Driving Around Shikoku in a Sports Car Part 6: Saijo - Ishizuchi Skyline - UFO Line - Goshikidai Skyline - Zentsuji
In May 2025, I spent about a week driving around Shikoku in my beloved BRZ. I will be posting about this trip in several parts.
My previous post is here.
I hope this will be helpful for those who want to drive around Shikoku in a sports car (or any car they love).
This time, I will write about the fifth day, May 16th, covering the journey from Saijo City through the Ishizuchi Skyline and UFO Line, and then from Ehime Prefecture to Kagawa Prefecture. I will be driving the following route.
Since I made so many detours, I obviously didn't arrive in 6 and a half hours lol
Day 5 Morning: From Saijo towards Mt. Ishizuchi
Iyo-Saijo Station
The morning of my only business hotel stay on this trip.
I quickly got ready, checked out, hopped into my car, and headed to JR Iyo-Saijo Station.
I went there to take a photo of the station building and my car as a memento of my visit to Saijo.
(The business hotel and Iyo-Saijo Station are just a short walk away)
I think this is probably a major station in this area. There were a few cars dropping people off and taxis around.
I saw some railway-related equipment next to the station building and wondered what it was. It seems this is the 'Railway History Park in SAIJO,' a tourist exchange center in Saijo City, where various exhibits related to railways are on display.
I really wanted to see it, but if I waited for the opening time, my subsequent plans would be delayed, so I just looked at it from the outside this time.
(I was able to enjoy it quite a bit even from the outside)
Well, having enjoyed it to some extent, I set off towards Mt. Ishizuchi!
Departing for Mt. Ishizuchi, National Route 11
I set the navigation and drove west on National Route 11 to get to the Ishizuchi Skyline. (I'm heading back the way I came last night lol)
I set my destination to the Tsuchigoya parking lot.
National Route 494: Gradually heading into the mountains
After driving about 30km on Route 11, I turned onto National Route 494 from Miyanotani in Toon City, and gradually entered the mountain roads. There are some quite steep winding sections, which makes it interesting.
The section from the Ishizuchi Gate near the Omo-go Mountain Museum to Tsuchigoya (the part circled in yellow) is the "Ishizuchi Skyline".
The altitude has increased quite a bit.
About 2 hours after leaving Saijo, I stopped at "Omogo Furusato no Eki," which I saw along the road, to take a break.
After finishing my break at "Omogo Furusato no Eki" and driving for another 5 minutes or so, I saw a large torii gate.
Mt. Ishizuchi / Ishizuchi Skyline
The Ishizuchi Skyline begins at the "Ishizuchi Skyline Sekimon Gate" located right near here.
Well, here we are. The first goal of the day, the Ishizuchi Skyline!
Located on the south side of Mt. Ishizuchi, it is a road that stretches about 17km from the Sekimon Gate to Tsuchigoya, taking about 30 minutes by car.
Tsuchigoya Parking Lot
After driving for about 30 minutes from the Sekimon Gate, I arrived at Tsuchigoya.
I successfully finished driving the Ishizuchi Skyline!
What you can see behind is "Mt. Ishizuchi".
Along with the Mt. Ishizuchi Hill Climb monument.
The time is 11:45 AM.
Since it's a good time, I decided to have lunch at the restaurant cafe in Tsuchigoya.
mont-bell shop.
UFO Line
After lunch, I headed for the UFO Line, driving for a while from Tsuchigoya toward the Kamegamori area.
I wasn't quite sure where the UFO Line actually started while driving, but after looking it up,
The UFO Line is a 27km-long town road located along the ridgeline connecting Mt. Kanpu (1,176m), Mt. Iyofuji (1,756m), and Mt. Kamegamori (1,897m) along the border of Kochi and Ehime Prefectures, stretching with the backdrop of Mt. Ishizuchi, the highest peak in western Japan.
...is what it says.
In my case, I realized I was already driving on the UFO Line, haha.
My destination on the UFO Line was the area around the 'UFO Line Higashikuromori Passing Place,' famous for its superb views.
A superb view! The road in the sky leading to Mt. Ishizuchi
(UFO Line Higashikuromori Passing Place)
Superb view!
After driving for about 30 minutes from Tsuchigoya, I arrived at my destination just after 1:00 PM!
The scenery driving along the mountain ridgeline was breathtaking.
I think I ended up staying for about 30 minutes, taking photos and admiring the view, haha.
Besides me, two other groups arrived at different times.
One of them actually had a license plate from Chiba Prefecture, so I struck up a conversation and it turned out they were also enjoying a Shikoku trip in their own car from Chiba (lol).
We exchanged information about our travel itineraries and places we'd enjoyed driving so far.
(This kind of thing is fun.)
Note: When searching for this exact spot on Google Maps, I recommend searching for 'UFO Line Higashikuromori Passing Place'.
To Kagawa Prefecture
Since it was around 2:00 PM, I started driving toward Kagawa Prefecture.
The descent also featured winding roads just like the way up. I didn't find any parts of it particularly scary.
Come to think of it, I still haven't booked a place to stay for tonight...
I keep driving, feeling a mix of slight anxiety that I need to decide soon and the thought that it will probably work out somehow, haha.
