Tokushima
Discover Tokushima
Tokushima (徳島) is the capital of the prefecture and main transport hub of eastern Shikoku. It has only a few famous attractions, but its palm-lined boulevards are pleasant enough to pass through on your way to more interesting places. Buses run to the station from Kobe Airport every hour at 55 minutes past (2½ hours, ¥3200). Airport Limousine buses operate from the nearest international gateway, Kansai International Airport in Osaka (2 hr 45 min, ¥4000 — cheaper if you purchase a round trip ticket).
What to Experience in Tokushima
Taste of Tokushima...
Tokushima is famous for its wonderful strawberries and sudachi, a small round green citrus fruit with a lime-like flavour. In the summer, sugata sushi is available, wherein a whole small fish is stuffed with sushi rice. Another popular local treat is narutokintoki, a kind of sweet potato. There are some nice places to eat on the 5th floor of Clement Plaza, which is above the train station, and also in the department stores nearby. The aforementioned sudachi fruit is used to flavor local shochu and sake. Most of the bars are clustered around the ACTY 21 building.
Essential Information
Getting There
Multiple OptionsBuses run to the station from Kobe Airport every hour at 55 minutes past (2½ hours, ¥3200). Airport Limousine buses operate from the nearest international gateway, Kansai International Airport in Osaka (2 hr 45 min, ¥4000 — cheaper if you purchase a round trip ticket). From Okayama, take a Marine Liner rapid train to Takamatsu, then transfer to the Uzushio limited express for the run to Tokushima (2 hours, ¥4420). Two daily Uzushio trains run directly from Okayama, with no change of trains required (¥5050). If you are coming from Kansai or the east (i.e. Nagoya or Tokyo) then changing to a bus at Shin-Kobe will result in an easier trip to Tokushima - a wise investment for Japan Rail Pass holders, even if the pass doesn't cover the bus. (See By bus below) The JR Tokushima Line runs toward Ikeda (2 hours), for connections south towards the Iya Valley. If arriving from Kansai via Awaji Island, you're pretty much guaranteed to end up in Tokushima....
Getting Around & Staying
Getting Around
The city center is small enough to cover on foot, but bikes can be rented next to JR Tokushima Station (tel +081 088-652-6661, 9AM-5PM) at ¥500 per day. The 88 Temple Pilgrimage passes through Tokushima, with temples 14 through 17 — Jōrakuji (常楽寺), Kokubunji (国分寺), Kan'onji (観音寺) and Idoji (井戸寺) — all located within city limits. Ryōzenji (霊山寺), the starting point of the pilgrimage, is just north of Tokushima in the city of Naruto. Tokushima became a major city in part because of indigo, which is used locally to dye beautiful patterns in products from handkerchiefs and scarves to cushions and large door-curtains. Otani-yaki pottery, with its natural muted colors and rustic-looking shapes, is another popular souvenir, as is handmade paper. Tokushima is famous for its wonderful strawberries and sudachi, a small round green citrus fruit with a lime-like flavour. In the summer, sugata sushi is available, wherein a whole small fish is stuffed with sushi rice.
Money & Budget
Tokushima became a major city in part because of indigo, which is used locally to dye beautiful patterns in products from handkerchiefs and scarves to cushions and large door-curtains. Otani-yaki pottery, with its natural muted colors and rustic-looking shapes, is another popular souvenir, as is handmade paper. Tokushima is famous for its wonderful strawberries and sudachi, a small round green citrus fruit with a lime-like flavour. In the summer, sugata sushi is available, wherein a whole small fish is stuffed with sushi rice. Another popular local treat is narutokintoki, a kind of sweet potato. There are some nice places to eat on the 5th floor of Clement Plaza, which is above the train station, and also in the department stores nearby.
Safety Information
Nearby Destinations
Glimpses of Tokushima
Overlooking a coastal landscape with hills and water.
A white cat with blue eyes.
a man riding a bicycle on a bridge
Tetrapods at the shore of Anan Tokushima.
A city skyline overlooking a harbor.
Coastal landscape featuring a rocky hill and the ocean.
An aerial view of a city meets the ocean.
a person standing in a field with mountains in the background
Cherry blossom tree blooms beautifully under a blue sky.
a house with a tree in the foreground and a night sky full of stars
Overlooking a coastal landscape with hills and water.
A white cat with blue eyes.
a man riding a bicycle on a bridge