How to enjoy every corner of Shodoshima second largest island in the Seto Inland Sea Report to Prepare for Island Travel

Shodoshima is the second largest island in the Seto Inland Sea after Awaji Island, and is the site of the Setouchi Triennale 2025 for the spring, summer, and fall sessions. The island is also home to many other places of interest and sightseeing spots, and is usually visited by many tourists even outside of the art festival years. Especially popular in the fall is Kankakei Gorge, which is famous for its autumn foliage. Visitors can take a ropeway up the canyon and enjoy the beautiful scenery of red and yellow autumn leaves spreading across the canyon, which looks like a carpet of autumn leaves.
Not only is the area rich in nature, but it is also home to many industries that have been in place since as far back as the Edo period (1603-1868). One of the reasons for this is that the area has long been an important transportation hub on the Seto Inland Sea, which has led to a thriving exchange of people and goods with Osaka and the rest of the Kansai region. Soy sauce and somen noodle production, which continue to this day, are industries that have been in existence since the Edo period. Rural Kabuki, which is passed down from generation to generation in the Nakayama and Hidoyama areas of the island, is a culture brought from Osaka that has developed uniquely in the unique environment of the island and has been handed down to the present.

Compared to other islands in Kagawa Prefecture, such as OgijimaNaoshima, Shodoshima is a fairly large island. With a population of approximately 25,000 and several restaurants, convenience stores, and drugstores, it is a safe and enjoyable island for first-time travelers. On the other hand, there is also a supermarket for groceries and daily necessities and a general hospital, making the island a comfortable place to live not only for tourists but also for residents. There is also an elementary school, a junior high school, and a high school, so many people of child-rearing age have moved to the island.
The ferry from Takamatsu takes one hour, and the speedboat takes about 35 minutes. 4 ferry ports are located Shodoshima connecting directly not only to Takamatsu, but also to Okayama, Himeji, and Kobe. Since the ferries can accommodate vehicles, many visitors come to the island for sightseeing in their own cars. Udon noodles, available at a store on the ferry, are also a popular tourist attraction.
Shodoshima not only large, but also varies in elevation, so it may be difficult to visit all of the desired sights by bicycle. If you are planning to visit a large area, we recommend that you have a car so that you can get around without stress. In addition, there is a bus service called Olive Bus that runs throughout the island, and during the Art Festival, there are also special buses to popular art areas, so you can get around more efficiently by bus. However, since there are many passengers on consecutive holidays and weekends, you may not be able to board the bus at your desired time. In such cases, you may want to use a shared bicycle or walk a little in some cases. The atmosphere of each village and the scenery differs depending on the area of the island, so take your time while traveling around by bicycle or on foot, and enjoy the waiting time as you go.

A car is convenient for getting around the entire island. For a 3-day/2-night trip, you can rent a car for the first day to visit tourist attractions in the distance, take a bus + shared bicycle on the second day to areas well served by buses, and enjoy the harbor area on the third day by renting a bicycle or walking. The third day can be spent enjoying the area around the port by renting a bicycle or on foot. Only those who stay overnight can see the sunset on the island, and there is a spot in Shodoshima famous for its sunset, where artworks from the Setouchi International Art Festival 2022 are on permanent display and offer a beautiful view.
When loading a car onto the ferry, if there is space available, you do not need to make a reservation, but if you know what time you will board the ferry, make a reservation in advance because the ferry rarely fills up during the busy tourist season. If you only have one person on board, reservations are accepted or not depending on the ferry company, so please check their website in advance. Although there are more restaurants than on other islands, they are often full during the high season and you may not be able to get in. It is a good idea to make reservations at restaurants that allow advance reservations.

Shodoshima has been working on sustainable tourism for several years. Sustainable tourism means that the island is not consumed by tourism, but rather it is a region that can grow and develop through tourism. For example, newly installed tourist information signs at major tourist attractions on the island have a two-dimensional code that, when read, displays English, Chinese, and Korean versions of the information, making it easy for foreign visitors to understand. In addition, trash cans with an automatic compaction function have been installed in the Zhongshan area to address the problem of overflowing trash cans as soon as the number of tourists increases.
With its rich nature and mild climate, Shodoshima has the atmosphere of a Seto Inland Sea island, but at the same time, it is a populous island with a wealth of industry, offering both the slow pace of an island and the conveniences of a city. There are a variety of transportation options, so choose the one that best suits your travel style and objectives. Many of the artworks are located in places related to the abundant nature and industry of the island. Please enjoy not only the art, but also the surrounding environment and the sounds and scents of nature.