From outdoor adventures to beautiful nature sights to good food, Tokushima City has it all.
Situated on Shikoku, Tokushima is the smallest of the four main islands of Japan and the capital city of Tokushima Prefecture. It’s significantly smaller than Osaka and Kyoto, but the food and nightlife scenes are bustling. It’s famous for Tokushima ramen, sudachi (a citrus fruit), sweet potatoes, wakame (seaweed), handmade somen noodles, and more. Oh, and a lot of Shikoku’s main attractions lie outside of Tokushima city’s limits, but still within the boundaries of the scenic Tokushima Prefecture.
I visited Tokushima in winter and fell in love with the city’s vibes and the nearby natural sights. But if you’re vacationing here in August, you’re in luck! Stop by for the Awa-Odori Matsuri, the largest dance festival in Japan.
Tip: as New Year is a big holiday in Japan, companies usually give employees up to two weeks off and people return to their hometowns for the holidays. This means lots of places will be closed, especially from around 30 December to 2 January, so plan your vacation accordingly.
How to get to Tokushima
Since I live in the Kansai region of Japan – which includes the major cities of Kobe, Osaka, and Kyoto – but I don’t own a car, my journey began with a highway bus from Kobe’s Sannomiya Station. I booked tickets online through the JR West bus company, which offers regular services between Tokushima and Kobe-Osaka-Kyoto almost every hour of the day.
The bus ride from Kobe typically takes less than two hours, and along the route, you can see the scenery change from the bustling cityscape to the peaceful and tranquil greenery that Shikoku is known for.
Tip: keep an eye out when you pass over the Onaruto Bridge. This huge suspension bridge is built across the Naruto Strait, connecting Awaji Island to Shikoku. I got to see some of the Naruto Whirlpools from the bus windows, which was epic!
What to do in Tokushima City: Top attractions
Ride Mount Bizan Ropeway
As my hotel was situated close to the Mount Bizan Ropeway, I rode it to the top for a 360-degree view of the surrounding area. Bizan, by the way, is named such because it looks like a giant eyebrow (‘bi’ in Japanese means “eyebrow,” while ‘zan’ means “mountain”). On a clear day, I saw all of Tokushima City, as well as the Onaruto Bridge, Awaji Island, and even the distant Wakayama Prefecture far to the south of Osaka city!
Walk around Tokushima Castle ruins
Like many Japanese cities, Tokushima has a castle, too. After the unification of Japan, in the post-samurai period, the Meiji Government ordered the destruction of most castles all over Japan, sparing only some as historical or cultural monuments.
Tokushima Castle’s building materials were distributed for the construction of other buildings and the castle grounds were renovated before they reopened to the public as a garden-park. Artefacts from the interior of the former castle are also exhibited at the Tokushima Castle Museum, and the area features placards and monuments relating to the history of Tokushima.
Some sections of the castle’s moat remain, filled with various kinds of koi fish. The castle park is a great place to spot Japanese shorebirds, including blue herons, cormorants, and kamo (Japanese duck). The gardens are fairly large, and with excellent weather, it makes for a peaceful day out!
Sail to the Naruto Whirlpools
On the second day of my visit, we drove from Tokushima City to Naruto City, near Awaji Island, to see the Naruto Whirlpools – something that’s on my bucket list!
At the Uzushio Sightseeing Cruise Terminal, we got tickets for the best whirlpool observing time, right around 1.30 pm. While ferry rides are available throughout the day, the “best time” to observe the famous Naruto whirlpools corresponds to when the currents in the straits are at their strongest (and the sightseeing crowds are usually at their fullest). Tip: check the peak times online before you go so you’re well prepared.
Once you board the boat, it heads towards the Onaruto Bridge so you can witness the whirlpools with your own eyes. And what a sight it is! As water from the Pacific Ocean rushes into the Seto Inland Sea, the opposing currents running across the narrow Naruto Straits cause numerous whirlpools to appear. The vortexes only last for a few seconds, but the sound of water gurgling is an intense and exhilarating experience.
The water in this strait has the fastest-flowing current in Japan and the fourth fastest in the world. Fun fact: the whirlpools are the inspiration for the narutomaki fishcakes found in many types of instant ramen, as well as the popular anime Naruto!
If you’re not a fan of boats, the whirlpools can also be observed from Uzu no Michi, a walkway built into the Onaruto Bridge. The pedestrian passage is 45m above the water, and some sections of the walkway are glass-bottomed, providing a bird’s eye view of the Naruto Straits. Tickets to this walkway can be bought at the entrance of the bridge or online.
Cross the famous vine bridge in the Iya Valley
Having heard about the Iya Valley – and the famous bridge made entirely of vines – I decided to check it out. It’s famous for its beautiful but treacherous mountain ranges, and because of its relative remoteness, it was once a hideout for samurai who were cast into exile.
