Shikoku Autumn 2014 四国秋季之旅 - 7 Days Hotel セブンデイズホテル

Stayed 22.11.2014

Reserved thru' Agoda.com
- Single = ~81 SGD
- Adjoining rooms = ~154 SGD

Left and safe kept our luggage with 7 Days Hotel Plus on Day 6 (Tues) and returned on Day 10 (Sat) to retrieve our luggage. Decided to try out 7 Days Hotel on our last night in Shikoku, located a few blocks away. Even though both hotels are under the same company, they are not connected by any private walkway.

Design & Facilities. Being the older one out of the two, this hotel has similar minimalist concept as the newer 7 Days Plus Hotel. Following a conventional no frills business hotel operating philosophy, 7 Days Hotel has this additional homely touch in my perspective. Simple yet modern furniture selection are what I will like to have in my own room. As there are no twin room available here, two adjacent rooms will be combined if you are opting for two beds - and you get two bathrooms for such adjoining room arrangement. In my opinion, both hotels are equally good. One other difference between both hotels is that 7 Days Hotel serves only continental breakfast (bread and drink) and does not offer Japanese style breakfast option.  

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What's nearby?

(1) Nichiyoubi Market (Sunday Market) 日曜市. Approx 7 mins walk from hotel, this Sunday local market occupies the road that stretches from Haisuike-machi-dori tram stop to Kochi Castle. Lined with booths selling mainly local produce and specialties, the Sunday Market operates as early at 0500 hrs and is one way to get in touch with the local people and culture. Made my way leisurely to the market after breakfast on my last day in Shikoku. Strolled down the road to see what every stall has to offer and stopped every now to enjoy some of the local snacks.    

Pudding from Pousser.

(2) Boulangerie Pousser ブーランジュりー プウセ. 

Opening hrs: 0700 - 1900 hrs
A French bakery located just behind 7 Days Hotel Plus, recommended to me by the owner of Terzo Tempo cafe. Did pop by the bakery before we boarded the airport transfer bus to Kochi Ryoma Airport. This bakery is quite a popular with the locals as most of the items were sold out when we were there in the late afternoon. Bought a few breads and a pudding to try and the experience was delectable.  

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7 Days Hotel セブンデイズホテル 
高知県高知市はりまや町2-13-17 〒780-0822
https://7dayshotel.com/7days.html

From Kochi JR Station, take Tosaden Electric Tram and alight at Hasuike-machi-dori (蓮池町通) stop. About 5 - 7 mins walk from this tram stop.

Shikoku Autumn 2014 四国秋季之旅 - Auberge Uchiko オーベルジュ内子

Stayed 21.11.2014 (Fri) 
Booked thru' hotel website.
- 1 villa = 25,920 yen/pax

Auberge? This is actually a French word for "inn". In Japan, Auberge style accommodation are actually much more luxurious than what its name implies. Normally located in an secluded area which is tucked away from the hustle and bustle of city life, the living concept of Auberge is a not an escapism but a recovery process of inner peace, stimulating all five senses through high quality food and creation of a relaxing environment. One other unique feature of Auberge is French meals are served; a cuisine which highlights food appreciation and presentation on the table. Wanted very much to try out this style of accommodation after reading numerous rave reviews. Had two choices - one in Tosayama in Kochi and another one located in Uchiko in Ehime, both managed by Kochi Orient Hotel Group. Chose the latter as it fitted well into my itinerary. Was also attracted to this particular sentence in their web page: Feeling the nature with your five senses and dedicating yourself to her, you shall restore the natural rhythm of your mind and body. This was in line with the objective to recover my mental balance through this holiday. I had to say the stay in Auberge Uchiko was extraordinary, exceeding my expectations in all aspects - ambience, onsen, meals and service.

Bottom right: Restaurant where both dinner and breakfast are served.

Bottom left: Path leading to another area where villas are located in; Top right: The villa which we stayed in - Yamazakura (やまざくら); Bottom right: Porch overlooking sakura trees.

Room. From the main annex, guests will have to walk along an unsheltered path to the another area where the villas are located. There are a total of five villas and each can occupy up to three adults - there are two single beds and a mattress laid over the sofa. Overall design outlook is modern style coupled with Japanese distinctive elements such as Japanese paper (washi) and wooden sliding doors. Lush greenery awaits behind the sliding windows of the living room and the spacious enclosure is warmly brightened up by natural lighting that seep through the huge glass panels in the day. Don't be surprised if you cannot find television and wifi anywhere in the room (alternatively, you can borrow a mobile wifi from the reception which I did). You will slowly get used to the awkwardness of not having any handy media technologies and begin to treasure the precious moments of quietness in the room - a luxury especially for city dwellers like myself.

