Shikoku Travel

My husband and I will be visiting Kochi for several days and would like suggestions and/or opinions on what are the highlights to see while on the island of Shikoku. Thank you kindly for any input.

The JG page itself should serve you quite well:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e5600.html
Although to get to Katsurahama Beach is fairly time consuming. The view from atop Mt. Godaisan is also wonderful, but it is hard to get up there and down. I had to walk down the mountain myself, and even when I reached the main roads it was hard to hail a taxi. I barely made my train at Kochi Station.

The coast from Cape Ashizuri (SW Kochi) northward is a high energy coast with rocks, cliffs, and small fishing towns spread along the coast. It's a nice winding drive. You have to leave the main road to get to some of the coastal areas (Shimanto).

North of Kochi City are the Oboke and Koboke gorges along the Yoshino River.
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e7831.html

On the other side of the mountain range to the east from the river is the Iya Valley, of which the far eastern part is fairly remote.
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e7825.html

Outside of Kochi to the west, you have Matsuyama with its castle and hot springs, Ozu with its castle and old architecture, and Uwajima. Mt. Ishizuchi is a good place to hike. I've stayed at the Sansou Shirasa up high near the mountain.
http://shirasa.com/about-eng.html
http://www.japan-guide.com/list/e1107.html

On the north side of Shikoku you have the bridges, the whirlpool Naruto Straits, and the shrines at Kotohira. It takes some time, however, to get across the mountains to the coasts from Kochi City but the scenery is worth the trip.

I like Takamatsu for the breezy air and sanuki Udon.
Naoshima for the art and breezy island feel.val

Thank you for your responses. Sounds simply gorgeous!

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2357_shikoku.html

I spent about a week in Shikoku and found the above pass a fabulous bargain....

Enjoy!

Ryugado Cave is excellent and I liked Aki's historic area.

I was in Shikoku in May and loved Takamatsu. Ritsurin koen is gorgeous (and I'm not really a garden person) and has a great, friendly undon restaurant right opposite the gate. I also went to Shikoku Mura, which is really lovely. I recommend going early as it's a great place for a tranquil walk when there aren't many people around.

I'd also suggest getting out on a boat at some point, as the Seto Inland Sea is absolutely beautiful,