The Shikoku Karst is one of Japan’s three great karst plateaus, a striking highland running along the Ehime–Kochi border at around 1,400 metres. Here rolling green grassland stretches to the horizon, studded with weathered white limestone rocks and grazed by cattle in summer, under enormous open skies — a landscape utterly unlike the rest of mountainous Shikoku. A scenic skyline road runs along the plateau, passing viewpoints, a campground and windmills, with sweeping panoramas over range after range of Shikoku’s mountains. Cool and fresh in summer when the lowlands swelter, and glowing gold in autumn, it is a wonderful place for a highland drive, a picnic or a walk. Remote and uplifting, it feels like the roof of Shikoku.
🗓️ At a Glance
| Location | Shikoku Karst, Ehime–Kochi border |
| Hours | Open plateau; skyline road |
| Admission | Free |
| Time needed | Half day (with the drive) |
| Best time | Summer green; autumn gold |
What to See
- A rare karst plateau of rolling grassland at 1,400 m.
- White limestone rocks and grazing cattle in summer.
- A scenic skyline road with vast mountain panoramas.
- Cool highland air and glowing autumn colour.
Combine Your Visit
- Combine with Mount Ishizuchi in the mountains.
- Pair with the Niyodogawa over the Kochi border.
- Read our Ehime overview .
Getting There
- By car: essential, via mountain roads to the plateau.
- By car: the skyline road runs the length of the karst.
Tips
Come with a car, as this remote highland is only realistically reached by driving mountain roads, and time it for summer’s cool green grassland or autumn’s gold. Drive the skyline road slowly and stop at the viewpoints, bring a picnic and warm layer as it is cool even in summer, and combine it with Mount Ishizuchi for a day in Ehime’s high country.
