Toshihiro: The history of olives goes back some 8,000 years. Olives are said to have grown naturally around the Mediterranean Sea. Eventually, cultivation began in ancient Greece, but the olives at that time were referred to as “elaifa,” which in Greek meant “oil.” That oil was used for daily and ritualistic purposes as a way to purify one’s body.

Tadakatsu: In addition to this, olive oil was also used as fuel for lamps. This act of providing light led to associating olives with the gods.

Toshihiro: This is why olives today have come to symbolize life, with Olympians in ancient Greece being bestowed with crowns of olive leaves. Another example is tied to Christianity. The dove that returned to Noah’s ark carried an olive branch, signifying that the world was now at peace. Thanks to various legends like this, olives came to be associated with peace, abundance, and rebirth, amongst other things. Over time, olives have become even more integral to our lives, being used for medicinal, cosmetic, and culinary purposes.

Tadakatsu: Olives first found their way to Japanese soil about 400 years ago by way of Portuguese missionaries. It was during the Meiji Era when efforts to produce Japanese olive oil really started to gain momentum. The original cultivation efforts were concentrated in Mie Prefecture, Kagoshima, and Shodoshima, but the only successful planting was here in Shodoshima. Why do you think that is?

Toshihiro: Olive plants were originally cultivated in dry lands, and thus aren’t suited to humidity. However, olive flowers tend to bloom in May or June, which overlaps with the rainy season in Japan, when it is damp and muggy. So even though the plants are able to pollinate, the small seeds begin to rot and fall off the trees.

Tadakatsu: The flowers bloom in the dry season in the Mediterranean, so the humidity causes the complete opposite result. When it rains, the pollen can’t spread, so it's hard to pollinate.

Toshihiro: However, here in Shodoshima, we are almost always in a state of drought, for better or worse, so that environment is perfect for the olives. The successful planting was also partially thanks to the efforts of the local people of Shodoshima at the time. If the trees were damaged during a typhoon, or there was an infestation, the people of the island worked hard to have successful harvests, and the olive came to be known as a specialty of Shodoshima.

Tadakatsu: The olives from Shodoshima are picked by hand. This results in the fragrant, high-quality, and uniquely flavored olive oil Shodoshima is known for. The best way to make the most of these natural flavors is with a dressing made with lots of Shodoshima olive oil. Oil treatments with Shodoshima olive oil and other cosmetics sold here also carry the fragrant aroma of the olives, which makes them very popular.

Toshihiro: You can find various olive products in Shodoshima, from pickled olives made using traditional Japanese pickling techniques, cider made from olive juice, and even beef from olive-fed cows. Shodoshima olives are the most famous olives in all of Japan. We hope that you can come to understand the benefits olives can bring to the world during your time here on Shodoshima.

Tadakatsu: Maybe after your time here when you return to your daily life, your eyes might be drawn to olives more. You might smell olives and think of the “mini Mediterranean Sea” known as the Seto Inland Sea. Nothing would make us happier.

Toshihiro: Beyond this point lies the Millennium Olive Tree, we hope you are looking forward to seeing the tree in person.