Kenta-san's Travel Bookmarks
| 8:15 | Departure from Hotel |
|---|---|
| 8:30 | Breakfast at Yanagawa Udon |
| 10:30 | Arrive at Konpira Shrine and begin praying |
| 13:00 | Lunch at "Yamashita Udon" |
| 14:30 | Seto-ohashi Memorial Park Cafe |
| 16:35 | Sunflower field in Osaki |
| 17:30 | Chicken on the bone at Ikkaku |
DAY 3 is over!
are based on
word of mouth.
Kagawa's soul food for breakfast
Yanagawa Udon
Today's breakfast was the first udon we had in Shikoku. We rode our bicycles five minutes from the hotel to Yanagawa Udon. It seems to be a popular breakfast place for the locals, and the place is bustling with customers. I ordered "Kitsune, middle size" (warm, 420 yen). The clear broth, which is typical of udon in western Japan, is made from "iriko" (dried sardines) and has a soft sweet aftertaste like soup.
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Ride toward Konpira Shrine
Go on a visit ride to pray for a successful trip.
A 20-km ride from Yanagawa Udon, will take them to Konpira-gu Shrine, the main shrine of the 600 "Konpira-san" shrines in Japan. We decided to pay a visit to the shrine to make sure everything goes smoothly on the road ahead.
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Change of discipline from biking to hiking
Change into sandals and climb over 1,300 steps.
We arrived at Konpira-gu Shrine, a Shinto shrine located on Mt Zozu. We parked our bicycles on the bicycle rack at the entrance of the approach to the shrine and started the 1,368-step ascent to the "Tengu Amulet of Izutama Shrine," a charm exclusive to the Okusha (= a rear shrine located behind the main shrine), a spiritual place located at the far end of the grounds. Looking back on the way up, one can see the whole city of Marugame below.
Sunflower field found on the way
Get a head start on your summer vacation with a side trip
About 4 km after leaving Konpira Shrine for lunch, we suddenly spotted a field of sunflowers on our left and decided to make a detour. I couldn't help but take a picture of the vast field of brilliantly blooming sunflowers in the middle of nowhere.
Accidental Déjà Vu-don
One sip and the memory of revisiting will come back to
After leaving the sunflower field, We rode about 2 km to have a Western-style meal, but we were surprised to find that we only serve take-out. We suddenly changed our plan to Yamashita Udon. We decided to compare our udon with the one we had in the morning. As I slurped my udon and looked around the restaurant, a memory came back to me.... By coincidence, it was the same restaurant that I had visited with my senior when I was an office worker. I ordered "bukkake udon small (cold, 300 yen)" and oden with skewers (egg, konnyaku, and atsuage), which was strangely appealing for some reason. Compared to the udon of the morning, the noodles were cold, firm, and hearty. The gingery broth makes the meal even more appetizing.
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Take a break at a café while admiring the huge bridge
Seto-ohashi Memorial Park & Sunshine Picnic Days
16km from Yamashita Udon, we went to Seto-ohashi Memorial Park to see the Seto-ohashi Bridge, which connected Honshu and Shikoku for the first time. We ordered an iced coffee and the famous "Taiwanese castella" while taking a break at a cafe in the park where we could enjoy a panoramic view of the Seto-ohashi Bridge. The sponge cake is fluffy and disappears in the blink of an eye, with a soufflé-like texture and a gentle, slightly sweet taste.
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Running along the Seto Inland Sea
Prefectural Road 16
Riding on Prefectural Road 16 (Takamatsu-Oh Cho Sakaide Route). There were few cars on the road, the road was in good condition, and it was one of the lowest elevations throughout the entire trip. Blessed with fine weather, we enjoyed a pleasant ride while gazing at the tranquil Seto Inland Sea. We headed for Takamatsu City, where we would be staying today.
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Arrival & a long-awaited toast to Kagawa specialties!
Chicken on the bone "Ikkaku"
After arriving at the hotel, we put on our casual clothes and went to dinner. From my travel plans, I wanted to try Kagawa's famous "chicken on the bone" at least once. We went to "Ikkaku," a famous izakaya (Japanese-style bar), the birthplace of chicken on the bone. The dish is made by grilling chicken thighs with salt and spices, and there are two types to choose from: older chicken and young chicken. Kenta-san voted for the firm and chewy older chicken!
