.

Rabbityama,

Thank you for your reply.

We are interested in:
Konpirasan(Kotohira),IyaValley(Miyoshi),Kuroson Valley (Shimanto) and Besshi mine . Hoping mid Nov would be the right time for Koyo viewing in the areas. How about Matsuyama ? Is there anything interesting in the area?

Matsuyama is a great city. The castle is one of Japan's finest. It's an original castle and it has quite a few structures. Dogo Onsen is also one of Japan's top onsen. You can enjoy the Honkan but also there are many ryokan that are part of Dogo Onsen where you can stay and enjoy it in private.

There are many other places in the city, as well, including pilgrimage temples and museums that are worth visiting if you have the time.

If you like art, you may want to stay in one of the somewhat new art rooms:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/luxury/travel/30453/something-special-japan...

Rabbityama,
Again many thanks for your valuable info.
I have added Matsuyama to my itinerary ,and plan to stay 2 nights there.

Matsuyama is definitely worth seeing. The castle is one of the finest in Japan. Kotohira (Konpirasan) is also an excellent sight. It is not as bad as some make it out to be to walk up the mountain - and if you have the time, be sure to make it up the full way to the inner shrine. The experience is quite different compared to the first part up to the main hall.
You can see a good look at the whole way up at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ley9rVIewoQ
Kochi also has a number of good sites even though it is quite remote. Kochi Castle was quite enjoyable, as is the view from Mt. Godaisan. The Ryugendo limestone cave near Tosa-Yamada is a real hidden treasure.
Uwajima in Ehime also doesn't get much air time, although it is quite a nice place as well.
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e5575.html

Dogo Onsen Honkan is very atmospheric and memorable, and the building is lovely. If you're anywhere nearby, I would definitely recommend bathing there.

My view of Dogo Onsen itself, other than the Honkan, is that it's too developed. We stayed in an elegant ryokan (whose name escapes me, I'm sorry), which was nice inside and had quite nice baths, but like all the other ryokan I saw there, it was a ferroconcrete multi-storey hotel-style building which (to me) lacks charm.

Yayoi Kusama has done a hotel room in the area (easily found via your preferred internet search engine), which *I think* will be operational until the end of this year. I'm a fan of her art and would try to stay there if I could.

Thank you rsl for the reply, especially the Konpirasan youtube link.
I have allocated one day for Kotohira, and planning to stay one night. Would you have any hotel recommendation for the area ?
Also, I have arranged Staying in Kochi for one night, but able to spend 2 days there; very likely I will give Uwajima a miss.

Winter Visitor,
​Thank you for your reply.​
Dogo Onsen Honkan is now in my Matsuyama itinerary.
I have checked Yayoi Kusama's " love forever room" at the Takaraso Hotel . It is interesting ; however, it will not be for us. Staying awake watching the art all night would not constitute a good night sleep. Only kidding.

Matsuyama guest house is great and very low in cost http://www.sophia-club.net/guesthouse/gh_info.html
It's also across the road from the castle.

http://www.japanican.com/en/hotel/detail/7414A05/ Kotobuki Ryokan is excellent

Sal1980,
Thank you for the information.
Looks like Kotobuki Ryokan's location is very central. Unfortunately room was not available for the date we wanted. Will try again later.