Kotohira Omotesando (Konpira-san Approach)

The Kotohira Omotesando is the bustling approach street that climbs toward Kotohira-gu, the great Konpira-san shrine, in the temple-and-shrine town of Kotohira in southern Kagawa. Lined with souvenir shops, udon restaurants, sweet stalls, sake vendors and traditional inns, this stone-stepped avenue has served pilgrims for centuries and remains one of the most atmospheric and enjoyable shrine-town streets in Shikoku — a classic slice of old Japan on the way to one of the country's most beloved shrines.

Konpira-san has been a magnet for pilgrims for over a thousand years, revered as a guardian of seafarers and travellers, and in the Edo period a journey to Kotohira was one of the great pilgrimages of the common people. The Omotesando grew up to serve that endless flow of visitors, and its purpose is unchanged today: to feed, equip and delight the crowds before and after their climb up the shrine's famous 785 stone steps (1,368 if you go all the way to the inner shrine). The street itself begins the ascent, its shops rising in tiers along the lower steps, so that shopping and climbing blend into one lively, festive experience.

The pleasures of the Omotesando are many. This is prime territory for Sanuki udon, Kagawa's signature dish, and the street is famous for its noodle shops — many visitors fuel up on a bowl before the climb or reward themselves after. Souvenir stalls sell the shrine's cheerful yellow good-luck charms and 'Happy Yellow' omamori, the region's celebrated rice crackers and sweets, wooden fans, sake and local crafts. You can rent or buy a bamboo walking stick to help with the steps, sample local sake, or duck into a traditional confectioner for freshly made treats. Among the shops sits the venerable Kanamaruza, the oldest surviving Kabuki theatre in Japan, a beautifully preserved Edo-period playhouse well worth a look.

The atmosphere is what makes the street special. Old wooden shopfronts, fluttering banners, the smell of grilling and simmering broth, the chatter of pilgrims and day-trippers, and the ever-present backdrop of stone steps rising into the greenery of Mount Zozu give the Omotesando a timeless, festive energy. It is at its best in the morning, before the shrine climb, and lovely in spring cherry-blossom season and autumn colour.

Practically, Kotohira is easily reached by train — both the JR Dosan Line and the Kotoden Kotohira Line serve the town — with the Omotesando a short walk from the stations at the foot of the shrine steps. Allow around an hour to enjoy the street itself, eating, shopping and browsing, before or after tackling the climb to Kotohira-gu, whose main shrine and inner sanctuary reward the effort with fine views and one of Japan's most venerable sacred sites. Combine it with the nearby Sanuki Manno park and, if time allows, the western Kagawa coast for a full day out from Takamatsu. Wear comfortable shoes for the steps, and save room for udon.