In the past, handmade vine bridges were the only way to cross the deep mountain gorges of Shikoku — and when pursued, a fleeing samurai could cut the vines to escape capture by his enemies. All this history is preserved in these vine bridges that traverse certain rivers in Tokushima Prefecture to this day.
Nowadays, the vine bridges are secured with steel suspension cables, and the vines only serve as a visual representation of how they used to be — but the experience is still a true test of your courage! The gaps between the wooden slats that form the “floor” of the bridge are fairly wide, so take caution if you want to avoid dropping small objects into the fast-flowing river below.
Across the bridge in the Iya Valley sits a waterfall with a 50m cascade called the Biwa Waterfall. It was a natural source of drinking water for many fleeing samurai warriors, who would play their biwa flutes in remembrance of their old homes in Kyoto. The rocks in the nearby river are uniquely blue-green, giving an interesting contrast to the glassy, emerald-green waters of the river.
Close to the Visitor Centre, you’ll find small shops that sell grilled food items on skewers and drinks. Tip: this region of Shikoku is known for ginger, so go ahead and try the candied ginger, hot ginger drinks, and other tasty food items here.
Go white-water rafting or hop on river cruises
The Iya Valley is also known for its summer water sports – in particular, white-water rafting down the rapids in the gorge. The river water is cool, emerald green, and crystal clear. With many sections of fast-flowing rapids, it shouldn’t surprise you to know that the 2017 World Rafting Championship was held here!
Keen to make a splash? There are numerous water sports companies offering a wide range of activities, from rafting and kayaking to stand-up paddleboarding, canyoneering and water rolling.
Best food in Tokushima
Sudachi udon, a local specialty, is served hot (kake) or cold (zaru); it’s refreshing and cooked al dente for pleasantly chewy noodles. The limes add a dash of citrus to the mild dashi poured over the noodles. Mixed in with the grated radish and ginger, it has a nice, smooth mouthfeel. I also tried the salt-baked mackerel (which was tender and delicious!), and onigiri (handmade rice balls) filled with marinated kombu, a local seaweed specialty.
The fish selection in Tokushima is diverse and fresh, thanks to the city’s proximity to the Pacific Ocean and the Seto Inland Sea. The char-grilled red snapper I ordered at a mom-and-pop restaurant on the side of a road was tender and delicious. I had it just after our visit to the Naruto Whirlpools, but you can find such dishes all over the city.
Meanwhile, the famous Tokushima ramen features thin, wheat noodles served in a thick pork-based broth. There are three kinds of broth: brown (seasoned with soy sauce), yellow (made with a mixture of pork, chicken, and vegetable stock), and white (similar to tonkotsu-style broth, made from pork bones and marrow).
Brown broth is the most common type you’ll see in Tokushima, and it’s traditionally served piping hot with a raw egg on top. I loved how the soup became creamier when the egg was mixed in. Tip: the best Tokushima ramen is believed to be from Ramen Todai, so add that to your bucket list!
Ayu are small river fish that the Japanese usually coat in salt, skewer, and bake over charcoal. After it’s slow-cooked by the hot coals, the fish becomes so tender that everything (except the spine and fins) is edible. I found it to be soft, slightly sweet, and very delicious.
I also highly recommend the mochi coated in a citrusy miso paste, and brushed with sweet soy sauce. The sweet and salty flavour combination was amazing and the citrus was punchy and fragrant, which brightened up and complimented the rich flavours of the miso.
FAQs about Tokushima
How do I get to Tokushima?
From Tokyo, you can get there by plane or by bus. Undertaking the seven-hour drive via the highway is possible, but the tolls are very pricey. Instead, I recommend overnight buses from Tokyo (JR Tokyo Bus Station, Tokyo Disneyland, or Shinjuku Bus Terminal) to Tokushima Station. The ride takes about eight hours, and prices start from ¥7,700 (approx $68) from Tokyo to Tokushima.
Tokushima also has a domestic airport and it’s relatively easy to get there in 1.5 hours via domestic flights by ANA Airlines or Japan Airlines. A round trip costs around ¥23,400 (approx $207), and the bus from the airport to the city centre costs about ¥440 (approx $4).
How long should I spend in Tokushima?
If nature, outdoor attractions, and water sports appeal to you, you should definitely visit Tokushima! Three to four days will make for a jam-packed holiday (including travel days), so allow yourself about five to six days for a more leisurely, relaxing vacation.
Should I rent a car and how much will it cost?
It’s easier to get around Tokushima with a car, and you can easily stay at lovely ryokans around the beautiful Iya Valley, too. If you’re flying in, there are car rental services conveniently located at Tokushima Airport: Nippon Rent-A-Car, Budget Car Rental, Toyota Car Rental, and Kasuta Rental. The starting price on average is ¥7,500 (approx $66) per day. If you’re taking a bus, there are two rental companies near Tokushima Station and many options in Tokushima city.
Tokushima is a fun escape from the hustle and bustle of Japanese metropolitan city life. It’s rich in nature, tranquil, beautiful, and undeniably better explored by car – I’d totally recommend visiting it!
