Shōdoshima is famously second only to Awaji Island in size.
Its size is comparable to Miyako Island and Easter Island.
About 25,000 people live there; quite a large number for a remote island. It has long served a large role in culture and transportation.
The pointy portion you see now is actually a small island called Maejima. The narrow Tsuchibuchi Strait separates it from the main island.
At 9.93 meters, it holds the Guinness World Record for narrowest strait in the world. Still, all mentions of Shōdoshima include Maejima Island as well.
Shōdoshima boasts one of Japan’s three great valleys, the Kankakei.
Bare rock born of volcanic activity 13 million years ago was eroded by wind and rain, carving out bluffs and unusually shaped boulders, resulting in the valley we know today. The leaves blaze into color in autumn, and from the ropeway car you can take in a full view of the mountains and sea.
Other wonders include “Angel Road,” a sandy path to an adjacent island that only appears at low tide, as well as the famous “Twenty-Four Eyes Movie Studio,” and the Shōdoshima 88 Sacred Grounds pilgrimage trail – the list of must-see spots is endless.
This island is also famous for its “olive beef.”
Shōdoshima was the first place to succeed in raising olive-fed cattle during the Meiji Period. White windmills face the vibrant, inviting groves near Olive Park.
There’s also Hishio-no-Sato, with its antique soy sauce storehouses and wooden brewing vats that are still in use today.
A savory fragrance fills the air as you walk through this town; you can feel how gastronomy in the Seto Inland Sea spread out from here.
And we can’t forget to mention the hand-stretched somen noodles.
Stretched long and thin by locals, they are a delicacy born of the island’s pure water and climate. Serve with soy sauce and olives, and you have Shōdoshima’s lifestyle all in one plate.
Shōdoshima is the gateway for travelers to the islands of the Seto Inland Sea.
Its nature, history, lifestyle, and of course its olive trees, stand ready to welcome you.
