My plans so far is to leave Kyoto in the morning. Make a stopover in Okayama (vistit the castle and garden) take the train to Kotohira (visit the shrine / Kabuki Theater) and head to Takamatsu in the evening. Stay there for the day (and maybe stay there another night).
I might take a trip to Naruto to see the waterwhirles (I like the japanese comic Naruto therefor I'm curious about it, but I'm not sure if it's worth the visit). Can anyone recommend seeing it?
I'm not sure if I should head all the way down to Kochi to see the castle, paper museum and famouse beach, can you recommend going there? Would you recommend staying ther over the night?
Form Kochi (if I go there) I'll go to Matsuyama and spend at last two days there, visting Dogo Onsen and the Matsuyama-jo. I heard there is a infamouse Nihonto/samurai collection - museum there has anybody heard of it or visited it? [It was my mainreason to visit Matsuyama and Shikoku actually, as I'm interested in Japanese swords].
And least but not last is Animate [huge Anime store-branche] on my to do list. Anybody ever been inside? What elese is there to do in Matsuyama and in Shikoku?

From Matusyama I'll take a ferry to Oita and head to Beppu to see the ''Hells''.

[General Information: I'm not interested in seeing 88 shrines, I prefere quality to quntity. And I'm not that much in to hiking, I'm no fit enought to do longer and steep hikes. So infamouse Ivy Vally isn't planed.]

Sadly, you can't book online, so you would have to call them, but it is about 4000 yen, according to the website.

I have a friend who has travelled all over Shikoku and I've spoken with her about it. Kochi was actually one of her favorite places (not just in Shikoku, but in all of Japan). The castle is one of Japan's 12 originals, along with Matsuyama's castle.

You listed 5 cities that you want to visit, right? I would probably do 1 day in each city. In Takamatsu, Ritsurin Garden and Yashima are great. That's the only city I have personally visited.

Travel between cities in Shikoku takes longer than most expect. From Takamatsu to Naruto, it is only 2 hours, but from Naruto to Kochi it takes about 4-5 hours. From Kochi to Matsuyama it takes about 4 hours.

Well then I'll skip Naruto.

I'm not sure about the route I should take:

Option 1:
Day 1: Okayama - Takamatsu
Day 2: Takamatsu - Kothohira - (ride to Kochi)
Day 3: Kochi - (ride to Matsuyama)
Day 4: Matsuyama
Day 5: leave Matsuyama in the early morning and spendt the rest of the day in Beppu

Option 2:
Day 1: Okayama - Kotohira - (ride to Takamatsu)
Day 2: Takamatsu - (ride to Kochi)
Day 3: Kochi - (ride ro Matsuyama)
Day 4: Matsuyama
Day 5: leave Matsuyama in the early morning and spendt the rest of the day in Beppu.

As I'll be travelling in mid to late october I think I'll take first option as sun will sett earlier in the afternoon and after heading all the way up to Kotohira shrine I'd like to enjoy the view.

With 4000 Yen this will be one of the more expensive places to stay (I usually find places at 2500-3200 Yen). [My average buget per day will be 9000 Yen (using JRP). so I hope to spend less on accomodation.]

Can somebdoy recommend a cheap place to stay at Kochi?

Thanks,

JAPTRA