After driving down the mountain road from the Higashikuromori turnout for about an hour, I returned to my starting point, Saijo City.
I turn right here onto Route 11 toward Kagawa.
From here, due to Route 11 and time constraints, I take the Matsuyama Expressway from Iyo-Saijo Interchange toward Kagawa.
From here, I head straight to Kagawa Prefecture.
Matsuyama Expressway
I feel like this is the first time since coming to Shikoku that I've had to worry about time and use the expressway, haha.
Even so, the Matsuyama Expressway is an easy road to drive on, with wide lanes.
After driving for a while, I take a break at Toyohama SA.
I really need to secure a place to stay for tonight soon...
I'll secure my accommodation for tonight here.
So, I decided to try my luck and contact a place I was interested in in Kagawa to see if I could stay for one night starting tonight.
...And to my surprise, they said yes!
So, my accommodation for tonight is set at the guesthouse 'Kaze no Kuguru' in Zentsuji!
The owner said, 'Only a private room is available, and it's a bit more expensive than the other rooms at 4,800 yen, is that okay?'
Actually, that's a relief for me!
With the accommodation for the last night of my Shikoku trip safely decided, I depart from Toyohama SA.
I drive along the Matsuyama Expressway, Sakaide JCT, and Seto-Chuo Expressway, then exit the expressway at Sakaide-Kita IC.
I drive through the streets of Sakaide, Kagawa, and head toward Goshikidai.
After getting off the expressway, I drive on local roads for a while.
I feel like the traffic has increased since entering Kagawa Prefecture.
Initially, I was aiming for the 'Shiude-yama Skyline'... but I must have made a mistake and entered 'Goshikidai Skyline' into the navigation, and before I knew it, I was driving toward Goshikidai, haha.
(I actually intended to go to Shiude-yama today and Goshikidai the next day.)
That said, I didn't have time to turn back, so I decided to head to the Goshikidai Skyline today.
You can see the Great Seto Bridge in the distance.
Goshikidai Skyline
After driving for a while, the entrance to the Goshikidai Skyline comes into view. This place felt more like a mountain right next to the city facing the Seto Inland Sea, and it was easy to access.
The road itself had one lane in each direction with many straights and gentle curves, making it very easy to drive!
This road apparently runs right between Takamatsu City and Sakaide City.
Descending the mountain, I drive through the streets of Kagawa toward Zentsuji, the town where I'm staying tonight.
It's past 5:30 PM. After enjoying the Goshikidai Skyline, I drive through the streets of Kagawa toward my accommodation for the night, 'Kaze no Kuguru'.
On the way, I head toward Zentsuji, passing through Sakaide City and Marugame City.
Since my laundry from this trip had piled up, I decided to stop by a laundromat.
I didn't take any pictures, but I did my laundry at the B.A.S. Laundromat along National Route 319 in Marugame City. It was very clean with new equipment, and they even had a service where they would call you once the laundry was finished if you entered your phone number! (Is that normal for laundromats these days?)
While the laundry was running, I went to get dinner.
Since I was in Marugame (and in Kagawa), I had to go eat udon.
I didn't have a specific place in mind, but after looking it up, I decided to eat at Momoyamatei, which had relatively good reviews.
Sanuki udon is delicious as always! The combination of thick noodles with meat and egg really gave me a boost of stamina.
After finishing the udon, I went to the supermarket in front of Momoyamatei to buy some late-night snacks before heading to the laundromat. I collected my laundry, and all that was left was to head to my accommodation.
Arrived at the guesthouse 'Kaze no Kuguru'
Just past 8:30 PM, I arrived safely at the guesthouse 'Kaze no Kuguru' in Zentsuji!
In reality, the entrance was quite stylish, especially with the lighting!
It is a simple, square-shaped guesthouse located in a quiet residential area.
As soon as I entered, the owner welcomed me and handled the check-in process. The owner was very friendly, asking me various questions about my trip and recommending udon shops; they were incredibly kind. (Even though it was a last-minute booking... I'm so grateful!!)
After that, I was shown to my reserved room and spent some time relaxing.
Inside the building, not only the entrance lobby and kitchen area, but also the hallways and the small book space were very clean and stylishly designed.
It was interesting that each room was named after Sanuki udon varieties like 'Kamatama,' 'Kamaage,' and 'Bukkake.' The room I stayed in this time was 'Kamaage.'
It was a simple 7.5-tatami mat room, and the shape of the windows and the lighting were... so chic!!
This cost 4,800 yen for one person per night (as of 2025). It was more satisfying than the price suggests!
The restrooms, washbasins, and bathrooms were not only clean, but the fact that there were multiple units installed showed the owner's thoughtfulness and consideration.
After organizing my luggage and taking a bath, I spent time in the shared space editing the photos I took today while drinking the 'Ishizuchi' sake I bought when I went to Mount Ishizuchi earlier.
There were also many books about Shikoku and the pilgrimage, which were very interesting.
Well, time flies, and this stay was my final night in Shikoku. The next day, I would enjoy Kagawa Prefecture before heading to Honshu (to the Kansai region where my grandmother lives).
Thank you once again for reading this far!