Luxury. What makes the villa so mesmerizing as well is guests are treated to a beautiful scenery of blooming Sakura trees in Spring, directly right in front of the porch. Though I did not get to see that personally, imagining the scene in my mind while lying down on the reclining chair already brought a smile to my face. There is also a nice bath tub which you can overlook to the porch while enjoying a nice soak. Did not utilise the bath tub this way, instead my mother and I filled it up with lukewarm water to soak our legs just before we turned in for the night. Wanted to also highlight the pleasant service experienced during my stay at Auberge Uchiko. Just to quote one: just before we left the main annex to return to our villa after dinner, the staff passed us each a hot water bag as the weather has turned chilly in the night. 

Meals. Numerous locally grown ingredients were utilised to create a nouvelle cuisine - a modern style of cookery that avoids rich, heavy foods and emphasises the freshness of the ingredients and the presentation of the dishes. Dinner was served in the light of handmade candles from Uchiko in the main annex restaurant. This was my first time eating a full French course meal and I was overwhelmed by the sophisticated cutlery placed in front of me. On the other hand, many ingredients were also entirely new to my palate.

Top left: Braised top shell; Bottom left: Ham from Uchiko pork; Top right: Wild boar with miso sauce.

Top left: Bouillabaisse; Bottom left: Stick of tomato sherbet; Top right: Grilled Iyo beef with truffle sauce; Bottom right: Chocolate mousse crepe with sweet potato cream.

• Amuse gueule (the literal translation is "mouth amuser" is a bite-sized savory food): beautifully plated braised top shell coupled two different type of sauces to go along with. 
• Hors d'oeuvre (appetiser): tender ham made from Uchiko pork.
• Soupe (soup): light yet flavourful matsutake consomme.  
• Poisson (fish dish): bouillabaisse, which is a French-style fish stew, comprised of kabuto shrimp (or shield shrimp), globefish (otherwise known as the puffer fish) and scallop. 
• Gibier (wild game dish): Roasted wild boar caught in Uchiko accompanied with miso sauce. I personally find the meat a bit tough for my liking. 
• Arriere gout: a small refreshing stick of tomato sherbet to cleanse the palate before moving on to the main course. 
• Viande (meat dish): a very well executed grilled iyo beef with truffle sauce.
• Dessert: Chocolate mousse wrapped in a crepe served with noodles of sweet potato cream.
• Coffee/tea to end the entire course. 

Breakfast.

Breakfast was amazing too. Gulped down three different type of juices (vegetable, orange and tomato), bit into freshly made bread accompanied with homemade jam and butter, slurped a bowl of creamy potato soup, tucked into standard breakfast plate of bacon, half boiled egg and fresh greens and eventually ended the meal with a satisfying cup of coffee/tea held in exquisite porcelain wares.

Onsen. The communal bathhouses, separated by gender, were located in the main annex. Interior is covered by beautiful bluestone tiles to create this calming ambience. Was surprised to see a crowd when I was at the bathhouse just before dinner though the hotel has limited number of guests. Later found out that the bathhouse is also opened to public for a large part of the day (1100 to 2100 hrs) and is very popular with the locals in Uchiko. The natural spring water source is alkaline and cold at 17 degC. Water is heated to around 40 degC before being utilised in the pools, and is known to have therapeutic effects for those suffering from rheumatism.

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Auberge Uchiko オーベルジュ内子

〒795-0301 愛媛県喜多郡内子町五十崎乙485‐2

http://www.orienthotel.jp/uchiko/english/

How to get there?
There are no buses to Auberge Uchiko; and sad to say, the hotel does not provide any complimentary pick up service from Uchiko JR Station. Have to rely on taxi which cost less than 1,000 yen as it is relatively near - about 5 minutes by car from the train station.

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Shikoku Autumn 2014 四国秋季之旅 - Funaya ふなや

Stayed 20.11.2014 (Thu)
Booked thru' Rakuten.
- Annex Standard Garden View Semi Western Style Room = 55,080 yen (3 pax) + 450 yen (bathing tax, 150 yen/pax) = 55,530 yen

Top left: The beautifully decorated porcelain vase created by Yuki Hayama.

