From Beppu, I took the ferry across to Yawatahama on the island of Shikoku. I then headed north to the historic town of Uchiko.
Uchiko-za Kabuki Theater, Uchiko, Ehime Prefecture
Sign outside Uchiko-za Theater, Uchiko, Ehime Prefecture
Uchiko is famous for its vegetable wax candles and Uchiko-za a Kabuki and Bunraku theater. It was an interesting place to walk around for a few hours. Kosyo-ji Temple at the top of the hill had an impressive giant reclining buddha statue that I hadn’t expected.
Reclining Buddha, Kosyo-ji Temple, Uchiko, Ehime Prefecture
And finally, I almost asked this guy for directions, but he wasn’t very talkative.
Uchiko History & Folklore Museum, Uchiko, Ehime Prefecture
TRAVEL 67 : Chris Willson Photography 
I had heard about the Uchiko Kabuki theatre… as a big kabuki fan, it’s definitely on my list of places to go should I ever make my way to Shikoku.
Have you been to the Kanamaru-za in Kotohira, Kagawa-ken?
Didn’t have time to stop anywhere in Kagawa Prefecture this trip. I took the train from Matsuyama City all the way to Okayama.
Would love to photograph Kabuki and Bunraku sometime in the future. I’m sure it will require months of preparation and a huge pile of (Japanese) paperwork.