Crossing Shikoku on Route 194

The morning in Saijo City marked the final day of our touring adventure.

Although the snow clouds that brought a cold wave to the Japanese archipelago had eased somewhat, there was still a risk of snow in the mountainous areas of Shikoku. Checking the weather forecast, I confirmed the route.

The 911 was quite dirty, its body sticky from road salt. Washing it now would be pointless since it would get dirty again soon, so I just wiped the taillights clean and set off.

First, I headed south on my favorite Route 194 toward Kochi.

From Saijo City, the elevation gradually rises along Route 194. Being early morning, the roads were empty. Occasionally, large trucks appeared ahead, but I took advantage of passing lanes on uphill sections to overtake without hesitation.

Dropping from 6th gear straight down to 3rd, I pressed the accelerator.

The roaring exhaust note, a mix of intake and exhaust sounds, echoed inside the cabin. The power of the sound around 3000 rpm was incredible. What’s wonderful about the 991.1 GTS is that you can enjoy this kind of thrilling sound, which in a GT3 you’d only hear at high revs, even at everyday engine speeds.

Wide roads with smooth pavement, moderate uphill stretches, and gentle curves in succession. The 911, leveraging its displacement and power, climbs the hills as if it were running on flat ground. This is where the fun and appeal of Route 194 lie.

As I neared the mountain pass summit, snow began to accumulate along the roadside. Light snowflakes started to fall, and the temperature dropped sharply.

I slowed the pace a bit to enjoy driving on the snowy road.

The PTM (Porsche Traction Management) display showed a nearly constant front-to-rear torque split of about 5:5 to 4:6. This ensured stable acceleration and cornering, so there was no fear at all.

Along the way, I stopped at the roadside station Kinoka to take a break and enjoy the snowy scenery.

After crossing the pass, it was downhill. Being on the southern side of the mountain, there was almost no snow. Traffic increased slightly, but I was able to descend smoothly without losing pace.

Famous Route 439 (Yosaku)

At one point, I saw the sign for Route 439 and turned left. While Route 439 is often known as a narrow, hard-to-drive road, it also has many sections that are excellent for driving, and some stretches are very easy to drive.

Especially the section around Agawa District on Route 439 is superb. The road is well maintained and traffic is light. It’s a large-scale winding road with moderate curves, so it’s easy to get carried away and speed up, which requires caution.

After a restroom break at the roadside station Tosa Sameura, I planned to head south on Route 32 and then proceed to Route 195.

Looking at the map, K253 seemed like a shortcut to Route 195, so I took a little detour. However, this turned out to be a big mistake. The road was a series of very twisty and tight winding sections, reminiscent of a small Usui Pass, but with many small stones and branches on the road, making it far from comfortable to drive.

Still, I pushed the 911 forward, but eventually entered a narrow section barely wider than the car. Judging it too dangerous to continue, I turned around and retreated.

Route 195: A Road Packed with Everything Perfect for Touring

Returning to Route 32, I then headed onto Route 195 in the 911.

I’ve featured Route 195 many times on this blog; it’s a grand road stretching over 100 km connecting Kochi and Tokushima. From winding riverside roads to serious mountain passes and gentle cruising sections, it offers a variety of driving scenarios, making it a very enjoyable route.

As I progressed toward the mountains, the previously heavy traffic gradually thinned out.

The 911 was set to Sport mode with the chassis also in Sport. The PDK kept the engine revs in the sweet spot, delivering a wonderful balance of sound, power, and response.

What is it about Porsche that, even after driving the same roads repeatedly over the past few days, still moves me every time? (laughs)

As the elevation rose, snow began to accumulate seriously. While Shikoku is generally thought of as warm, it’s wise to be cautious in mountainous areas during cold waves.

Route 195, now fully snowy, entered a mountain pass with increasing steep slopes. I noticed some cars spinning their tires and struggling to climb. Slightly concerned, I pressed the accelerator on the 911. As expected, the all-wheel drive was reassuring. It cleared the steep sections with ease and kept moving forward.

After crossing the pass and starting the descent, the snow diminished considerably. I increased the pace and descended swiftly.

I stopped for a break at the roadside station Momijigawa Onsen. This spot is famous in spring for the beautiful contrast of cherry blossoms and the lake. Though still cold, coming down to this area felt noticeably warmer than Honshu.

Trying a shortcut toward Tokushima via K19 revealed a road with a stark contrast between narrow and fast sections. There were stretches barely one to one-and-a-half lanes wide, then suddenly wide two-lane roads. Since it runs along a river, if further improvements were made, it could become a fantastic driving road, which is a shame.

From Tokushima, I took the highway straight home.

Taking care of the tired 911 after the long trip, I cruised slowly along the Kobe-Awaji-Naruto Expressway, crossed into Hyogo Prefecture, and concluded the last tour of 2021.

The total distance covered this time was 1,617 km, fuel efficiency was 10.4 km/l, and the average speed was 50 km/h.

Route Map of This Trip