Shikoku, Japan · Remote island, Sea / Beach, Mountain
The Seto Inland Sea's second-largest island: olive groves, four-century-old soy sauce storehouses, a volcanic gorge that turns red in November, and kabuki staged by farmers. Far more than a day trip from Takamatsu.
Ferry — Ferries from Takamatsu to Tonosho (1 hr, ¥700, about 15 sailings a day; the 30-minute fast boat has been cut to 8 runs since May 2026 because of fuel prices), from Shin-Okayama port to Tonosho (70 min, ¥1,200, every 1-2 hrs; from Kurashiki take the train to Okayama and a bus to the port), from Himeji to Fukuda (100 min, ¥1,900) or from Kobe to Sakate (about 3 hrs, ¥1,990). On the island, Olive Bus fares top out at ¥500 (day pass ¥1,600), but buses to the interior are infrequent: a rental car is strongly recommended.
A roughly 180 m sandbar that links three islets to the Tonosho shore only for a few hours around low tide, twice a day: check the tide table for your date before going. Free, about 2 km from Tonosho port (a 30-minute walk). The Yakusoku no Oka lookout gives the full view.
One of Japan's three most beautiful gorges, with volcanic rock pinnacles above the Inland Sea. The ropeway crosses the valley in 5 minutes (¥1,300 one way, ¥2,340 return; 8:30-17:00, from 8:00 between 21 October and 30 November). Autumn colour peaks in the second half of November, when queues form. Buses run roughly every two hours from Kusakabe and Ikeda ports (¥500, 30 min).
Between Kusakabe and Sakate ports stands a quarter of soy sauce storehouses with 400 years of brewing behind it. Yamaroku Shoyu shows its huge century-old cedar vats (kioke) free and without booking; they ask you not to eat natto beforehand. Its teahouse serves grilled mochi with soy sauce and moromi desserts.
Every second Sunday of October villagers stage kabuki on the thatched stage of Kasuga Shrine beside the terraces; the audience sits on the slope with bento boxes and tosses ohineri (coins twisted in paper). From 17:00; in 2026 it falls on 11 October. In March 2026 Shodoshima's rural kabuki was designated an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property. A free shuttle usually runs from Ikeda.
From 11 to 21 October the island's Hachiman shrines bring out their taiko-dai, drum floats weighing one to two tonnes carried by about a hundred locals, with children drumming inside. The big day is the 16th at Kameyama Hachiman in Ikeda, where crowds watch from stone terraces (sajiki) on the hillside; Tonosho's shrine has its turn on the 14th.
Shodoshima's tenobe somen is stretched by hand and sun-dried. At the Nakabu-an workshop you separate the strands with chopsticks yourself (hashiwake) and tour the factory: ¥1,200 (children ¥900), about 45 minutes, then eat them in the dining room (10:00-13:30). Book by the day before; closed Tuesday to Thursday except holidays.
The island cooks with what it makes: hishio-don (a rice bowl of local produce seasoned with soy moromi, served by a network of seven restaurants), chilled somen, yellowtail and beef raised on olive pomace, and tsukudani. Most eateries close by mid-afternoon; in the evening you're left with hotel restaurants and a handful of izakaya in Tonosho.
The island's other farmers' kabuki stage, at Hitoyama Rikyu Hachiman Shrine, with over 300 years of tradition: the annual performance is on 3 May, in the middle of Golden Week, with the audience picnicking on mats in the grounds. It is in inland Tonosho, about 15 minutes' drive from the port.
The inner sanctuary of temple 72 is reached by climbing two chain-assisted rock sections and squeezing through a narrow opening in the cave, the 'passage of happiness', to a hall set into the cliff with Inland Sea views. Climbing is allowed only from 8:00 to 14:00. Wear trainers and comfortable clothes; not for anyone with vertigo, nor in the rain. 20 minutes' drive from Tonosho.
Over 700 stepped rice paddies in the Nakayama valley, fed by a spring by Kasuga Shrine, whose thatched kabuki stage watches over the village. Flooded paddies in May-June, green in summer, gold before the autumn harvest. They are working private fields: stay off the banks. In the island's interior, about 20 minutes' drive from Tonosho.
On the site where Japan's first olive grove took root in 1908: a hillside with a Greek windmill over the sea, a small olive museum and oil and cosmetics shops. Free, 8:30-17:00. The shop lends brooms for free so you can take the 'flying' photo à la Kiki's Delivery Service, whose live-action version was filmed here.
The set of the 1987 remake of 'Nijushi no Hitomi', Sakae Tsuboi's novel about a village teacher and her pupils before and during the war: school, houses, canal and a cinema screening the 1954 film. The real Misaki branch school (1902-1971) is nearby. Combined ticket ¥950-1,160 depending on season; 9:00-17:00 daily. It sits at the tip of the Tanoura peninsula with few buses.
