📅 Day 1 — Osaka to Naruto & Tokushima
Collect the campervan in Osaka and drive across the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge and Naruto Bridge to Shikoku. Stop at Naruto to watch the famous whirlpools from the glass-floored walkway of the Naruto Bridge, then continue to Tokushima. Walk to Temple 1 (Ryōzen-ji) to see where the 88 Temple pilgrimage begins. Stay at a campsite near Tokushima.
🚐 Drive time: 2 h 30 min
📅 Day 2 — Tokushima to Iya Valley
Drive inland through narrowing valleys into the remote Iya Valley, one of Japan's three hidden regions. Cross the Kazurabashi vine bridge — a swaying span of mountain vines over a turquoise gorge — and walk the valley trails. Visit the Oku-Iya double vine bridges for a quieter, more atmospheric experience. Stay at a riverside campsite or mountain lodge.
🚐 Drive time: 2 h
iya-valley-vine-bridge-river-rafting
📅 Day 3 — Oboke Gorge & River Activities
Explore Oboke Gorge, where jade-green water has carved through marble and schist over millennia. Take a river boat ride through the gorge or join a white-water rafting trip on the Yoshino River — one of Japan's best rafting rivers. Walk the temple trail between Temples 11 and 12 through forest and along the valley edge.
🚐 Drive time: 30 min
📅 Day 4 — Iya Valley to Kochi
Drive south through mountain passes to the Pacific coast and Kochi city. Visit Kochi Castle — one of only twelve original castles in Japan — and explore the Hirome Market, a lively covered market where locals eat, drink and share tables. Try katsuo no tataki (straw-seared bonito) at the market — it's Kochi's signature dish. Stroll along the riverside in the evening.
🚐 Drive time: 2 h 30 min
📅 Day 5 — Kochi Coast & Pilgrimage Temples
Drive east along the Pacific coast, stopping at Temples 24 (Hotsumisaki-ji) near Cape Muroto for clifftop ocean views. Walk a section of the coastal pilgrimage trail between temples, where henro (pilgrims) in white walk with staffs along the same paths they have used for centuries. Surf at one of the beach breaks near Kochi or simply enjoy the rugged, empty coastline.
🚐 Drive time: 2 h
📅 Day 6 — Shimanto River
Drive west to the Shimanto River, Japan's last major undammed river, known for its clean water and traditional life along its banks. Cycle or walk along the river, crossing the iconic chinkabashi (submersible bridges) — low bridges designed to be overtopped by floodwater rather than resist it. Rent a canoe and paddle downstream through quiet stretches. Stay at a riverside campsite.
🚐 Drive time: 2 h
📅 Day 7 — Cape Ashizuri & Pacific Coast
Drive to Cape Ashizuri, the southernmost point of Shikoku, where a lighthouse perches on dramatic cliffs above the Pacific. Walk through subtropical forest to the temple at the cape (Temple 38, Kongōfuku-ji) and look out across open ocean. The wildness and remoteness here are striking. Return north along the coast, stopping at quiet fishing villages.
🚐 Drive time: 2 h 30 min
📅 Day 8 — Coast to Matsuyama & Dogo Onsen
Drive northwest across Shikoku to Matsuyama, the island's largest city. Visit Matsuyama Castle, set high on a hill with views in every direction. In the evening, walk to Dogo Onsen, one of Japan's oldest hot springs — the ornate bathhouse is said to have inspired the bathhouse in Spirited Away. Soak in the main bath and explore the surrounding arcade streets.
🚐 Drive time: 3 h
📅 Day 9 — Matsuyama to Osaka via Shimanami Kaido
Drive north to Imabari and cross the Shimanami Kaido — a 60 km chain of bridges linking Shikoku to Honshu across six islands in the Seto Inland Sea. You can drive the route or, if you have time, rent bicycles for a section. On the Honshu side, continue toward Osaka. Return the campervan and depart or spend a final evening in the city.
🚐 Drive time: 4 h (with stops)
📅 Day 10 — Departure
Return the campervan and depart from Kansai International Airport, or extend your trip with time in Osaka, Kyoto or onward travel.
🚐 Drive time: 1 h (to airport)
