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Voykit pocket guide · Japan
Mima
美馬市
Base in Wakimachi's Udatsu district for one night, or day-trip from Tokushima: the Edo streets take 2–3 hours, the rest of Mima needs a car.
Mima is a small inland city on the Yoshino River in western Tokushima, formed in 2005 from Wakimachi, Anabuki, Mima and Koyadaira. Its draw is the Udatsu townscape — a preserved row of Edo and Meiji merchant houses with fire-blocking roof walls — plus the temple district at Sadamitsu and mountain villages toward Mt. Tsurugi. Sights are spread over 30 km, so a car or taxi matters more here than in Tokushima city.
- Country
- Japan
- Local name
- 美馬市
- Best months
- Mar–May, Oct–Nov
- Avoid
- Jun–Sep (rainy season, typhoons, heat)
- 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
- 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 |
|---|---|
| Coffee or tea at a local café | ¥400–700 |
| Noodle soup (Tokushima ramen or udon) | ¥700–1,200 |
| Yoshida Residence entry (includes the theater) | ¥500 |
| Wakimachi Theater entry | ¥200 |
| Taxi, 5 kmTaxi, 3.1 mi | ¥1,800–2,400 |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | ¥2,000–4,000 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- TKS · Tokushima Awaodori Airport
- Bus to Tokushima Station, then the Tokushima Line; about 1 h 30 min total to Anabuki
- TAK · Takamatsu Airport
- About 40 min by car from Mima City Hall via Route 193
- KIX · Kansai International
- About 2 h 45 min to Tokushima city by bus, then train; the long way round
Typical fares
- Anabuki → Tokushima, Tokushima Line
- about ¥830, a little over 1 h
- Anabuki → Tokushima, limited express
- about ¥2,270, about 40 min
- Taxi, Wakimachi area to Udatsu townscape
- ¥1,500–2,500
Get around
The Tokushima Line stops at Anabuki, Oshima and Sadamitsu, but the sights sit 4 km or more from the platforms. Buses are sparse. A rental car from Tokushima or Takamatsu is the practical choice; otherwise use taxis (Udatsu Taxi, Mt. Tsurugi Taxi, Koori Taxi) or rent a bicycle at the tourism center in Wakimachi.The Tokushima Line stops at Anabuki, Oshima and Sadamitsu, but the sights sit 2.5 mi or more from the platforms. Buses are sparse. A rental car from Tokushima or Takamatsu is the practical choice; otherwise use taxis (Udatsu Taxi, Mt. Tsurugi Taxi, Koori Taxi) or rent a bicycle at the tourism center in Wakimachi.
See and do
Known for
- Udatsu townscape in Wakimachi
- Indigo merchant houses
- Tera-machi temple district
- Mt. Tsurugi and the Yoshino River valley
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Tokushima city | Tokushima Line from Anabuki, about 1 h; limited express about 40 min | About 1–1.25 h |
| Naruto whirlpools | Train to Tokushima or Naruto, then bus to the strait | 2–2.5 h |
| Miyoshi and the Iya Valley | Car via Route 192 along the Yoshino River | About 1.5–2 h |
| Awa | Tokushima Line east, then local lines | About 1.5 h |
Sleep
- Wakimachi (Udatsu district)
- Walk to the townscape, Yoshida Residence and the theater; the only area with real sightseeing on foot. Few beds — book ahead.
- Anabuki
- Around Anabuki Station on the Tokushima Line; practical for rail arrivals and the closest thing to a transport hub.
- Sadamitsu
- Base for the Tera-machi temple walk, about 30 min on foot from the station.
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 |
| 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 |
| Please call a taxi | タクシーを呼んでくださいtakushī o yonde kudasai |
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
- Sights are spread out: without a car, budget taxi fares or long walks.
- Many houses and museums close one day a week and over New Year; check before travelling.
- Rural buses run a few times a day at most — never plan a tight connection.
- English is limited outside the tourism center; carry addresses in Japanese.
Mima is a quiet rural city and violent crime is rare. The real risks are narrow roads with no pavement, deer and blind bends on mountain routes, and summer heat; keep cash for taxis and small shops.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Mima yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Udatsu townscape in Wakimachi
- Indigo merchant houses
- Tera-machi temple district
- Mt. Tsurugi and the Yoshino River valley
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Mima tourism guide (Mima Kankou): en.mimakankou.or.jp/event/
- Wikivoyage: Mima, revision 5298312 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5298312
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/mima). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.