Best Region for first trip to Japan

Having looked at the survey...
http://www.japan-guide.com/survey/080101.html
I�fd have to say that the results (as I write) are much as I�fd expect.

But what did interest me though was that Shikoku is in last place. I�fm planning on spending time there on my second visit to Japan (in May), partly for the reason that it seems to be a bit off the usual path of foreign visitors. However, I didn�ft realise that it was this unpopular. As it is right down in last place for a first visit, it seems fair to conclude that it may be well down the list for 2nd and 3rd visits. And I guess not a huge amount of people make as many as 3 or 4 visits to Japan for tourism. Especially tourists from the west.

Can anyone give their thoughts on why Shikoku is not such a popular region to visit or is the survey giving a misleading impression?

Shikoku is low key. Being only the 4th biggest island without any worldwide know city or attraction, it naturally is not featured on most traveler's itinerary until their 2nd trip to Japan at the earliest.

It does not mean that Shikoku has nothing to offer. It might just not be the ideal and most exciting destination for the average first-time traveler to Japan.

For years, the local tour companies in my country only offered popular places in Japan like Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka. Hiroshima and Sapporo. lately, I noticed that Tohoku and Shikoku are being offered as well. I doubt they would be as popular as the others.
Being a frequent traveler to Japan, I have been to most places except Shikoku and Hokuriku. I guess the reason being Japan is a big country. To really appreciate and enjoy it, one shall do it at his/her own pace and desire with some good knowledge.
Hokuriku and Shikoku are in my next visit to Japan in April/May.

..pace and leisure..

I did my dissertation in Shikoku and found that it had a lot to offer. However, the ''lot'' is often hard to get to. There are few railways to the sights, and those that exist are often slow or the ''one-mans.'' If you use public transport, you may need to become skilled at using buses. Shikoku is best navigated by using your own transport. Some forego transport and go there just to walk the 88 temples. This is possible because there isn't much traffic once you get away from the Inland Sea. It's not uncommon to see the white clad pilgrims walking along a highway.

What's there? Lots of temples, just like Kyoto; Castles and gardens - Matsuyama, Kochi, Marugame, Ritsurin Koen; an old building museum in Shikoku-mura; commorant fishing in Ozu; high energy sea coasts around the Ashizuri Peninsula; beaches and flat coast around SE Kochi, some good for surfing; good climbing and hiking around Mt. Tsurugi and Mt. Ishizuchi, and many other sights both historic and natural.

However, the main drawback besides transport in Shikoku is heat in the summer. The Kuroshio Current slaps the southern coast all year long bringing humidity and heat. It can be unbearable even in October along the southern coast. In June-September, the heat is everywhere except the mountain tops. There is also a rain shadow effect along the northern coast which keeps it hotter as the air descends, compresses, and heats without cooling clouds.

Save Shikoku for a spring or fall trip unless you want to get in the ocean.