By Cathy Hirano

Looking for a place to keep the family entertained? Try the aquarium at the top of Mt. Yashima. Yes, Takamatsu’s aquarium is on top of a mountain. Well, technically it’s a 300-meter lava mesa. It’s just 15 minutes by car from the city center and accessible by bus and train as well.



I recently went up with a bunch of families with kids and was amazed at how much the aquarium has to offer. We started with the indoor exhibits and were immediately drawn to the “touching pool”. Two young and knowledgeable guides introduced various marine life, such as sea urchins, starfish and sea cucumbers, which can be picked up and handled.



They also let participants feed this crab



and watch the bait slowly disappear.



Then we were off to the dolphin show.



This featured two pirates who had escaped through time with a magic staff



We got to dance and shout as part of the show, and one brave little volunteer had the honor of getting splashed by the dolphins! (She did have an umbrella to protect her.)



Between shows, you can feed and play with the dolphins from a clear-bottomed boat.



After a fascinating trip around the exhibits, we took in the sea lion show, which was also highly entertaining.



The aquarium doesn’t look that big from the outside but it has a surprising variety of marine life. Besides 500 varieties of fish, it has everything from manatee, seals and sea turtles to crabs, sea snakes and jellyfish.



The kids could have spent all day there without becoming bored. But if kids do become bored, it is fun to explore the top of Yashima, with an English-speaking volunteer guide if you like, and to do silly things like throwing little clay disks off the cliff for good luck.

Aquarium Information
Hours: 9:00-17:00 year round TEL: 087-841-2678
Admission: Adults JPY 1,200, junior/senior high school students JPY 700, over 65 JPY 700, children JPY 500. Admission is free for children 2 and under and people with disabilities (JPY 700 for caregivers).
Dolphin, seal and sea lion shows are included in the admission fee. Times are as follows:
Weekdays: dolphin 11:00, 13:40, 15:40; seal 13:00; sea lion 11:40, 14:30
Weekends and holidays: dolphin 11:00, 12:30, 14:00, 15:30; seal 13:15; sea lion 11:45, 14:45, 16:15
Boat rides:Fee: JPY 550 yen. Times: after each show but only on weekends and holidays. Must be over 110cm in height. 10-15 minutes. Located in a special pond around the back of the outdoor seal pool.
Manatees are fed at 12:10 and 15:10, and otters are fed at 9:30, 12:20 and 15:15. (Otter feeding and sea turtle feeding also takes place on weekdays.)
Access: see bottom of http://cathy.ashita-sanuki.jp/d2011-07.html   

It’s a little before 8:00 AM, and here I am in the midst of the most beautiful spot in Takamatsu: Ritsurin Garden.



The garden opens at sunrise, so I’m not the earliest arrival, but I’m here for a special purpose——breakfast in a teahouse and a 30-minute boat ride around the south garden. The sliding doors of the teahouse are opened wide, filling the room with fresh air and offering gorgeous views.



Breakfast is traditional Japanese fare——delicious and healthy okayu (rice porridge) with stewed vegies, tofu, grilled fish and pickles (reservations required).



Pleasantly full, I walk through the garden skirting the pond and arrive at a discreet boat launching pad a little before nine. The boatmen are dressed in traditional servant’s garb and they treat their passengers like royalty.



Viewing the garden from the pond offers an entirely different perspective from being on foot——such as close up views of the gardeners at work,



and people relaxing in Kikugetsu-tei teahouse,



views that formerly would have been the exclusive privilege of the ruling lord and his close associates. As the boatmen happen to be skilled and entertaining tour guides, the pleasant 30-minute ride seems to be over in no time.



Boat tours are being offered daily at intervals of 30 minutes between 9:00 and sunset (time changes depending on the season), with an hour break at noon.

Boat ride: 600 yen/person (junior high and under 300 yen). Garden admission is separate. Tickets are sold at the east entrance ticket office.
Breakfast at Hanazonotei: 1,200 yen, reservations required. TEL: 087-831-5255
FAX: 087-831-0310 (Japanese only) http://www.geocities.jp/metabist/hanazonotei.htm

Ritsurin Garden Information
http://www.pref.kagawa.lg.jp/ritsurin/index_e.html
Admission: adults 400 yen (children 170 yen). Hours: sunrise to sunset. Open year round.
Access: 7 min. by taxi from Takamatsu JR station, 20 min. walk to east entrance from JR Ritsurin Koen Station, 3 min. walk to north entrance from JR Ritsurin Koen Kita-guchi, 10 min. walk to east entrance from Kotoden Ritsurin Koen Station.

Many, many thanks to Kumiko and Hiroko for photos and information!