Binbiya is a restaurant located on the Awa Highway (National Route 11) in Kitanada Town, Naruto City, Tokushima Prefecture, situated in a beautiful location facing the Seto Inland Sea. In the Tokushima dialect, “binbi” means fish. Using freshly caught local fish every day, Binbiya offers a variety of food on the menu such as sashimi, tempura, boiled fish, kamameshi (rice, meat and vegetables served in a small pot), and curry, etc. The restaurant’s omakase (today’s special) set meal is a popular meal of sashimi, tempura, and another food of the day, served with a bowl of rice and miso soup with seaweed from the Seto Inland Sea. People can often be found queuing to get into this popular restaurant.

This temple belongs to the Omuro sect of Shingon Buddhism and is located in Ikeda Town in Miyoshi City, Tokushima Prefecture near the summit of Mt. Unpenji, and it is the 66th temple of the Shikoku 88-temple Pilgrimage. It has the highest altitude of all the temples in the Shikoku Pilgrimage. It is said to have been erected by a 16-year-old Kukai in 789 when he visited the area. Afterward, under orders from Emperor Saga, he is said to have sculpted the principal image of Senju Kannon Bosatsu in 818 and performed the seven sacred rites. On the temple grounds, the principal image joins a standing statue of Vaisravana and other National Important Cultural Properties, and you’ll also find a statue of Gohyakurakan, a “wish-granting eggplant,” and other items worth seeing. This temple is known for its beautiful fall foliage, and a ropeway operates from the foot of the mountain.

This temple of the Chisan sect of Shingon Buddhism is located in Kamiyama Town in Myozai County, Tokushima Prefecture, and it is the 12th temple of the Shikoku 88-temple Pilgrimage. It is known for its position near the difficult-to-reach eighth station of Mt. Shosanji, which has an altitude of 938 meters, but nowadays there is a roadway leading to it. According to temple legend, it was founded by a pilgrim in the Asuka period. Afterward, Kukai is said to have sealed an enormous snake that had been terrorizing the villagers in a rock cavern near the summit, after which he built the temple. A three-headed statue of Daikokuten (god of wealth), said to be Kukai himself, is enshrined inside the Sanmen (three-headed) Daikoku Hall. The temple grounds contain several large cedar trees said to be hundreds of years old, and the area has been designated a Natural Monument.

This is a Koyasan Shingon school temple in Katsuura-cho, Katsuura County in Tokushima Prefecture and is 20th temple of the 88 sacred places on the Shikoku Pilgrimage. It is located high on a mountain with a distant view of the mountains of Awaji and Wakayama as well as the Pacific Ocean and the front avenue is difficult to climb with a sharp slope called the Pilgrim Knock-down. The temple was built by Kobo Daishi in 798. It is said that he found a golden jizo bodhisattva protected by two white cranes in the forest which he placed inside a statue of the jizo bodhisattva that he made himself and this became the principal object of worship at the temple.

This is a museum erected at the site of the Tokushima Castle palace ruins in Tokushima Central Park, Tokushima City. It is only a 10-minute walk from the JR Tokushima Station. The permanent exhibit is divided into five themes showcasing artisan works and historical materials of the Tokushima domain and the Hachisuka clan. Here, the Senzanmaru, a national Important Cultural Property that is a decorative whaling ship from the Tokushima domain is the main attraction amongst many other treasures. The museum annually hosts six special exhibits or themed exhibits. The visitors to the history museum may use the same ticket to enjoy the adjoining former Tokushima Castle Omote Goten Garden as well.

This temple belongs to the Rinzai sect of Myoshinji Temple and is located in Kamojima Town, Yoshinogawa City, Tokushima Prefecture, and it is the 11th temple of the Shikoku 88-temple Pilgrimage. It is said that in 815, Kukai, at the unlucky age of 42, sculpted a statue of Bhaisajyaguru and constructed the hall to help stave off bad luck for himself and all living things. The five-colored wisteria that Kukai is said to have planted on the temple grounds are the origin of the temple’s name, and they bloom in late April every year. The principal image has been designated an Important Cultural Properties and is beloved by locals for its evil-warding properties. The unryu (dragon and cloud) painting on the ceiling of the main hall is a must-see. There is a treacherous path called the “henro korogashi (falling pilgrim)” that leads to Shosanji Temple, the 12th temple on the pilgrimage.

Idoji Temple, located to the west of Nakaakui Bridge, is the 17th temple of the Shikoku 88-temple Pilgrimage. It used to be named Myoshoji Temple but it came to be called “Ido (Well) Temple” because of the story that Kobo Daishi dug a well with his staff for the local people who were lacking water. The well itself remains as the “Omokage no Ido.” The seven Buddha Yakushi Nyorai—main temple idols—are located in the main hall and were said to have been made by Shotoku Taishi. Visitors can come and worship directly. The eleven-faced Kannon bodhisattva located in the Kannon hall is designated as an Important Cultural Property.

