Takamatsu (高松市; Takamatsu-shi , literally the high pines) is the capital of the Préfecture of Kagawa on the island of Shikoku to the Japan. Takamatsu is located at the north of the island and borders the inland sea. It has as coordinates.

November 1st 2006, the city counted 426  514 inhabitants (estimate) with a Population density of 1261 people by km ². The total surface area of the commune is of 375.09 km ² since the September 26th 2005, date on which the town of Shionoe was attached to the commune.

The city was officially founded the February 15th 1890. However, Takamatsu is a political and economic center since Edo when the Clan Matsudaira made of Takamatsu the capital of their han. In 1185, the place, then called Yashima, was the theater of a famous naval battle of the Guerre of Gempei, the Bataille of Yashima.

Since the opening of the Seto Bridge, trains (Marine Liner) transport passengers between Takamatsu and Uno (Tamano, Okayama).

L' major attraction of the city is the garden Ritsurin-kōen, created under Edo.

Nowadays, the city is famous for its noodles, the Sanuki udon , considered delicious and cheap.

It is twinned with the French city of Tours and the American city of St.Petersurg.

External bonds

• Official site
• Wikitravel

Zh-classical: 高松市