Megijima different world in a blink of an eye! Report to Prepare for Island Travel

The island is said to be the model for Onigashima in Momotaro's legend. There is a tourist spot called Onigashima Great Cave, where demons are said to have once lived, and illustrations and signs of demons can be seen all over the island. The island is about 4 km north of Takamatsu Port, has a circumference of about 8 km, and a population of about 120. It is a remote island only 20 minutes by boat from Takamatsu Port.
Megijima previously mentioned Onigashima Great Cave is located on top of a mountain, but other tourist attractions and restaurants are located on flat land near the port, and can be reached on foot or by renting a bicycle. This is a characteristic landscape of Megijima. The roads in the village surrounded by outes are very narrow and intricate, so please be very careful when renting a bicycle. Buses to the Onigashima Great Cave leave from the port, and bus tickets can be purchased at the port counter. The bus connects at the time the ferry arrives, so it is recommended that you buy a ticket and board the bus as soon as you get off the ferry.
There are several accommodations and restaurants on the island, but they are very crowded during the peak season, so you may not be able to get in at certain times of the day. There are no convenience stores on the island, so it is a good idea to bring a small snack with you in case you cannot get into a restaurant. It is also a good idea to take out a meal around Takamatsu Port and eat it while watching the beach at Megijima. There are also few vending machines, so it is a good idea to have plenty of drinking water on hand.

The ferry to Megijima takes 20 minutes from Takamatsu Port to Megijima and then another 20 minutes to Ogijima. Megijima the transit point between Takamatsu and Ogijima, both for the trip to and from Ogijima. In other words, the boats returning to Takamatsu from Megijima are already carrying passengers Ogijima. During particularly busy periods, such as weekends during the Art Festival, it may be impossible to board the boat due to over capacity, so be sure to get to the port as early as possible to get in line to board the boat. If you plan to visit OgijimaMegijima one day, it is better to visit Megijima in the morning and Ogijima the afternoon so that you can board the boat for the return trip.
There is a bus service to the Ogijima Great Cave, but if you are confident in your legs, you can also go up on foot or by renting a bicycle. However, be careful not to go too fast when passing buses on foot or descending by bicycle, as the path is narrow and steep, and buses also run along it. There are only four public restrooms on the island. Most are around the harbor or beach, and once you start climbing the mountain path to the caves, there are no restrooms until you reach the summit. It is recommended that you use the restroom in Menon, or go there when you see it.

The ferry to Megijima is called "Meon" and has a striking red and white border. This is the only ferry that usually runs to Megijima, but when the "Meon" is in service for inspection or when a temporary service is made in the summer, the "Meon 2," which is usually docked at Ogijima, is sometimes available. The "Meon 2," with its retro two-tone red and white coloring, is a retired vessel, but you will be lucky if you can get on it.
The Onigashima Great Cave, a tourist attraction, is much larger than you might imagine, and if you enter the cave alone without other tourists, you might feel intimidated. There are many objects of demons in the cave, so you can enjoy imagining how demons used to live here. If you look back immediately after exiting the long cave, you will see magnificent columnar joints above your head. These are formed when lava cools and hardens, making the cave a place where visitors can feel the energy of the ancient earth. Another 10-minute walk from the cave exit takes you to Washigamine Observatory, a 360-degree panoramic view of the Seto Inland Sea archipelago that is a must-see when visiting Megijima.
Megijima has a population of about 120 people, many of whom are elderly, but in 2024, for the first time in 14 years, a baby will be born on the island. The people of the island are happy about this, and the way everyone cares about the child, such as sending him or her to Ogijima elementary school when he or she reaches elementary school age, is something that can only be found on an island and not in a city. Perhaps it is because it is a remote island that one person can have such a large impact: one immigrant, one baby, one related population. Even though it is 20 minutes from Takamatsu, it is a remote island with a population of 120. Enjoy touring the island while thinking about the lives of the people who live there.