From Takamatsu Airport to the Shodoshima ferry:
for 6, the airport bus with no change.

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Choose by starting point: the airport bus from Takamatsu Airport, the Rapid Marine Liner from Okayama Station

Verdict: if you fly straight into Takamatsu Airport from abroad, take the airport limousine bus; if you land at Kansai Airport and come to Okayama by Shinkansen, cross the Seto Ohashi Bridge on the Rapid Marine Liner. Both arrive at Takamatsu Station, and Takamatsu Port, where you cross to Shodoshima, is just north of the station.

• Takamatsu Airport has direct international flights from Taipei and other cities (destinations and frequency change with the season, so check the airport's official site). Families landing at Haneda or Narita can also connect on a domestic flight to Takamatsu Airport (check flights on the airlines' official sites).
• Families landing at Kansai Airport take the Shinkansen from Shin-Osaka to Okayama and change at Okayama Station to the Rapid Marine Liner.
• If you go straight to Shodoshima without stopping in Takamatsu, there are also boats from the ports of Kobe, Himeji and Okayama (Boats straight to Shodoshima from Kansai and Okayama).
• In March 2025 the limited express "Uzushio" stopped running to Okayama, and there is no longer a direct highway bus between Okayama and Takamatsu. From Okayama, the Rapid Marine Liner is the standard choice.

The amounts in this article are calculated for a family of 6: a couple, 2 children (elementary-school age) and 2 grandparents (4 adults + 2 elementary-school children). The grandparents are counted at the adult fare.

If your party is different: children below elementary-school age ride the ferry to Tonosho free, 1 per adult. Even 5 people need 2 taxis. Junior-high students and older pay the adult fare.

From Takamatsu Airport: ¥6,500 for 6 by limousine bus, from about ¥12,600 in 2 taxis

Verdict: the airport limousine bus (Kotoden Bus, stop no. 2 at the airport) takes about 45 minutes to its last stop, "Takamatsu Station / Ferry Terminal", for ¥1,300 per adult and ¥650 per child. That is ¥6,500 for 6, about half the cost of 2 metered taxis (from about ¥12,600).

• Bus times change every month to match flights. Check the airport's official timetable for the month you arrive.
• Depending on your hotel, the "Hyogomachi" stop on the way may be closer (Places in Takamatsu where a big family of 6 can share one room). If you head straight for the port to cross to Shodoshima, get off at the last stop, "Takamatsu Station / Ferry Terminal".
• A standard taxi takes up to 4, so 6 people split into 2 cars. To Takamatsu Station it is from about ¥6,300 per car (from about ¥12,600 for 2).
• There are also flat-fare taxis (standard cars) booked in advance, at ¥5,200–6,000 per car depending on the area in the city (no stops on the way; extra charge from 22:00 to 5:00). About ¥10,400–12,000 for 2 cars. The airport's official site has no information on vehicles for large groups.

From Okayama Station: about 55 min on the Rapid Marine Liner, ¥8,300 for 6

Verdict: from Okayama Station, the Rapid Marine Liner crosses the Seto Ohashi Bridge and reaches Takamatsu Station in about 55 minutes. It costs ¥1,660 per adult and ¥830 per child: ¥8,300 for 6. There is no limited-express charge, so a basic ticket is enough.

• There are about 2 trains an hour.
• The front car on the Takamatsu side (car 1) is a double-decker: the upper deck is Green Car seats, and the lower deck ordinary reserved seats. To sit together as 6, reserve seats (¥840 per adult).
• On a day with several large suitcases, reserving seats close together for all 6 makes it easier to keep track of your luggage and family.

From Takamatsu Port to Shodoshima: ¥3,500 one way for 6 by ferry, ¥7,000 by high-speed boat

Verdict: to Tonosho Port, take Shodoshima Ferry's ferry (about 60 min) or high-speed boat (about 35 min); to Ikeda Port, Ryobi Ferry's ferry (about 60 min). The ferry costs ¥3,500 one way for 6 and the high-speed boat ¥7,000, and foot passengers board all of them first come, first served with no booking.

On the ferry to Tonosho, children below elementary-school age ride free, 1 per adult. Buying a return is a little cheaper. The 15:10 weekday ferry to Tonosho cannot be used by ordinary passengers. The last departures from Takamatsu are 20:20 for the ferry to Tonosho and 20:30 for the ferry to Ikeda (as of 13 October 2026).

How to get around once you reach Shodoshima, and how to read the low-tide times, are covered in A day trip to Shodoshima's Angel Road with a big family.