Chose to stay in Dogo Onsen for a night to experience the vibes in one of the oldest hot springs in Japan. However, its prominence and popularity have raised the prices of accommodation correspondingly as well. Finally landed on Funaya when I spotted a promotional price featured on one of the hotel reservation platforms. Funaya traces its origin all the way back to 1627 and has undergone several expansions/refurbishments to arrive at its current modern state. Location wise, it is also one of the hotels closest to the streetcar station (approx 3 minutes walk away) and about the same distance away from Dogo Onsen Honkan (道後温泉本館), the prominent landmark which most visitors would come here for. Overall, my stay in Funaya has been a pleasant one; meeting my expectation in most aspects.

Highlights:

An honour to stay in "blue" - an outcome of Hotel Horizontal Project.

I want this bathroom in my house!

Surrounded by art. Dogo Art Festival was first held in 2014 to commemorate the 120th anniversary of Dogo Onsen Honkan. As part of this festival, both local and foreign renowned artists would come together, get the creative juices flowing and transform various parts of Dogo Onsen into contrasting pieces of art works. An art project titled "Hotel Horizontal" is extended to guest rooms in 9 hotels and Funaya is one of them. Yuki Hayama (有木葉山), a well known local porcelain designer, was tasked to transform a two room space in Funaya and the outcome was stunning. Titled "blue", beautiful traditional gyosomon (fish in seaweed) designs were imprinted on the washi on the sliding doors and ceramic tiles on wall. Was unaware that we have been assigned to this themed room, only upon arrival. When the staff was leading us to our room, she also directed our attention to this exquisite porcelain vase designed by Yuki Hayama and has similar gyosomon patterns on it, placed at the lift lobby. To us, it was an honour to be surrounded by the artistic flair of the creator. The guest room is semi-western style with a small living room, two single beds and a corner laid with tatami mats which can occupy up to two futons. The toilet was surprisingly modern looking and posh for a traditional Japanese inn; definitely one I would like to have in my house. Other facilities in the hotel include a shop selling local souvenirs and a tea lounge, all located in the main building.  

http://www.dogoonsenart.com/artist/hayama-yuki/

Video: Behind the scene to create "blue" in Funaya.

Japanese portion of dinner course.

Western portion of dinner course.

Meals. Both Japanese and western elements were incorporated into dinner. Started off with a glass of ume wine (which made me slightly groggy), followed by a small sashimi platter, a fish head stewed with vegetables in sweet soy sauce, a potage soup, western main course of duck, beef or pork to choose from, a variety of tempura (pumpkin and fish), flavourful rice cooked together with mushroom and lastly ended in western style again with four different desserts accompanied with coffee/tea. I personally felt that the meat dish was very well executed especially for a Japanese inn. Chose the beef as my main course. It was very tender and cooked to the right medium well texture I wanted. On the following morning, we could choose either Japanese or western style breakfast course. Had the western course which compromised of salad, freshly baked bread, delicious and runny omelette with ham, and fruit platter. Overall, meals were quite satisfying on both occasions. 

Breakfast - Japanese and western style to choose from. 

Less crowded hot springs. Was glad with the decision to stay one night in Dogo Onsen. When we arrived at Dogo Onsen Honkan in the evening, it was packed with people and subsequent entry of visitors had to be disallowed. Though we managed to squeeze into this building early next morning, the experience was not particularly memorable as it was hard to enjoy a leisure soak in a rather cramped pool. Funaya has it own communal bathhouses, named Granite or Mikageishi 御影石 and Hinoki 檜), which are separated by gender and utilised the same hot spring source. Most importantly, the less crowded bathhouse never felt so welcoming and stress-free especially after we visited the Dogo Onsen Honkan. A footbath is also hidden in the Japanese style garden located just behind the main building.

Spacious lobby.

A showroom replicating the western style room which Emperor Showa stayed in when he visited Dogo Onsen in 1950.

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Funaya ふなや
〒790-0842　愛媛県松山市道後湯之町1-33
http://www.dogo-funaya.co.jp/

How to get there? 
3 minutes walk from Dogo Onsen streetcar station.

