2 days one night away from Takamatsu
 

Kochi. The train trip over the mountains is stunning, the Kochi area is beautiful and historic. The castle alone is worth the visit.

I also liked Kochi https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/japa...isitors-3.html
YouTubers Micaela and Sharla were sponsored by Kochi Tourism last year VISIT KOCHI JAPAN so Kochi's been doing a better job marketing the region.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tBnE44rDAEQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eYwy7NoT0ug&t=15s

Portions of the Seto Inland sea are also on my travel wishlist

You could on the way back route via Matsuyama for Dogo Onsen / Matsuyama Castle ?

I did a sort of circle tour of Shikoku in 2012. I second the recommendation to take the train through the mountains to Kochi and enjoy the laid-back atmosphere of this city and definitely see the castle, which offers great views of the surrounding area. If you got up early enough the next day, it would be feasible to return to Takamatsu via Matsuyama and take the streetcar up to Dogo Onsen for a quick bath.

Thank you all

Taking the JR train to Kochi and staying 1 to 2 nights in Kochi and then back to Takamatsu

Kochi train trip
 

By "train trip over the mountains", are you referring to the line between Takamatsu and Kochi shown on this page? Thanks.

https://shikoku-railwaytrip.com/railpass.html

Yes. The blue line that goes west from Takamatsu until turning south to Kochi. Much of that southbound leg crosses over the mountainous spine of the island and through a deep river gorge.

I enjoyed a stopover in Kotohira on the way back from Kochi. (My trip was Hiroshima-Matsuyama-Kochi-Takamatsu). There's a mountaintop shrine that you climb (supposedly) 1,000 steps to reach, and there are shops all along the steps. The view from the top is quite spectacular. I wouldn't call it a must-see, but I enjoyed it.

But in any case, I think you will enjoy Kochi and the trip over the mountains.

An additional note. As the rail line stays mostly on the "right hand" side of the gorge, you might want to reserve seats on the left-hand side of the train for views down into the gorge. During my first visit, we could see a party of whitewater rafters navigating the river several hundred feet below us. Of course, it is just the opposite on the return trip from Kochi, unless you choose to continue on around the loop around the island.

Thanks for all the responses and tips.

I'll start from Kyoto to Takamatsu, and follow this route. From Kochi, I'll depart to Osaka. That should take me across the mountains.

https://shikoku-railwaytrip.com/mode...elcourse2.html

I can also reverse the circular route on Shikoku, if that's a better choice.

BTW, should I start a new thread? I have quite a few questions.

I understand that in the big cities there are luggage forwarding service and also lockers for luggage storage at the train stations. Are these also available in Shikoku?

For example, I want to stop and stroll at Uchiko and Ozu during the train ride from Matsuyama to Uwajima, Can I forward my luggage? Are there lockers at the Uchiko and Ozu stations?

https://shikoku-railwaytrip.com/mode...elcourse2.html

Google Images can show you the station. Uchiko has coin locker outside https://bit.ly/2nrVDUp and is usually 300-400 yen for the smaller size. Otherwise check Wikipedia for the train station name in Japanese, then google for that + コインロッカー (coin locker).

I haven't come across a hotel which can't do luggage forwarding, yet. AirBnB - ask the host if the combini offers takkyubin or if there's a nearby Kuroneko Yamato office.

Most convenience stores (7-eleven, FamilyMart, Lawson) will also send out via takkyubin, so you should have plenty of options if for some reason your hotel doesn't participate. It's not guaranteed that every store will, so just check around once you get there.

Also worth noting, there is a fixed 25 KG weight limit on hotel / convenience store takkyubin items, so just make sure to not go overboard.