Straight to Shodoshima from Kansai and Okayama: ¥6,500 one way for 6 from Shin-Okayama Port

Verdict: if you come to Okayama by Shinkansen, the ferry from Shin-Okayama Port to Tonosho Port (about 70 min) costs ¥6,500 one way for 6. From Kobe, Jumbo Ferry takes about 3 hours 20 minutes to Sakate Port (¥13,460 one way for 6 on weekdays); from Himeji, Shodoshima Ferry takes about 100 minutes to Fukuda Port (¥10,500 one way for 6). To reach Tonosho, home of the Angel Road, change to a bus at Sakate Port or Fukuda Port.

• From Kobe (Jumbo Ferry): boats leave from the Kobe Sannomiya Ferry Terminal, about 10 minutes from Sannomiya Station by shuttle bus for ¥230 (20–30 minutes on foot). Departures from Kobe are in the morning at 8:15 and around midday (13:00 on weekdays, 11:20 on weekends and holidays), plus 19:20 in the evening on weekends and holidays. The 1:00 late-night boat calls at Takamatsu, so it reaches Sakate Port a little after 7:00 in the morning. On weekends and holidays ¥340 per adult and ¥170 per elementary-school child are added; booking online brings it down to ¥2,590 per adult and ¥1,300 per elementary-school child (¥12,960 one way for 6 on weekdays). The official site recommends booking even for non-reserved seats, and says you may not be able to board without a booking. Suitcases go in the luggage area on board and cannot be taken into the tatami or carpet seating areas. From Sakate Port to Tonosho Port is about 40 minutes by bus. Check times and fares on Jumbo Ferry's official site.
• From Okayama (Shin-Okayama Port): take a local bus from stop no. 1 at Okayama Station's east exit, about 40 minutes. With the "Kamome Bus Kip", a combined bus and ferry ticket (¥1,600 per adult, ¥800 per elementary-school child, cash only), it is ¥8,000 for 6 from Okayama Station to Tonosho Port. That is cheaper than going to Takamatsu on the Rapid Marine Liner and changing to the ferry (¥8,300 + ¥3,500 = ¥11,800 for 6). Foot passengers board first come, first served with no booking (online booking through Ryobi Ferry's official site is also accepted up to 2 days before the sailing). For the 6:20 departure from Shin-Okayama Port, tickets can only be bought from the ticket machine. We could not confirm the luggage rules on the official site. Check times on Ryobi Ferry's official site.
• From Himeji (Himeji Port): take the Shinki Bus to Himeji Port from Himeji Station's north exit (we could not confirm the bus's journey time or fare). Foot passengers cannot book: buy your ticket at the counter at the boarding point on the day, first come, first served. From Fukuda Port there is a bus towards Tonosho, given as about 50 minutes. No boat straight from Himeji Port to Tonosho Port was listed on the ferry company's official site. We could not confirm the luggage rules on the official site. Check times on Shodoshima Ferry's official site.

The Shikoku JR pass does not pay off for Takamatsu and Shodoshima alone

Verdict: an ALL SHIKOKU Rail Pass bought on or after 1 October 2026 cannot be used on Shodoshima Ferry or Shodoshima's Olive Bus. The airport bus is not covered either, nor is Okayama–Kojima. On a trip covering only Takamatsu and Shodoshima, it does not pay off for 6.

• The 3-day pass costs ¥12,000 per adult and ¥6,000 per child (ages 6–11): ¥60,000 for 6.
• It covers JR Shikoku trains (on the Seto Ohashi Line, south of Kojima Station), Kotoden and others. On the route in this article, the only covered stretch is Kojima–Takamatsu on the Marine Liner.
• By comparison, riding the Marine Liner all the way from Okayama to Takamatsu costs ¥8,300 for 6, about one-seventh of ¥60,000 for six 3-day passes.
• If your trip goes on by train to Kochi or Matsuyama, it is worth recalculating. Check coverage and prices on JR Shikoku's official site.

Getting to Takamatsu and Shodoshima: FAQ

With the journey settled: where to stay and a day on Shodoshima

Places in Takamatsu where 6 can share one room, a day on Shodoshima crossing the Angel Road, and how self-service Sanuki udon shops work.

Stay Places in Takamatsu where a big family of 6 can share one room A 46.3 m² tatami room in the city centre, or an onsen hotel on Mt Mineyama. Experience A day trip to Shodoshima's Angel Road with a big family The low-tide time decides your route, plus the cost for 6. Tips How to order at a self-service Sanuki udon shop The steps for a family of 6 to know before queuing, and how shops differ.

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