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Commemorative stamp: 

Shikoku Autumn 2014 四国秋季之旅 - Nakamura Prince Hotel 中村プリンスホテル

Stayed 19.11.2014 (Wed)
Booked thru' Jalan.net.
- Twin Room = 10,300 yen
- Single Room = 5,600 yen

Challenge. Searched through various hotel booking portals but did not come across any familiar or popular business hotel chain in this rural town. Wanted to stay close to Shimanto River since that was my main objective here in Nakamura. Finally landed on Nakamura Prince Hotel as it met my criteria, both in terms of location and price. 

View of Shimanto River and Red Iron Bridge from room.

Twin sharing rooms from the 5th floor and above can enjoy a scenic view of Shimanto River and the symbolic Red Iron Bridge (赤鉄橋) right out of their windows. Just before dinner, we did an evening stroll from the hotel to the Red Iron Bridge to capture the tranquility of Shimanto River at sunset. Though not a subsidiary of an established brand, Nakamura Prince Hotel follows the typical business hotel model both in terms of service provided and facilities available. Selected the package without breakfast, but after scrutinizing the nearby area for possible eateries that open for business in the day, I could not find any except for a 24 hours operation convenience store (Lawson) on the opposite side of the hotel. Decided to opt for the buffet breakfast service available in the hotel on the following day. Overall, Nakamura Prince Hotel is comparable to most budget business hotels I have bunked in before in bigger cities. Though I did encountered a hiccup during check out (only found out that I was over-charged after I left the hotel and had to return to get my money back), I will not mind returning to this hotel because of its convenient location.    

What's nearby? 

Evening stroll along Red Iron Bridge (赤鉄橋).

Calm waters in Shimanto River.

(1) Shimanto River and Red Iron Bridge (赤鉄橋). About 2 mins walk away from the hotel.

(2) Lawson convenience store, just opposite to the hotel. As it was still early after dinner, I decided to explore the area by walking from the hotel to Nakamura Station. It was slightly after 7 pm and the streets of Shimanto city was already very empty and quiet - was a bit wary as it seemed like I was the only pedestrian walking on the street. Glad that Lawson was there to satisfy my late night snack and drink needs!

(3) Eateries. Was afraid that I could not find any good eateries in the surrounding area but my worry was unnecessary. Managed to gather a handful of options, within walking distance, with pretty decent online reviews. On that night, we had a delicious array of Shimanto specialties for dinner in Taniguchi (季節料理たにぐち), which was just 5 minutes walk away from the hotel.

A quiet and pleasant Shimanto city. 

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Nakamura Prince Hotel 中村プリンスホテル
〒787-0034　高知県四万十市中村弥生町4-1
http://www.np-h.com/

How to get there?

(1) Walk. 20 - 30 mins walk from Nakamura Station.

(2) Kochi Seinan Bus. From Nakamura Station (中村駅), take the Nakamura/Shimizu/Ashizuri/Sukumo line (中村・清水・足摺・宿毛線) bus heading for Sukumo (宿毛). Alight at Obashidori-nichome (大橋通二丁目), bus stop is just in front of the hotel. Bus journey takes 5 mins.
Bus schedule: http://www.kochi-seinan.co.jp/obj/pdf/local_sukumo-simizu.pdf

(3) Taxi. About 5 mins drive away from Nakamura Station.

Shikoku Autumn 2014 四国秋季之旅 - Iya Onsen Wanoyado 祖谷温泉和の宿, Hi no Ji ひの字 ("Hi" Valley)

Stayed 18.11.2014 (Tue)
Booked thru' Rurubu.
- Japanese style room = 58,320 yen (3 pax) + 450 yen (bathing tax, 150 yen/pax) = 58,770 yen SGD/pax

Can you spot the hotel? 

We hopped onto the hotel complimentary pick up service which waited for us (and other guests) at Michi no eki Oboke (道の駅 大歩危), which was also the last stop of the one day Oboke/Iya sightseeing bonnet bus trip. This seamless transfer was kindly arranged by Shikoku Kotsu, the company that operates Oboke/Iya sightseeing bus route. We were asked whether we would be staying overnight in Iya Onsen when we were reserving the seats for the sightseeing tour over the phone (with the help provided by the staff from the tourist information center in Tokushima JR Station). Kudos to Shikoku Kotsu for providing this additional service to link up with the local hotels!

"Hi no Ji" Valley.

