Yashima Plateau
Yashima (“roof island”) is a towering volcanic plateau just east of central Takamatsu. As the name suggests, it was once an island, separated from Shikoku by a narrow channel, but landfill dating back to the 1600s filled in the waterway. Visitors can now walk, drive, or take a bus to the peak to enjoy scenic views of Takamatsu and the islands of the Seto Inland Sea. In the past, the location of Yashima made it a strategic site: fortifications on the plateau were first mentioned in the Nihon shoki (The Chronicles of Japan), completed in 720. Centuries later, in 1185, the Dan no Ura cove on the eastern side of Yashima was the site of a famous battle between the rival Taira and Minamoto samurai clans. The Battle of Yashima was won by the Minamoto, who went on to crush the Taira and later established the Kamakura shogunate, which ruled Japan from 1192 to 1333. Another site of historical interest on Yashima is Yashimaji Temple, the 84th temple on the Shikoku 88-Temple Pilgrimage. Said to have been founded in the eighth century, the temple is most notable for its hondo (main hall), a designated Important Cultural Property built in the Kamakura period (1185–1333).