Kagawa Hotel Guides · Kawaramachi Station (Takamatsu)
Best Hotels Near Kawaramachi Station: Takamatsu’s
Arcade & Izakaya Hub
Kotoden Lines · Japan’s Longest Arcades · Izakaya Lanes · Udon Counters · 15 Minutes’ Walk from JR Takamatsu
🏮 2.7 km of covered arcades converge right on top of the station
🍢 The Lion-dori and Furubaba-cho lanes hold the city’s densest izakaya crawl
🚃 Kotoden trains run to Ritsurin Garden (2 min) and Kotohira’s great shrine (~60 min)
🍜 Udon counters every hundred metres — breakfast to last orders
What Kind of Area is Kawaramachi? A Local’s Honest Take
If JR Takamatsu Station is the city’s front door, Kawaramachi is its living room. Three Kotoden lines meet beneath a department store here, and the exits surface directly into the covered arcades — the longest connected run in Japan — where locals shop, snack and shelter from rain in equal measure. After dark the surrounding blocks turn into Shikoku’s best bar-hopping: hundreds of izakaya, standing bars and late udon counters packed into the lanes between the arcade spines.
As a base it’s the connoisseur’s choice over the station front. You trade the ferry pier’s convenience for evenings that never require a taxi: dinner, bars and the walk home all under cover. Ritsurin Garden is two minutes down the Kotoden line (or a pleasant walk), Tamamo Castle and the JR station are fifteen minutes up the arcade, and the Kotohira line runs direct to Konpira-san, the great seafarers’ shrine, in about an hour. Hotels here skew mid-range and boutique, with some of the city’s best-value doubles.
Order the local ritual: kamatama (hot udon, raw egg, soy) at a counter, then oden skewers with mustard-miso at an izakaya, then a nightcap in Furubaba-cho. Total damage: under ¥3,000 (approx. $20).
Getting Around from Kawaramachi
🚃 Kotoden
Ritsurin-Koen 2 min, Kotohira ~60 min, Yashima ~15 min. Three lines meet here — the retro trains are half the fun.
🚶 On foot
JR Takamatsu Station and the ferry pier ~15 min through the arcades; Tamamo Castle en route.
🚆 JR connections
Walk or ride one Kotoden stop to Chikko for the Marine Liner to Okayama and island ferries.
What to See Around Kawaramachi
🏮 The arcades
Marugamemachi’s glass-domed crossing, old kimono shops beside sneaker stores — provincial Japan’s liveliest retail street.
🌿 Ritsurin Garden
Two minutes by train — stay here and you can do the garden at 7am opening, alone with the pines.
⛰️ Yashima
The table-top mountain of the Genpei battles — Kotoden out, shuttle up, sunset over the Inland Sea.
Where Should You Actually Stay?
Downtown logic: sleep where you drink.
🏨 On the arcades: Mid-range hotels within two minutes of the station exits — the sweet spot.
🌸 Quiet edge: South toward Ritsurin for calmer nights at lower rates.
Recommended hotels
- Royal Park Hotel Takamatsu — polished mid-ranger steps from the arcade crossing.
- Takamatsu Tokyu REI Hotel — dependable chain value in the entertainment quarter.
- Dormy Inn Takamatsu Chuo Koenmae — sento-style baths between Kawaramachi and the park.
Overall Rating: Kawaramachi Area
| Category | Rating | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Transport Access | ★★★★☆ | Kotoden hub; JR a covered stroll away |
| Around the Station | ★★★★★ | Arcades, izakaya, everything walkable |
| Food & Sights | ★★★★☆ | Udon + oden + Ritsurin next door |
| Hotel Choice | ★★★★☆ | Strong mid-range value |
| Charm & Atmosphere | ★★★★☆ | Provincial downtown at its best |
Who Should Stay Here?
✔ Food-and-drink travellers — the izakaya crawl is the point
✔ Couples and friends wanting car-free evenings
✔ Konpira-san pilgrims using the direct Kotoden line
✔ Repeat Takamatsu visitors upgrading from the station front