Hi no Ji. Though it was a short 10 - 15 mins bus journey, the driver acted as a temporary tour guide and introduced us to several features that came into our view along the way. First he stopped at a spot where the beautiful "Hi no Ji (ひの字)" valley can be best viewed and he even allowed us to alight from the bus to capture photos! The name came from the unique shape of the stream which resembled the hiragana character "ひ". Next he brought our attention to this small building located on the slope of the valley. It was Wanoyado, the hotel which we would be staying for the night, strategically positioned to overlook at the meandering stream of Iya valley. I have to admit that the rather daunting location of the hotel did make me worry for a while but soon got over it as my eyes were drawn to the spectacular surrounding terrain and scenery.

Top right: Woke up to this beautiful view in the morning! Bottom right: Communal indoor bathhouse located on first level of main building.

Rooms and facilities. If I remember correctly, there are no lifts in the hotel (not that I was aware of). Wanoyado is not very big, comprised of six storeys with 29 guest rooms. Entrance and main restaurant (Keikoku no sato) are located on the fourth level. We were assigned to a Japanese style room on the new wing, which was connected to the main building on the fifth level. Room was spacious (22 m2) enough to occupy up to three persons and was also equipped with a massage chair and a BOSE CD player. There is a shop selling locally produced souvenirs on the same level as the lobby. Wanoyado is also proud of their exclusive range of toiletries which is made of local spring water and can be purchased at their shop.

Onsen with a view. Wanoyado is a member of Japan's hidden hot spring association also referred to as Nihon Hitou (日本秘湯). Ryokan/hotels which are part of this association are typically located in much secluded areas surrounded by well preserved natural landscape. Accessibility to these accommodation is not ideal as they are normally situated in mountainous region, but this is what makes them appealing to many travellers, especially for city dwellers to come closer to diminishing nature in this era. One unique feature of Wanoyado is that guests have to descend 170 m via cable car to reach the rotenburo, or open air bath, located right at the bottom of the valley! During the five minutes cable car ride, we were enthralled by the beautiful autumn foliage wrapped onto the slopes of the valley. Both rotenburo (separated by gender) were built alongside the Iya river. Never felt so close to nature before as I get to soak into the therapeutic hot waters while marveling at the panoramic mountainous scenery. When cable car operation ceased at night, guests can still utilise the communal indoor bathhouse located on the first level in the main building. Hot spring waters is cloudy in appearance due to the presence of white mineral deposits and leaves a smooth sensation on your skin. 

Clockwise from top left: Salad sticks; Grilled amego; Shiitake mushroom tea pot soup; Vegetable tempura; Appetisers; Iya soba.

Local food. Dinner started off with a small glass of yama momo red wine. Appetiser comprised of seven different small dishes, such as fried ginko nuts on sticks and chestnuts, were artistically arranged in a rattan basket. Was surprised to see a western dish (洋皿) in the menu but it was simply just vegetable sticks accompanied with several dipping sauces such as spicy miso, tomato and toro yuba (トロ湯葉). Toro yuba is the layer of silken tofu skin that is formed on the surface of heated soymilk. Liked the flavour of the shiitake mushroom teapot soup, drank together with a squeeze of lime. Assorted vegetables such as pumpkin and eggplant were served in tempura style. Local specialties and ingredients were featured extensively in this autumn inspired kaiseki course such as sobasubeshi (そばすべし) which is a type of thick vegetable soup; grilled amego fish, caught from Iya valley, served together with dried persimmon; Awa pork (阿波ポーク) hot pot and the well known Iya soba made from locally cultivated buckwheat. Ended the dinner with a refreshing yuzu sherbet and juicy kyoho grapes. Overall, it was a very fulfilling dinner - though my nose was being lured away by the sizzling Awa beef on hot plate relished by other patrons. 

More local food were introduced during breakfast on the following day such as Ishi tofu (石豆腐), translated literally as "stone tofu", is a type of dense and firm beancurd and Sobagomezosui (そば米雑炊), a soup containing shelled buckwheat kernel, carrot and tofu. Entered the restaurant and was welcomed by an unobstructed and breathtaking view of Iya valley. The beauty and contrast of autumn foliage were further elevated by rays from the sun. Being able to enjoy a hearty breakfast surrounded by stunning natural landscape was truly a one of a kind experience that I would remember Shikoku for.

Conclusion. Iya Onsen is definitely the most secluded and inaccessible hot spring town I have ever visited in Japan. Overall, the stay in Wanoyado was very revitalising and satisfying. I can only say if there is one place I will want to return to in Shikoku, Iya Onsen will definitely be on the top of my list!

