Café de Ritsurin (Takamatsu, JAPAN) ★★★☆☆

Our final stop in Takamatsu before making our way to Matsuyama (松山) was Ritsurin Garden (栗林公園), a living masterpiece of traditional Japanese landscaping. Dating back to the 1700s, it is one of the nation’s largest and most celebrated historical gardens, known for its sculpted pine trees, scenic ponds, and arching wooden bridges.

I've asked AI to describe the place in a few sentences and this was what it wrote...

Ritsurin Garden features six serene ponds, graceful arched bridges, and lush greenery laid out in perfect balance.

Over 1,400 meticulously sculpted pine trees help shape the scenery, harmonizing with the dramatic backdrop of Mount Shiun. 

As you move along the paths, each turn reveals a fresh, intentional view — immersing you in a lasting sense of calm and timeless beauty.

I didn’t try to hide from the crew that we were walking a fairly spread-out park in torching heat, so everybody knew what we signed up for (including this guy who kept complaining). 

But once we were actually there, the beauty of the place and the quiet atmosphere took over, and the mood shifted fast.

But the natural beauty of the garden, and the tranquil atmosphere really took over from there. Instead of complaining about the effort, everyone seemed to thoroughly enjoy the experience.

To wrap up our visit, we decided to chill at Cafe de Ritsurin in the heart of the garden. 

The iced green tea latte was a solid way to cool down, though despite its creamy, velvety texture, it didn’t quite deliver the clear green, grassy character and the lightly bitter finish I was hoping for.

We are now done with Takamatsu, time to buckle up for Matsuyama.

Price: ￥￥￥

Address: 1-20-15 Ritsurincho, Takamatsu, Kagawa, 760-0073, Japan

Closest Train Station: Ritsurin-Koen

Tel: +81 (0)87-897-3786

Website: https://cafe-de-ritsurin.com/

Opening Hours: 10:00am - 4:00pm (Tue - Sun)

Seto Kiseki 瀬戸ノきせき (Takamatsu, JAPAN) ★★★★☆

Seto Kiseki (瀬戸ノきせき) wasn’t on our itinerary this afternoon, but we stumbled upon the shoyu (soy sauce based) ramen specialist while we were on our way to visit Shikoku Village (四國村). 

After a quick stop at Shikoku Village, it was already time for lunch so I figured I’d just add this place to our agenda. After all, we have yet to plan a lunch spot.

Sharing the same complex with Setouchi Golf Centre, Seto Kiseki is a family-run ramen place specializing in their soy sauce broth ramen. They have four versions of the soy sauce broth, each with a slightly different twist.

Fried rice (720 yen) — I love having Japanese-style fried rice at a ramen shop. It always comes with so much “wok hei” (鑊氣). 

While it didn’t have the same variety of ingredients especially meat comparing to a Chinese-style fried rice, it still hit the sweet spot with lots of diced onions and scrambled eggs to go alongside the shredded char siu. This was very very tasty (though slightly oily).

Niboshi Shoyu Ramen (煮干醬油拉麵) (900 yen) — This soy sauce broth was simmered with dried sardine, so it tasted almost like a fish soup. 

The sweet notes were really deep, so it wasn’t surprising that it left a nice lingering aftertaste.

The clear broth also worked beautifully with the thick noodles.

The bamboo shoot wasn’t bad.

The smoky char siu caught me a little by surprise too. The only downside: we only got one thin slice per bowl.

Eggs (味玉) were extra and I thought it was slightly overcooked so the egg yolk wasn’t runny enough.

After the meal, we were all given a complimentary ice pop. They were made with different fruit juices, and I had one with grapefruit juice. I could honestly say that it’s just perfect for a sizzling hot like today. Really thirst quenching.

That’s all the time we had for lunch. Now, time to buckle up cuz we have one last destination in Takamatsu — Ritsurin Garden (栗林公園).

Food Rating: 6.3/10

Price: ￥￥￥

Address: 2420-1 Yashima Nishimachi, Takamatsu, Kagawa, 761-0113, Japan

Closest Train Station: Katamoto

Tel: +81 (0)87-841-3818

Website: https://www.instagram.com/seto_kiseki/

Opening Hours: 11:00am - 3:00pm, 5:30pm - 10:00pm daily

Shikoku Village Café (Takamatsu, JAPAN) ★★★☆☆

We had a few things on our itinerary this morning: Takamatsu Castle Park, followed by Yashima Shrine (屋島寺) and Shikoku Village (四国村).

It was a typical summer day in Shikoku, so not surprisingly, the nasty heat at the entrance to Shikoku Village was absolutely dreadful and we haven’t even gone in yet! 

That was when my teammates suggested making a stop at Shikoku Village Café, formerly Tearoom Ijinkan (異人館).

There’s a passage that connects directly to the entrance of the café, so we didn’t even break a sweat getting inside.

The tea room seamlessly blends Meiji-period Western-style design with retro Japanese kissaten culture, creating a luxurious, nostalgic atmosphere.

While the café offers savory comfort food like sandwiches and salad, almost all of us just wanted something icy to cool ourselves off. A few of us went for their shaved ice, and this particular version came with fresh mango and red bean paste.

For me, I just needed a drink — and this coke float more than served the purpose.

We’ve spent enough time around here (despite didn't really go inside Shikoku Village). Next up, it’s a 2-hour drive to Matsuyama (松山市), the capital city of Ehime Prefecture (愛媛県).

Price: ￥￥￥

Address: 91 Yashima Nakamachi, Takamatsu, Kagawa, 761-0012, Japan

Closest Train Station: Kotoden-Yashima

Tel: +81 (0)87-843-3114

Website: http://www.shikokumura.or.jp/

Opening Hours: 9:30am - 5:30pm daily