This day spa offers guests the chance to enjoy hot springs with an incredibly high concentration of minerals. The springs are thought to be sourced from ancient seawater that has been concentrated over thousands of years. The sodium chloride - hydrogen carbonate hot springs are popular for their many purported health benefits as well as for giving bathers clear, moist skin. We recommend both the chic Japanese Spa, which is finished in black granite and bamboo, as well as the bright and elegant Asian Spa, which is finished in white granite.

A one-day natural hot spring overlooking the Natsuyo and Konaruto bridges, the building adjacent to Boat Race Naruto offers an open-air bath with a sense of spaciousness. On the second floor, there is a unique karaoke room with a theme of Naruto's specialties.

This sightseeing tour boat departs from the “Restaurant Oboke Gorge Mannaka” and the “V”-shaped Oboke Gorge can be seen from the river. Visitors can also see the Natural Monument, Ganrekihengan (pebbly schist) up close and the scenery of the gorge can only be described in one word: stunning.

This is a Koyasan Shingon school temple in Aratano-cho, Anan City, Tokushima Prefecture and is 22nd temple of the 88 sacred places on the Shikoku Pilgrimage. The origin of this temple is said to be that, at this site, Kobo Daishi found a Bhaisajyaguru and carved his own statue of it, building the temple and making it the principal object of worship. The milky water that welled up at this time (it is now clear and colorless) became known as Kobo’s Miracle-working Water effective for all kinds of ailments and many worshippers put it in containers and take it home. The main hall, which was reconstructed in the middle of the Edo period, has a painted ceiling depicting the traditional themes of natural Japanese beauty.

Located in the Ichinomiya-cho district of Tokushima City, the Dainichi-ji Temple is the 13th temple visited on the Shikoku 88-temple Pilgrimage, and the fifth temple visited on the Shikoku 33 Kannon Temples Pilgrimage. The temple’s formal name is Oguri-san Kezo-in; the temple belongs to the Daikaku-ji school of the Shingon sect of Buddhism. The name Dainichi-ji derives from the story that, in 815, when Kukai was performing the homa fire ritual in Daishi-ga-mori, the Dainichi Nyorai Buddha appeared to him and told him that, as the place where he was standing was a sacred spot, he should build a temple there; Kukai therefore carved a statue of Dainichi Nyorai as the principal object of veneration for the new temple. During the Tensho era (1573–92), the temple buildings were entirely destroyed by the armies of Motochika Chosokabe. The temple was subsequently rebuilt on the orders of Mitsutaka Hachisuka, the third lord of the Tokushima han (domain). The Dainichi-ji Temple later became the betto-ji (Buddhist temple associated with a Shinto shrine) of the Ichinomiya Shrine, and during the Edo period it was the Ichinomiya Shrine that was visited as part of the 88-temple Pilgrimage, rather than the Dainichi-ji Temple. As a result of the state-ordered separation of Shintoism and Buddhism in the Meiji period, the statue of Kannon (the Goddess of Mercy) with eleven heads that had been venerated at the Ichonomiya Shrine was moved to the Dainichi-ji Temple and became the main object of veneration there, with Dainichi Nyorai playing an ancillary role.

A straight famous for its whirlpools which appear cyclically due to the rising and falling of the sea level caused by the pull of the moon and sun. The straight rapidly grows 1.3 kilometers narrower and its deepest point is around 90 meters. Visitors are particularly recommended to view the straight on spring tide days when the current is faster.

Asutamu Land Tokushima is a vast prefectural park located in the nature-rich hills of the Kibiga Valley. There are lots of things for visitors to do such as the Children’s Science Center where children can learn about science through play and hands-on activities, the Experience Studio where parents and children can have a go at some experiments and enjoy making things, and there is the Yoshino River Meguri water ride inspired by the natural scenery of Tokushima, etc. It’s a great day out for the whole family.

This memorial hall is based on the theme of whirlpools and bridges. Inside the building, you’ll find a theater, games, and simulations that teach visitors about the construction of the Onaruto Bridge and the whirlpools that appear in the Naruto Channel. The observation facility on the roof offers a 360-degree view of the Naruto Channel and Onaruto Bridge, as well as the Pacific Ocean side of Wakayama Prefecture and Shodoshima Island in the Seto Inland Sea.

The Kokugan-zan Henjo-in Dainichi-ji Temple is the 4th temple of the Shikoku 88-temple Pilgrimage. According to tradition, Kobo Daishi spent a considerable period meditating on the Temple site, and had a vision of the Dainichi-Nyorai Buddha; this led him to carve a statue of the Dainichi-Nyorai Buddha to serve as the main object of veneration for the Temple which he proceeded to have built. The Dainichi-ji Temple’s Sanmon (Main Gate) was constructed using an unusual design featuring a bell tower with round pillars above a gateway with square pillars. The cloister that links the Main Hall with the Daishi Hall is lined with wooden statues of the bodhisattva Kannon. This is said to be connected to the 33 Kannon Temples Pilgrimage.

