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Voykit pocket guide · Japan
Mima
美馬市
Base in Wakimachi's Udatsu district for one night, or day-trip from Tokushima: the Edo streets take 2–3 hours, the rest of Mima needs a car.
Mima is a small inland city on the Yoshino River in western Tokushima, formed in 2005 from Wakimachi, Anabuki, Mima and Koyadaira. Its draw is the Udatsu townscape — a preserved row of Edo and Meiji merchant houses with fire-blocking roof walls — plus the temple district at Sadamitsu and mountain villages toward Mt. Tsurugi. Sights are spread over 30 km, so a car or taxi matters more here than in Tokushima city.
- Country
- Japan
- Local name
- 美馬市
- Best months
- Mar–May, Oct–Nov
- Avoid
- Jun–Sep (rainy season, typhoons, heat)
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- JPY
- Money
- Cities are increasingly cashless; temples, small restaurants and some lodging taxes still want cash.
- Daily spend
- Budget ¥6,000–10,000 excl. bed · Mid ¥10,000–16,000 excl. bed · High ¥16,000+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Data-only eSIMs are the easy route: buy before you fly; voice SIMs need a residence card.
- Emergency
- Police 110 · Fire and ambulance 119
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 100 V · 50 Hz east (Tokyo), 60 Hz west (Osaka) · Most sockets are two flat pins without earth; European and UK plugs need an adapter. Phone and laptop chargers handle 100 V.
- Tipping
- Restaurants and bars: No tip; staff will chase you to return money left on the table.; Taxis: No tip; pay the meter.; Ryokan: Optional: ¥1,000–3,000 in an envelope for the room attendant; never loose cash.; Private guide: Not expected; a small gift or a thank-you meal is more usual.; Hotel porter: No tip.
- Water
- Safe from the tap everywhere; stations and parks have fountains.
- Toilets
- Free, clean public toilets in stations, parks and konbini; paper goes in the toilet. Rural and old stations may have squat toilets.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee or tea at a local café | ¥400–700 |
| Noodle soup (Tokushima ramen or udon) | ¥700–1,200 |
| Yoshida Residence entry (includes the theater) | ¥500 |
| Wakimachi Theater entry | ¥200 |
| Taxi, 5 km (3.1 mi)Taxi, 3.1 mi (5 km) | ¥1,800–2,400 |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | ¥2,000–4,000 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- TKS · Tokushima Awaodori Airport
- Bus to Tokushima Station, then the Tokushima Line; about 1 h 30 min total to Anabuki
- TAK · Takamatsu Airport
- About 40 min by car from Mima City Hall via Route 193
- KIX · Kansai International
- About 2 h 45 min to Tokushima city by bus, then train; the long way round
Typical fares
- Anabuki → Tokushima, Tokushima Line
- about ¥830, a little over 1 h
- Anabuki → Tokushima, limited express
- about ¥2,270, about 40 min
- Taxi, Wakimachi area to Udatsu townscape
- ¥1,500–2,500
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
The Tokushima Line stops at Anabuki, Oshima and Sadamitsu, but the sights sit 4 km (2.5 mi) or more from the platforms. Buses are sparse. A rental car from Tokushima or Takamatsu is the practical choice; otherwise use taxis (Udatsu Taxi, Mt. Tsurugi Taxi, Koori Taxi) or rent a bicycle at the tourism center in Wakimachi.The Tokushima Line stops at Anabuki, Oshima and Sadamitsu, but the sights sit 2.5 mi (4 km) or more from the platforms. Buses are sparse. A rental car from Tokushima or Takamatsu is the practical choice; otherwise use taxis (Udatsu Taxi, Mt. Tsurugi Taxi, Koori Taxi) or rent a bicycle at the tourism center in Wakimachi.
See and do
Known for
- Udatsu townscape in Wakimachi
- Indigo merchant houses
- Tera-machi temple district
- Mt. Tsurugi and the Yoshino River valley
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Tokushima city | Tokushima Line from Anabuki, about 1 h; limited express about 40 min | About 1–1.25 h |
| Naruto whirlpools | Train to Tokushima or Naruto, then bus to the strait | 2–2.5 h |
| Miyoshi and the Iya Valley | Car via Route 192 along the Yoshino River | About 1.5–2 h |
| Awa | Tokushima Line east, then local lines | About 1.5 h |
Sleep
- Wakimachi (Udatsu district)
- Walk to the townscape, Yoshida Residence and the theater; the only area with real sightseeing on foot. Few beds — book ahead.
- Anabuki
- Around Anabuki Station on the Tokushima Line; practical for rail arrivals and the closest thing to a transport hub.
- Sadamitsu
- Base for the Tera-machi temple walk, about 30 min on foot from the station.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me / Sorry | すみませんsumimasen |
| Thank you | ありがとうございますarigatō gozaimasu |
| How much is it? | いくらですか？ikura desu ka |
| Can I pay by card? | カードで払えますか？kādo de haraemasu ka |
| Where is the toilet? | トイレはどこですか？toire wa doko desu ka |
| Please call a taxi | タクシーを呼んでくださいtakushī o yonde kudasai |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: A small bow; a handshake if the other person offers; avoid: Hugs, back slaps, loud greetings
- Names: Family name plus -san; avoid: First names unless invited; adding -san to your own name
- Paying: Put money in the tray at the register; avoid: Tipping, or leaving loose cash for staff
- Trains: Queue at the floor marks, phone on silent, ask before reclining on the Shinkansen; avoid: Phone calls, eating on crowded commuter trains, blocking doors with bags
- Escalators: Stand on the side locals use — left in Tokyo, right in Osaka; stations now ask people to stand still on both; avoid: Stopping at the top or bottom
- Shoes: Off at the step-up entrance; toilet slippers only inside the toilet; avoid: Stepping on tatami in shoes or slippers
- Shrines: Rinse hands at the basin; bow twice, clap twice, bow once; avoid: Walking down the centre of the approach, which is for the deity
- Gifts: Offer and receive with both hands; bring a small omiyage for hosts; avoid: Sets of four; cash outside an envelope
Scams and watch-outs
- Sights are spread out: without a car, budget taxi fares or long walks.
- Many houses and museums close one day a week and over New Year; check before travelling.
- Rural buses run a few times a day at most — never plan a tight connection.
- English is limited outside the tourism center; carry addresses in Japanese.
Mima is a quiet rural city and violent crime is rare. The real risks are narrow roads with no pavement, deer and blind bends on mountain routes, and summer heat; keep cash for taxis and small shops.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Mima yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Udatsu townscape in Wakimachi
- Indigo merchant houses
- Tera-machi temple district
- Mt. Tsurugi and the Yoshino River valley
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Mima tourism guide (Mima Kankou): en.mimakankou.or.jp/event/
- Wikivoyage: Mima, revision 5298312 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5298312
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/mima). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.