Higashikagawa sits at the eastern edge of Kagawa prefecture, where Shikoku narrows toward Tokushima and the Seto Inland Sea. It is not a shrine town like Kotohira or a big-city base like Takamatsu, but it has a clear local character: old port streets, glove workshops, puppet theatre, and a small zoo that families in Kagawa know well.
The most rewarding area is Hiketa, a former port town with low merchant houses and the restored Sanshu Izutsu House at its centre. Higashikagawa's other story is gloves. The city makes most of Japan's domestic gloves, from winter wear to sports gloves, and the local museum turns that unlikely industry into a compact, very specific craft stop.
Come for a half-day if you are crossing eastern Shikoku slowly, or make it a quiet day trip from Takamatsu. Higashikagawa is best for travellers who like modest craft towns and lived-in old streets more than big-ticket sightseeing.