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Iya Onsen Wanoyado 祖谷温泉和の宿
〒778-0165 徳島県三好市池田町松尾松本367-2
http://www.iyaonsen.co.jp/

How to get there? 

(1) Complimentary pick up service to/fro Oboke JR Station (大歩危駅). Reservation is required to utilise this pick up service.
- From Oboke JR Station, bus leaves for hotel at 1610 hrs.
- From hotel, bus leaves for Oboke JR Station at 0940 hrs.

(2) Bus
From Awa Ikeda JR Station (阿波池田駅), take Shikoku Kotsu (四国交通) bus heading for Kazurabashi (かずら橋)  via Deai (出合) and alight at Iya Onsen Mae (祖谷温泉前). Do note that there are only three buses to Iya Onsen per day (0716, 1026, 1246 hrs).
Bus schedule: http://yonkoh.co.jp/pdf/timetable/110.pdf

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Shikoku Autumn 2014 四国秋季之旅 - 7 Days Hotel Plus セブンデイズホテルプラス

Stayed 17.11.2014
Reserved thru' Booking.com
- Twin Room = 11,400 yen
- Single Room = 6,300 yen

Left: Common area on the ground level.

Hotels are quite scattered in Kochi city. To my surprise, I did not managed to find many established hotel chains near the train station (only Super Hotel & Comfort Hotel and both about 5 mins walk away) and so far, Kochi is the only prefecture (out of 47 prefectures in Japan) that has no Toyoko Inn! Chose to stay in 7 Days Hotel Plus and 7 Days Hotel on two separate days in Kochi city. The surroundings of the hotel is pretty quaint, a distance away from the main road.

Minimalist and modern hotel. Similar to many other business hotels that I have stayed in, all the basic amenities here are well taken care of in 7 Days Hotel Plus. However, one other feature that I like a lot about this hotel is its minimalist design. Single room are of typical size of 12 m2, but simplicity in furnishing makes the room looked spacious and comfortable. Similar concept is extended to its lobby. Found this common area which is enclosed by walls of cement slabs, with paintings of bright, contrasting colours hung up and several aluminium round tables and chairs arranged, particularly stylish. Do keep a close look out for some of the beautifully design furniture, modern table wares and abstract paintings at various corners of the hotel. In conclusion, this is definitely one hotel that I will come back to stay if I get to visit Kochi again.

Breakfast. In 7 Days Hotel Plus, you will get to choose between Western and Japanese style for breakfast. For Western style breakfast, help yourself to a variety of freshly baked bread, salad, banana, boiled eggs, coffee/tea and juices. On the other hand, the Japanese breakfast set comes with rice, salted salmon, half boiled egg and miso soup.

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7 Days Hotel Plus セブンデイズホテルプラス
高知県高知市はりまや町2-13-6 〒780-0822
https://7dayshotel.com/7plus.html

From Kochi JR Station, take Tosaden Electric Tram and alight at Hasuike-machi-dori (蓮池町通) stop. About 5 - 7 mins walk from this tram stop. 

Shikoku Autumn 2014 四国秋季之旅 - Agnes Hotel Tokushima アグネスホテル徳島

Stayed 16.11.2014 (Sun)
Booked thru' Jalan.net
- Single room = 6,000 yen
- Twin room = 13,000 yen

Left: Agnes Hotel; Right:Agnes Hotel Plus

Chose Agnes Hotel as it was recommended in Shikoku co-Trip guide. Was expecting this hotel to exceed my budget solely based on first impression (from the pictures I see from the hotel website) but prices were quite affordable and competitive. Agnes Hotel actually takes on a similar concept to other business budget hotel chains such as Toyoko Inn. This modern hotel has a cafe and pastry boutique, located on the first level. Simple buffet style breakfast was served in the cafe, such as freshly made bread by their in house bakery, fruits and Washouku (rice, miso soup and side dishes). Room wise - clean, relatively spacious room (15 m2) with all basic amenities well taken care of. 

Later found out that Agnes Hotel, together with several other hotels in Tokushima are managed by the same company. Agnes Hotel Plus, which is located just opposite Agnes Hotel, is equipped with a communal bathhouse. Was given a voucher to try out the bathhouse during check in but did not get to utilize it. Spotted Four Season Hotel just around the corner, which is also managed by the same group, and was attracted to their petite sized, cosy looking coffee house. Overall, I am very satisfied with my stay and will recommend Agnes Hotel for sightseeing purposes in Tokushima city. 

