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Voykit pocket guide · Japan
Kotohira
琴平
Go for one night, not a day trip: climb Kompira-san's 785 steps in the morning, sleep near the onsen, and leave before noon.
Kotohira is a small town built around one thing: Kompira-san, a shrine complex on a hill reached by 785 stone steps. The climb is the visit. Most travellers day-trip from Takamatsu, but a night here lets you start at first light, soak in the onsen afterwards and see the kabuki theatre without rushing. Two nights is the ceiling; one is enough.
- Country
- Japan
- Local name
- 琴平
- Best months
- Mar–May, Oct–Nov
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (heat and humidity), Golden Week
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- JPY
- Money
- Cities are increasingly cashless; temples, small restaurants and some lodging taxes still want cash.
- Daily spend
- Budget ¥6,000–10,000 excl. bed · Mid ¥10,000–16,000 excl. bed · High ¥16,000+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Data-only eSIMs are the easy route: buy before you fly; voice SIMs need a residence card.
- Emergency
- Police 110 · Fire and ambulance 119 · Japan Visitor Hotline (24 h, English) 050-3816-2787
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 100 V · 50 Hz east (Tokyo), 60 Hz west (Osaka) · Most sockets are two flat pins without earth; European and UK plugs need an adapter. Phone and laptop chargers handle 100 V.
- Tipping
- Restaurants and bars: No tip; staff will chase you to return money left on the table.; Taxis: No tip; pay the meter.; Ryokan: Optional: ¥1,000–3,000 in an envelope for the room attendant; never loose cash.; Private guide: Not expected; a small gift or a thank-you meal is more usual.; Hotel porter: No tip.
- Water
- Safe from the tap everywhere; stations and parks have fountains.
- Toilets
- Free, clean public toilets in stations, parks and konbini; paper goes in the toilet. Rural and old stations may have squat toilets.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Sanuki udon, plain or with toppings | ¥400–900 |
| Kotohira-style udon with soy and bonito flakes | ¥500–900 |
| Coffee | ¥400–600 |
| Konpira amulet at the shrine | ¥800 |
| Sake tasting at the Kinryo Sake Museum | ¥100 |
| Onsen soak at Konpira Onsen Kotosankaku | ¥1,200 adults |
| Palanquin up the hill | ¥6,000 and up |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- TAK · Takamatsu Airport
- Airport bus to Kotohira, about 50 min, about ¥1,500
- OKJ · Okayama Airport
- Via Okayama station, then rail; longer than flying into Takamatsu
Typical fares
- Takamatsu → Kotohira, JR rapid
- about ¥830, 49 min
- Takamatsu-Chikko → Kotoden Kotohira
- about ¥610, about 1 h
- Takamatsu Airport → Kotohira, bus
- about ¥1,500, about 50 min
- Okayama → Kotohira, Nanpu limited express
- about ¥3,160, about 1 h
Get around
The town is walkable: both stations are a few hundred metres from the shrine entrance. The climb itself is stairs, so allow 40–60 min up to the main shrine and another 20–30 min to the inner shrine. Porters with a palanquin will carry you up for ¥6,000 and up.
See and do
Known for
- Kompira-san shrine and its 785 steps
- Kanamaru-za, Japan's oldest kabuki theatre
- Sanuki udon
- Konpira Onsen
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Takamatsu | JR Dosan line rapid, or the Kotoden Kotohira line from Kotoden Kotohira | About 1 h |
| Marugame | JR Dosan line toward Okayama | About 30–40 min |
| Naoshima | Rail to Takamatsu or Uno, then ferry | 2.5–3.5 h |
| Shodoshima | Rail to Takamatsu, then ferry | About 3 h |
| Teshima | Rail to Takamatsu, then ferry | About 3 h |
| Higashikagawa | JR Dosan line east | About 40–50 min |
Sleep
- Konpira Onsen cluster
- Hotels and ryokan around the onsen, 5–10 min walk from the shrine entrance. Best for a night after the climb.
- Around Kotohira station
- Both JR and Kotoden stations sit together; business hotels and the walk to the steps start here.
- Takamatsu (day-trip base)
- About 50 min by JR or an hour by Kotoden; use it if you only want the shrine.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me / Sorry | すみませんsumimasen |
| Thank you | ありがとうございますarigatō gozaimasu |
| How much is it? | いくらですか？ikura desu ka |
| Where is the shrine entrance? | 神社の入口はどこですか？jinja no iriguchi wa doko desu ka |
| Can I pay by card? | カードで払えますか？kādo de haraemasu ka |
| Where is the toilet? | トイレはどこですか？toire wa doko desu ka |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: A small bow; a handshake if the other person offers; avoid: Hugs, back slaps, loud greetings
- Names: Family name plus -san; avoid: First names unless invited; adding -san to your own name
- Paying: Put money in the tray at the register; avoid: Tipping, or leaving loose cash for staff
- Trains: Queue at the floor marks, phone on silent, ask before reclining on the Shinkansen; avoid: Phone calls, eating on crowded commuter trains, blocking doors with bags
- Escalators: Stand on the side locals use — left in Tokyo, right in Osaka; stations now ask people to stand still on both; avoid: Stopping at the top or bottom
- Shoes: Off at the step-up entrance; toilet slippers only inside the toilet; avoid: Stepping on tatami in shoes or slippers
- Shrines: Rinse hands at the basin; bow twice, clap twice, bow once; avoid: Walking down the centre of the approach, which is for the deity
- Gifts: Offer and receive with both hands; bring a small omiyage for hosts; avoid: Sets of four; cash outside an envelope
Scams and watch-outs
- The climb is steep and continuous; there is no lift or road to the top.
- Wear shoes with grip — the stone steps are worn and slick when wet.
- Many shrine-side shops and the museums close by late afternoon; plan the climb first.
- Some smaller shops and restaurants take cash only.
Very safe. The real risks are the climb itself — heat, worn steps, no shade on the upper section — and shops that close early.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Kotohira yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Kompira-san shrine and its 785 steps
- Kanamaru-za, Japan's oldest kabuki theatre
- Sanuki udon
- Konpira Onsen
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Kotohira tourist association (bilingual guide): kotohira-kankou.com/en/
- Takamatsu Airport access: www.takamatsu-airport.com/access/bus/index.php
- Wikivoyage: Kotohira, revision 5205930 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5205930
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Kotohira琴平
ここまでお願いします
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police110
- Fire and ambulance119
- Japan Visitor Hotline (24 h, English)050-3816-2787
No embassies in Kotohira; most are in Tokyo, with consulates in Osaka. Check your own country's list.
Small town: many shops close by late afternoon and some take cash only.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/kotohira). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.