On May 4, 2026, it was cloudy. Today I went to Takamatsu for a Zatsutabi pilgrimage.

A Little Incident at the Start

The planned route was to take the Shinkansen from Tokyo to Okayama, then a rapid train from Okayama to Takamatsu.

But that day the wind on the Seto Ohashi Bridge was so strong that the trains were suspended. They didn't resume until the afternoon, so it was a close call.

Still, it was a windy day, and riding the train across the bridge with the shaking and the howling wind was quite thrilling.

Takamatsu Station

Here's a smile from Takamatsu Station.

This smile is just too cute!

The station square is so lively during Golden Week!

Oh, there's a music festival going on!

360-degree panorama.

Takamatsu Castle

Takamatsu Castle is located in Takamatsu City, Kagawa Prefecture, Japan. It is a castle ruin famous for being built by the sea, also known as "Takamatsu Castle." Originally constructed in the Azuchi-Momoyama period, it is one of the few "water castles" in Japan that uses seawater as a moat. It served as the residence of the Ikoma and Matsudaira lords of the Takamatsu domain. Today, the castle grounds have been turned into Tamamo Park, preserving historical structures such as the Tsukimi-yagura Turret, Ushitora-yagura Turret, Mizute-gomon Gate, and Hiunkaku Pavilion. The moat connects to the Seto Inland Sea, and you can still see saltwater fish swimming. Combining military defense, maritime transport, and garden scenery, Takamatsu Castle is an important site for understanding the history of Takamatsu and the culture of the Seto Inland Sea.

West Gate

It's free during Golden Week! So generous!

Fish Pond

The fish are very dark, almost invisible.

Fish food provided by Bandai.

There's also a bucket specifically for collecting pine cones nearby.

Tsukimi-yagura Turret

From here you can see the port, and I spotted the Teasing Master Takagi-san themed ferry departing.

Mizute-gomon Gate

Hiunkaku Pavilion

I couldn't find this part for a long time. It turns out it was under renovation.

Sakura-gomon Gate

Ushitora-yagura Turret

Business Hotel Rupinasu (ルピナス・ホテル)

From the prices in the anime, you can see how prices have skyrocketed in Japan.

The anime almost perfectly replicated the hotel front desk.

Almost like the anime, I also booked the room during Golden Week.

Having a vacancy near the station during Golden Week is quite faithful to the work.

This is a hotel with a bit of an old-fashioned feel.

The landlady is an elderly lady with poor hearing, so you have to speak very loudly to be heard.

So checking into this hotel requires a lot of patience.

Takamatsu Port

The port at sunset was incredibly beautiful.

I encountered the Teasing Master Takagi-san themed ferry again.

I hope someday I can take this ferry to Shodoshima!

Conclusion

Before I knew it, the pilgrimage was coming to an end.

According to the anime, the main characters' trip to Takamatsu also included Yakuri.

But since I had another pilgrimage the next day, I'll save Yakuri for next time!(I feel like I've left a lot of loose ends)

Well then, see you at the next pilgrimage!