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What's nearby?

(1) Tokushima JR Station and Bus Terminal, about 5 mins walk away.
Directions: Turn right upon exit from the train station. Turn left on the first corner, continue to walk straight until you see a slip road on the right. Turn into the road and walk straight down - you will first see Four Season Hotel, followed by Domannaka restaurant and Agnes Hotel last. 

(2) Domannaka どまん中, a Wafu dining restaurant owned by Agnes Hotel group, located about 1 min walk away. Had a good dinner here, savoring Awa Odori chicken reared in Tokushima Prefecture, which is well known for its firm texture, sweet taste and has less fat than average chicken.

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Agnes Hotel Tokushima アグネスホテル徳島

〒770-0831 徳島県徳島市寺島本町西1-28

http://www.agneshotel.jp/

Shikoku Autumn 2014 四国秋季之旅 - Shodoshima International Hotel 小豆島国際ホテル

Stayed 15.11.2014 (Sat)
Booked thru' Jalan.net
- Western and Japanese room (3 occupants) = 17,280 yen/pax + 450 yen/pax (bathing tax)

Shodoshima International Hotel viewed from the other end of the sandbank.

Highlights: 

Hotel or/and Angel Road? Decided to stay overnight in Shodoshima on such that we can tour the island at a much leisure pace. Apart from its beautiful natural scenery, olive cultivation and high quality soy sauce production, this small island has its own natural hot spring sources as well. Shodoshima International Hotel is one of the largest scale hotel equipped with hot spring facilities here. On most occasions, I will try not to choose too touristy or commercialized hotel (to avoid large tour groups) as much as possible but I was very much attracted to the location of this hotel this time round. This hotel is located just beside the Angel Road and a picturesque view of this sandbank which appears only twice per day during low tide can be captured from most of the rooms. How wonderful is that! During my stay in this hotel, I visited the Angel Road twice, conveniently - once when the sandbank disappeared and on the next morning when the sandbank reappeared again. 

Bottom left: Spacious hotel lobby; Right: Western and Japanese style room.

Room, service and facilities. Reserved a Western and Japanese style room, comes with two single beds and futons. Room was very spacious (~30 m2) with an unobstructed view of Angel Road. Upon check in, staff from the front desk confirmed our preferred dinner and breakfast time; and whether we would like to utilize the complimentary bus service to Tonosho Port on the following day. Hotel has a spacious lobby and sofa seats arranged to face the beach. Complimentary coffee and tea bags were placed beside the front desk for guests to enjoy; do check out the forecast of low and high tides with the front desk as well. There is a shop selling souvenirs produced in Shodoshima and Kagawa Prefecture, just outside one of the two communal bath houses. Swimming pool is open to guests in summer. 

Sea bream feast! Both meals were served in the ballroom. Unknowingly, I chose the sea bream course (鯛ずくし会席) for dinner when I reserved the room online. I felt this dinner was more of a sea bream "feast" for me because the fish, freshly caught from Seto Inland Sea, appeared in most of the dishes. A whole sea bream sashimi (each), together with the head and tail, was served as soon as we sat down at our assigned table. In addition to that, we had thinly sliced sea bream for shabu shabu, a sea bream head stewed with soy sauce and root vegetables and sea bream rice cooked in kamameshi style (釜飯, rice cooked with other ingredients in a hot pot). This is definitely my first time having to eat so much sea bream in one night; and I am not sure whether I will do that again. On the other hand, breakfast was buffet style with a good selection of both Western (such as omelette, bacon strips, sausages and bread) and Japanese food. 

A tranquil town.

Onsen. There are two communal bathhouses, Olive no Yu (オリーブの湯) and Hamakaze no Yu (浜風の湯) and each has both indoor and outdoor pools. There is a changeover at midnight to allow hotel guests to experience both bathhouses during an overnight stay. Hot spring source is mildly alkaline, removes cuticles and leaves a soapy feeling on your skin. Do two things at a time: enjoyed a relaxing soak in the outdoor pool of Olive no Yu and a scenic view of Angel Road. 

Room with unobstructed view of Angel Road; reappearance of the sandbank during dusk.

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Shodoshima International Hotel 小豆島国際ホテル
〒761-4106 香川県小豆島土庄町銀波浦
http://www.shodoshima-kh.jp/

How to get there? 