Shodoshima has its own 88-temple circuit, some 150 km that take close to two weeks on foot, with many mountain and cave temples. A day is enough for a taste: walk one stretch following the henro signs, or pick a handful of temples such as the Nishi no Taki cave with its sea view. Stamp books are sold at the temples.
Two trails link the ropeway stations if you'd rather not ride it: the western one, about 2 km, climbs in an hour (30-45 minutes down) past named rock formations; the eastern one is a bit longer, around 3 km. Most people ride up and walk down. Wear proper shoes: some stone sections are slippery.
One boulder perched on another at the top of an old quarry hill, beside a small shrine, looking out over the Inland Sea. Free; 10 minutes' drive from Tonosho port and a 20-minute walk from the small car park on a narrow, slippery path. It is private land with minimal upkeep: don't cross the fences.
An old soy sauce storehouse turned museum, with the vats, tools and brewing process explained (also in English). ¥500, 9:00-16:00 (16:30 in the summer holidays and autumn foliage season), irregular closures. The shop opposite sells soy sauce ice cream.
During the harvest, from mid-October to mid-November, the Inoue Seikoen grove (10 minutes' walk from Ikeda port) lets you pick olives and press them on the spot: you take home 50-100 g of same-day unfiltered oil. In 2025 it cost ¥16,500 per group of up to four; booking required, and dates change every year.
Shodoshima is a Setouchi Triennale venue (last edition 2025, next in 2028) and keeps outdoor works you can see year-round for free: Choi Jeong-hwa's gold olive-leaf crown 'Gift of the Sun' at Tonosho port, Kenji Yanobe's 'Star Anger' at Sakate port and Hisakazu Shimizu's sculptures among the olive trees of Hishio no Sato. Indoor works usually open only during the festival.
A sake brewery set in an old soy sauce storehouse in Umaki, with free tastings of 3 to 5 sakes and a café serving sake-lees soup with island vegetables and sweets made with sake lees. Right on the Hishio no Sato route; call ahead for hours (0879-61-2077).
Guided kayak trips among coves, islets and cliffs of the Inland Sea, usually in calm water. DREAMISLAND, based in Nakayama, takes one group (maximum 5) per half-day trip from April to November; spring and early summer bring the calmest seas. Booking required; trips are cancelled in typhoons or strong wind.
Ten kilometres of mountain road between Kankakei and the interior, with lookouts over the Inland Sea and Kagawa's islands; the Utsukushi no Hara plateau is the best. Car or taxi only: no bus. The Choshikei monkey park on this route has closed indefinitely due to staff shortages (September 2026).
Hot-spring baths inside Olive Park, fed by water from 1,600 m down, overlooking Uchiumi Bay. ¥1,000 (towel ¥200). Since 17 July 2026 hours are cut to 15:00-20:00 (last entry 19:30) because of heavy-oil supply restrictions, with no end date; closed Wednesdays, and the baths also on Thursdays, except holidays.
Olive Beach, 700 m of white sand and calm water below Olive Park, has lifeguarded swimming from 5 July to 30 August (2026), with beach huts and free parking; Kashima, 5 minutes from Tonosho by Angel Road, from 18 July to 30 August. Outside those dates there are no lifeguards. Jellyfish appear in late August.
Tsukudani (seaweed, beans or fish simmered in soy sauce and sugar) grew out of the island's soy surplus. Ittokuan has a shop with tastings (9:00-17:00, closed Wednesdays); Kyohotei has a small museum and café, plus ¥800 talks and mini tours by reservation (closed weekends and holidays).
The 2.5 km channel between Shodoshima and Maejima island is 9.93 m wide at its narrowest, a Guinness record since 1996. You cross it on a bridge in central Tonosho, and the town hall beside it issues a 'crossing' certificate. A ten-minute curiosity on the way to something else.
The west coast between Tonosho and Angel Road faces Teshima and Naoshima and is the best place to watch the sun go down over the Inland Sea. If the tide is right, pair it with Angel Road; otherwise use the harbour promenade or the Yakusoku no Oka lookout.
From 1620 feudal lords quarried granite blocks on the north coast to rebuild Osaka Castle; hundreds were left behind, still bearing wedge marks and clan crests. The roadside-station museum at Konomi is free (9:00-17:00, closed 29 December-3 January), and more stones lie in the old Iwagatani quarry.
A 50 m white statue (1993) housing a temple that keeps a Buddha relic donated from Sri Lanka, hundreds of small golden Kannon figures, and a lookout at the top. ¥500, 8:00-17:00 daily. Ten minutes uphill from the Daikannon-mae bus stop on the northern line to Fukuda.
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