Shodoshima Island floats in the Seto Inland Sea, known as the “Jewel of the World” for its breathtaking beauty and site of Japan’s first national park.
Shodoshima is one of Japan’s most popular destinations for island tourism. Here you’ll find not only natural beauty, but also culture and cuisine passed down for generations. Shodoshima is famous for its traditionally brewed soy sauce and as the top producer of olives in Japan.
- START
-
Tonosho Port
- Time required
-
1 night, 2 days
- Tonosho Port
- A short walk from "Kokusai Hotel-mae" bus stop
-
1Angel Road
The sand road appears and disappears with the high and low tides. There are four islands connected from Bentenjima, which is next to Shodoshima.
You can walk across the sand road twice a day at low tide, once in the morning and once in the afternoon. It is said that if you walk across holding the hand of your special person, an angel will descend and grant your wish. This site is recognized as one of Japan’s ‘Lovers Holy Lands’, a romantic spot just right for proposing.
At the shops near the Angel Road you can purchase a ‘ema’ (a plaque onto which you write your wish and leave at a shrine). There is also a selection of popular Shodoshima souvenirs like olives and somen noodles for sale.More Details
- "Olive Town-mae" bus stop
- "Hitoyama" bus stop
- 10-minute walk
-
2Hitoyama Rural Kabuki
It is said that Hitoyama Kabuki got its start in 1686, when a small shack was first built here for theatrical performances to celebrate the completion of Kaeruga ike, a pond that was constructed to overcome a water shortage. Since that time, many kabuki performances have been offered up to the Hachiman Shrine, where the theater is located. The building is a representative example of a Shikoku stage.
The current stage was built in 1900, as a slightly larger version of a previous building that was destroyed by a typhoon four years earlier. The theater has all the characteristic features of a kabuki house: hanamichi, revolving stage, lift, the abyss (naraku), grapevine trellis (budodana), ceiling, dressing room, green room, head actor’s and dressing room.More Details
- 20-minute walk
-
3Nakayama Rural Kabuki
Nakayama Rural Kabuki is a traditional kabuki theater of Shodoshima Island, dating from the Edo period (1603–1868), that was performed as an offering to the local Kasuga Shrine. It is said that the island landlords, after praying at the Ise Shrine and while waiting for good seafaring weather, enjoyed kabuki in the Kamigata area (Kyoto and Osaka) so much they brought it back home. What makes the kabuki here unique is that, unlike professional kabuki performances, the actors, narrators (gidayu), makeup artists, and stage carpenters are all local residents.
The stage of Nakayama Kabuki is set in a traditional thatched-roof Japanese house, equipped with several kabuki theater devices.
Nakayama Rural Kabuki was designated as a Kagawa Prefecture Intangible Folk Cultural Property in 1975, and its stage was registered as a National Tangible Folk Cultural Property in 1987.More Details
- "Kasugajinja-mae" bus stop
- "Shodoshima Chuobyoin" bus stop
- "Olive Koen Guchi" bus stop
- 5-minute walk
-
4Shodoshima Olive Park
This Greek-style park is constructed on the top of a hill overlooking the Seto Inland Sea.
The spacious grounds are planted with about 2,000 olive trees and more than 130 different types of herb. You can use these to make your own sachet and potpourri at the shop called Herb Craft-kan. There are many other herb-related items for sale at the Herb Shop Pukoriko.
The central building has a restaurant where you can enjoy dishes using olive, and there are also many herb-related items collected here ― great for souvenir shopping.
There are many symbols of the friendship between Shodoshima and its Greek sister city Miros, including the Greek windmill, and some monuments. The natural hotspring ‘Sun Olive Hotspring’ is also recommended.More Details
- "Olive Koen Guchi" bus stop
- "Kusakabe Port" bus stop (This bus does not operate in winter.)
- "Kountei" bus stop
-
5Kankakei Gorge
Kankakei Gorge is situated in the central part of Shodoshima Island in Kagawa Prefecture. About 14 million years ago, intense volcanic activity in this region formed a mountainous terrain, which was then exposed to erosion and weathering over thousands of years. The terrain was eventually shaped into a geologically diverse gorge that has been designated a Place of Scenic Beauty and chosen as one of the three most beautiful gorges in Japan.
The summit of Kankakei Gorge is accessible either on foot, by car, or by Kankakei Ropeway, which will take you from Sanroku Koun Station located at the bottom of the gorge to the summit, offering panoramic views of the surrounding landscape and the Seto Inland Sea. The scenery changes from season to season with vivid cherry blossoms in spring, lush greenery in summer, colorful maple leaves in autumn, and glimmering snowcaps in winter. The ropeway normally departs every 12 minutes (or every 6 minutes during peak travel seasons), and the ride to the summit takes about 5 minutes. The service is available year-round.
Once you get to the top, you can head to a viewing platform to enjoy the breathtaking panorama. There is a restaurant that serves olive beef croquette burgers and a gift shop that carries a variety of Shodoshima Island's signature products, from somen noodles to olive oil and soy sauce. You can also try a unique beverage called Momiji Cider, which got its name from the vivid red color of maple leaves. Finally, take a walk down one of the hiking trails to explore the area and visit some of the truly photogenic spots the gorge has to offer.More Details
- "Kountei" bus stop
- "Kusakabe Port" bus stop (This bus does not operate in winter.)
- "Marukin-mae" bus stop
-
6Soy Sauce Village
Shodoshima Island’s soy sauce factories are concentrated in an area called Soy Sauce Village, where warehouses and factories built during the Meiji era (1868-1912) line the road from Yasuda to Sakate Port. The buildings, still in use today, create a historic atmosphere with their traditional charred wood cladding and old plaster walls.
Soy sauce manufacturing began on Shodoshima in the 16th century, after persons coming to quarry stones for Osaka Castle brought the recipe. The industry reached its height at the turn of the 20th century, with over 400 factories operating. Currently, about 20 factories are still running.
Unlike soy sauce produced elsewhere, Shodoshima soy sauce is unique for the use of traditional wooden barrels during the fermentation process. Many factories offer tastings—discover and be amazed by the rich flavor achieved through centuries-old techniques. Some locations even sell soy sauce ice cream, which might surprise you with its harmony of flavors. We also recommend Shodoshima soy sauce as a souvenir.More Details
Restaurants in this area