This park is located about a 20-minute drive from Tokushima Interchange on the Kobe-Awaji-Naruto Expressway. or about a 10-minute walk from JR Tokushima Station to the Awa Odori Hall and then a six-minute ride on the Bizan Ropeway. The park was built on the summit of Mt. Bizan, the symbol of Tokushima City. From the summit, visitors can see as far as the Asan Mountains, the Seto Inland Sea, and the mountains of Kishu. Visitors can enjoy seasonal nature such as the park's cascades of seasonal flowers, its famous cherry blossoms, and its 3,900 trees and shrubs. There is also a wild bird observation trail through the park.

Tatsue-ji Temple is a Koyasan Shingon Buddhist temple in Tatsue Town, Komatsushima City, Tokushima Prefecture and is the 19th temple of the Shikoku 88-temple Pilgrimage. In 747 priest Gyoki carved a small statue of the Enmei Jizo as the principal image and built a pagoda for the Jizo to pray for smooth delivery for Empress Komyo. In 815 Kobo Daishi carved a large Jizo Buddha statue and put the principal image in its womb. Apart from many worshippers praying for an easy birth the temple is also famous as a “General Checkpoint of Shikoku” where wicked people were punished. The pictures on the ceiling in the main hall drawn when the temple was restored in 1977 are a must see. On the grounds there is the Kuro Kami Hall which is said to have remains of the hair pulled from women who were unfaithful to the morality.

This guesthouse has a history of 400 years, starting when Kobo Daishi discovered hot springs in the area. It exists even today—now as the only “Ekiroji Temple” of the Shikoku 88-temple Pilgrimage. It is a rare set of hot spring/healing ruins. The main object of worship here is Yakushi Nyorai. It serves as a charming guesthouse for travelers who want to chat or see the Buddha statue and other items in an unusual place. It even appeared in a television drama as an overnight-stay hot spring.

The Aqua Eddy is a small, fast boat equipped with an underwater observation room. Passengers can get a close underwater view of the spectacular Naruto Strait whirlpools through the glass bottom of the boat, which extends one meter under the water. Being able to enjoy the different views of the whirlpools from on deck and from down below really enhances the viewing experience. As the Aqua Eddy has a limited capacity of 46 passengers, advance booking is required. The journey time is 25 minutes; there are 15 scheduled trips per day. The Uzusio Whirlpool Sightseeing Boat dock, from which the trips depart, is located approximately 15 minutes by car by Naruto Station and around 75 minutes’ drive from Kobe-Sannomiya Station.

This restaurant in Nishidaiku Town, Tokushima city, Tokushima Prefecture specializes in Tokushima ramen, and fans visit from all around the country. There’s often a line outside, and signatures from celebrities adorn the interior. The pork bone and soy sauce soup is flavored with dried fish and other seafood along with vegetables. It’s topped with a raw egg and contains salty-sweet pork back ribs and chewy homemade noodles, which the rich soup complements well. It goes very well with rice, too. Only counter seating is available, but the interior is spacious, so there’s no problem with entering alone.

The Kihata-ji Temple is a Koya-san Shingon Buddhist temple in Awa City. It’s formal name is Tokudo-zan Kanjo-in; it is the 10th temple visited on the Shikoku 88-temple Pilgrimage. According to legend, when the monk Kobo Daishi was practicing asceticism in this area, he asked a weaver’s daughter to give him some fabric offcuts to patch his monk’s robe with; in order to give him offcuts, the girl generously cut up the piece of cloth that she had just finished weaving for him to use. In return for her kindness, Kobo Daishi offered to carve a statue of Senju Kannon (Thousand Armed Avalokiteshwara) for the repose of her parents’ souls. When he performed the kanjo ceremony while bestowing the statue on the girl, she instantly attained Buddhahood and took on the likeness of Senju Kannon. The temple’s name and formal name both derive from this legend. Besides the statue of Senju Kannon in the Hon-do (main hall) which is the main object of veneration at the temple, Senju Kannon Bosatsu is also worshipped here in the form of a Bodhisattva.

The Kumadani-ji Temple is a Koya-san Shingon Buddhist temple located in Awa City. Its formal name is Fumyo-zan Shinko-in; it is the eighth temple visited on the Shikoku 88-temple Pilgrimage. It is said that when the monk Kobo Daishi was meditating near here in 815, Kumano Gongen appeared to him and presented him with a gold statue of Kannon (the Goddess of Mercy) about 5 cm in height. Praying three times after each stroke of the wood-carving knife, Kobo Daishi carved a life-size statue of Senju Kannon in sacred wood, and placed the gold statue that he had received inside it, before building a temple to house the statue. These statues thus became the main object of veneration at the Kumadani-ji Temple. Unfortunately, the statues were destroyed in a fire that burnt down the Hon-do (main hall) of the temple in 1927; the statue that the visitor sees today was installed in 1971.

This is a Tokushima B-class gourmet (reasonable and delicious) ramen shop. It serves ramen in rich soup made from slowly-cooked pork bones. The main topping is thinly-sliced pork belly simmered in a sweet but spicy marinade. Each table has a bowl of raw eggs and you can add as many of these to your noodles as you like. The shop’s website shows a photo of ramen topped with the yolk only, rather than the whole egg. You can also add marinated soft-boiled eggs so you can enjoy two different flavors of eggs.