Ayagawa Town

A shrine marks where Michizane once lived.

Takinomiya Tenmangu

Photo by Bakkai (CC BY 3.0)

01 ／ Takinomiya Nenbutsu Odori

Dancing for joy when the rain came,the tradition lives on in 11 town groups.

In 888, Sugawara no Michizane is said to have prayed for rain during a severe drought; when rain finally fell, the grateful people danced, and this is said to be the origin of the dance. Every fourth Sunday of August, 11 nenbutsu groups from within Ayagawa Town take turns, three groups every four years, offering the dance at Takinomiya Shrine and Takinomiya Tenmangu (滝宮天満宮). In 1977 it was designated a national Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property.

888 (tradition): thanksgiving for rain began the dance
1977: designated national Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property
11 town groups, 3 at a time every 4 years

02 ／ Suki Saiden

In 1915, this paddy was chosen to growthe rice offered at the Daijosai.

For the Daijosai marking Emperor Taisho's enthronement, a paddy in Ayagawa Town (then Ayanan Town, 旧綾南町) was chosen as the "Suki Saiden" (主基斎田), one of the two sacred rice fields whose harvest is offered to the new emperor. A local preservation society still reenacts the rice-planting each year in the "Otaue Matsuri" (お田植まつり), reaching its 111th year in 2026. Early-rice planters (早乙女) come from Kagawa Prefectural Agricultural Management High School, and singers from Ayagawa Town's Ayakami Elementary School (綾上小学校).

1915 (Taisho 4): chosen as the Suki Saiden
Reenactment festival: 111th year in 2026
Planters come from a prefectural agricultural high school

03 ／ Mount Tsutsumi

A rice-ball-shaped mountaincarries the name "Hayuka Fuji."

Ayagawa,Hyukafuji.jpg — Photo by Sunport1216 (CC BY-SA 3.0)

Standing on the border with Marugame City at 201 meters, this mountain is known locally as "Hayuka Fuji" (羽床富士). The Kagawa Tourism Association lists it as one of the "Sanuki Seven Fujis," made up of a larger northern peak (Odazumi-yama) and a smaller southern one (Kodazumi-yama). It sits right by Kotoden's Hayuka Station, close enough for a day trip by train.

Elevation 201m (Geospatial Information Authority of Japan)
One of the "Sanuki Seven Fujis," known as Hayuka Fuji
Within walking distance of Kotoden's Hayuka Station

Living here

Two towns, Ayakami and Ayanan, became one.

about 20,000 people
Rural district town

Ayagawa Town was formed in 2006 by the merger of Ayakami Town and Ayanan Town (綾上町・綾南町). It borders Takamatsu City to the north, and the Ayagawa River, which rises at Mount Ryuo in the Sanuki Mountains, flows through the town's center. The only railway is Kotoden's Kotohira Line, and the gateway Takinomiya Station is about a 5-minute walk from the town hall.

People living here: 22,693people
Area: 109.75km²
Households: 8,858households
Rent (average for rentals): 46,127yen
Healthcare: 2 hospitals ／ 18 clinics

Area and habitable land at the same scalee-Stat B1101 / B1103

Children waiting for childcare: —6 nurseries and similar
Home purchase subsidy: —
Average annual temperature: —

These 3 items are waiting on a nationwide data source. We do not fill them with estimates.

Shape

Borders 4 municipalities.

Ayagawa Town in Japan34.250°N 133.923°E

Territory of Ayagawa Town

Boundaries: National Land Numerical Information (N03)

North to south

15.6km

高松市, まんのう町, 丸亀市, 坂出市

Travel times per leg are not published by the municipality, so they are not shown.

Ayagawa Town isthis kind of town.

01Takinomiya Tenmangu stands where Sugawara no Michizane, who served as governor of Sanuki, is said to have had his residence.
02Every fourth Sunday of August, 11 nenbutsu groups from within the town take turns offering the "Takinomiya Nenbutsu Odori," and a festival still reenacts the rice-planting of the "Suki Saiden," chosen for Emperor Taisho's Daijosai.
03Mount Tsutsumi (Hayuka Fuji), on the border with Marugame City, is one of the Sanuki Seven Fujis, and Takinomiya also carries a tradition as the "birthplace of Sanuki udon," said to have been brought by Chisen Daitoku (智泉大徳), a nephew of Kukai.

If something caught your eye, ask the town itself.

Ayagawa Town official site ↗Wikipedia ↗