It might be the smallest of the four main islands which make up Japan, but Shikoku – the last of the islands to build transport links to Honshu, the country’s main island – retains many of its original historic features.

Some of the eye catching landmarks of old Japan which can be seen include examples of feudal Japan’s architecture, such as sake breweries and temples, dotted around the landscape.

Shikoku’s rich heritage has seen it become one of Japan’s most popular destinations but Shikoku has also carved out a reputation as hotspot for adventurous tourists and nature lovers, with self-drive holiday makers looking to discover rural Japan.

Surfers head to Kaifu Point for some of the country’s biggest waves, while the Yoshino River is famous for quality and size of its rapids, making white-water rafting one of the most popular activities in the area.

Culturally-minded visitors find delight in the Otsuka Museum of Art, the largest permanent exhibition space in Japan, whilst the many Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines that dot the region are another draw.

Capitalising on the growing popularity of the Shikoku, Cathay Pacific Group has introduced a new scheduled seasonal service from Hong Kong to Tokushima, capital city of Tokushima Prefecture on the island.

The new two-times-weekly service is the 10th route that the Cathay group will have launched in 2018. The route will be operated by Cathay Dragon between 19 December 2018 and 30 March 2019 using Airbus A320 aircraft.

Cathay Pacific chief customer and commercial officer, Paul Loo, said: “Our routes to Japan are performing extremely well for us and we are very pleased to be able to offer our customers with a new destination in this most beautiful, dynamic and culturally-rich of countries.”