Kagawa

Kagawa Prefecture, commonly referred to simply as Kagawa, is a prefecture of Japan on the island of Shikoku. The capital and largest city is Takamatsu. It is the smallest prefecture in Japan by land area.

Geography and transport: It lies in the northeast part of Shikoku and is bordered by Ehime Prefecture to the west, Tokushima to the east, and Kochi Prefecture to the south. The Seto Inland Sea lies to the north, and the prefecture includes several islands such as Shodoshima and Naoshima. The Great Seto Bridge connects Takamatsu to Okayama on Honshu, enabling road traffic across the Inland Sea.

Culture and economy: The region is famous for Sanuki udon, a thick noodle widely associated with Kagawa. Ritsurin Garden in Takamatsu is a major historic garden. The prefecture includes several art islands in the Inland Sea, notably Naoshima, Teshima, and Inujima, developed under the Benesse brand. Shodoshima produces olives and olive oil; agriculture and fishing support the local economy along with light manufacturing and tourism.

History: The area was part of Sanuki Province for much of its history. It was reconstituted as a modern prefecture in the Meiji era, adopting the name Kagawa to distinguish it from the historic Sanuki province.

Notes: Kagawa’s cultural landscape combines traditional crafts, coastal cuisine, and contemporary art tourism, making it a distinctive part of Shikoku and Japan’s Seto Inland Sea region.