(1) Complimentary pick up service from Tonosho Port (土庄港). A service provided by the hotel, the microbus journey takes around 5 minutes. Reservations are required to utilise the microbus service to/fro Tonosho Port (via phone or email). http://www.shodoshima-kh.jp/access/

(2) Shodoshima Olive Bus:

• From Tonosho Port (土庄港), take Nishiura line (East loop) or Tanoura Eiga Mura line (heading for Eiga Mura) and alight in front of hotel. 
• From Ikeda Port (池田港) & Kusakabe Port (草壁港), take Tanoura Eiga Mura line (heading for Ikeda Port) and alight in front of hotel. 

Nishiura line (西浦線): http://www.shodoshima-olive-bus.com/dia/dia_nishiura.pdf
Tanoura Eiga Mura line (田ノ浦映画村線): http://www.shodoshima-olive-bus.com/dia/dia_tanoura.pdf

Shikoku Autumn 2014 四国秋季之旅 - Takamatsu Terminal Hotel 高松ターミナルホテル

Stayed 13.11.2014 (Thu) - 14.11.2014 (Fri)
Booked thru' Jalan.net
- Triple room = 16,200 yen/night

Highlights

First leg of this trip was to explore Kagawa Prefecture - spent one day in Takamatsu and the remaining two days in Naoshima and Shodoshima. Was searching for a hotel near the train station - the closet hotel is JR Hotel Clement Takamatsu (owned by JR Group), which is also the most expensive among all options. The established hotel chain brands such as Super Hotel and Dormy Inn are located nearer to Kawaramachi train station, about two stations away from Takamatsu Chikko (via Kotohira Electric Railroad). Found Takamatsu Terminal Hotel eventually, a reasonably priced mid scale hotel, which is located about 2 minutes walk away from the train station. Unfortunately, I could not find any rooms available in multiple hotel booking portals (including the main hotel website). Tried my luck every now and then, hoping someone would change his/her plan and give up the rooms. Just about one month before the departure date, I chanced upon the availability of a triple room in Jalan.net! Reserved the last room without further ado. 

Booked the triple room for two days. Lobby area is small and a restaurant, where we had our breakfast in, is located opposite the front desk. Front desk was manned by an mid aged lady who greeted us with smile. Hotel was willing to safe-keep our luggage during check out as we decided to travel light for an overnight stay in Shodoshima and would return to retrieve our luggage on the following day. Size of room is 18 m2, occupied by three super single beds and a small round table. All basic amenities were also well taken care of here - a common trait of most business hotels in Japan. Simple breakfast was served in the in house restaurant - salad, fruit, bread and hard boiled egg. Overall, the convenient location and reasonably priced accommodation will make this hotel a popular choice of stay in Takamatsu. 

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What's nearby?

(1) Takamatsu JR Station 高松駅, about 2 minutes walk
After exiting from Takamatsu JR Station, turn right. At the first traffic junction, the hotel can be spotted diagonally opposite. 

(2) Takamatsu Chikko Station 高松築港駅, about 2 minutes walk.
Operated by Kotoden, the terminus train station is located behind the hotel.
From Takamatsu Chikko Station (K00/S00),
- take the Kotohira line 琴平線 to Ritsurin Koen Station 栗林公園駅 (K03), to visit Ritsurin Koen.
- take the Kotohira line 琴平線 to Kawaramachi 瓦町駅 (K02/S02), the interchange station to change to Nagano line 長野線 or Shido line 志度線. The 10 storey tall building which houses the train station is also a shopping mall named Karamachi Flag, where Starbucks, ABC Mart and Daiso can be found here.

Kotoden: http://www.kotoden.co.jp/publichtm/kotoden/time/index.htm
Karamachi Flag: http://www.k-flag.jp/



(3) Takamatsu Central Shopping Mall, about 10 minutes walk.
Came to this area to search for dinner for two consecutive nights. Roads here have been converted into sheltered pedestrian walkways, lined up with shops on both sides.
- Hyogomachi 兵庫町, where you can shop for luxury goods in Mitsukoshi Departmental Store.
- Marugamemachi 丸亀町: MUJI, Daiso and Starbucks


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Takamatsu Terminal Hotel 高松ターミナルホテル
〒760-0021　香川県高松市西の丸10-17
http://www.webterminal.jp/