SHODOSHIMA

Shōdoshima, the second-largest island in the Seto Inland Sea after Awaji, might first bring to mind olives, the film Twenty-Four Eyes, or its famous Sōmen noodles. More recently, it has gained recognition as one of the main venues of the Setouchi Triennale, which began in 2010 and continues to draw visitors from around the world.
Covering an area of 153.25 square kilometers, the island is often likened to the shape of a cow seen in profile. Its “face,” to the west, belongs to Tonoshō Town, while its “body” forms Shōdoshima Town. The population is approximately 26,000, and over the past few decades about 300 to 400 people have relocated here each year.

What draws them is the island’s natural beauty, framed by both sea and mountains, and a food culture that runs deep. Visitors often head first to Nakayama Senmaida, celebrated as one of Japan’s “100 Scenic Rice Terraces,” or to Angel Road, a sandbar that reveals itself with the ebb and flow of the tide. Yet the island’s most stirring sights are found in places like the sacred tree Hoshoin Shinpaku, believed to have been planted by the 15th Emperor Ōjin during the Kofun period, and Kasaneiwa, a dramatic tower of rock. Standing before them, it is hard not to feel the raw energy of the land—a moment that borders on the mystical.

Alongside its famous Sōmen noodles, soy sauce brewing has long been a cornerstone of Shōdoshima’s identity, a tradition that took root during the Edo period when salt-making thrived. Today, visitors can step into Hishio-no-Sato, where more than 20 soy sauce breweries and tsukudani workshops cluster together. Among them is Yamaroku Soy Sauce, which still brews entirely in wooden barrels, offering a rare glimpse into a craft preserved for generations.

One of Shōdoshima’s quiet charms is the gentle breeze that drifts across the island, inviting you to relax as if mirroring the calm waters of the Seto Inland Sea. A café serves vegetables fresh from an organic farm run by a couple who left the city behind. The Gateway Retreat rests under the watch of a thousand-year-old olive tree. The island’s only winery, carved into the mountainside by its Osaka-born owner, offers a taste of pure dedication. And near Tonoshō Port, an exceptional pizzeria turns out creations that rival Italy’s finest. Shōdoshima overflows with pleasures for the senses, especially the palate.
Every encounter, whether with people or places, reveals the island’s character—genuine, diverse and without pretension. Shōdoshima is a place of contrasts: lightness and solidity, Tonoshō’s bustle and Shōdoshima Town’s industry, the sea and the mountains. Even the fish caught in the east and west are said to differ. With its two distinct faces, the island never fails to fascinate.

A symbol of the island of olives, Millennium Olive Terrace for your wellness is a truly special place where you can experience “the luxury of nothing-ness—simply being embraced by nature.” At its heart stands the Thousand-Year-Old Olive Tree, transplanted from Spain, gently bringing both mind and body into balance.

Mindfulness sessions with an audio guide and olive oil tastings are also available by advance reservation for visiters, but the true recommendation is to stay overnight and step away from the pace of everyday life. The three villas—named Mission, Lucca, and Manzanillo after olive varieties—offer serene, minimalist spaces where you can drift into deep sleep while listening to a sound meditation program.

For a more private retreat, the standalone villa with sauna features a spacious terrace opening toward the Seto Inland Sea. The sauna itself is made from repurposed wooden barrels once used in Shodoshima’s soy sauce production, while four soaking baths recreated from traditional island bathtubs—Goemon-buro, Tsuchi-buro, and Kama-buro—alongside a fire pit. Enjoying alternating hot and cold baths while watching the sunrise is an exceptional experience.

Dinner is served as a wariko bento, traditionally eaten when attending the island’s rural Kabuki performances. For breakfast, white rice grown in Shodoshima’s terraced paddies is cooked in a pot and enjoy piping hot with extra virgin olive oil from the estate’s own groves, salt, and just a drop of soy sauce—all sourced on the island. Utterly simple, yet astonishingly delicious. It’s so good that many guests end up purchasing olive oil from the on-site entrance, The GATE LOUNGE, to take home.

Waking with the sunrise, savoring a deeply satisfying breakfast, and taking in the lush green of the surrounding trees—this is a special retreat where all five senses are gently recalibrated, helping you get back to your roots.

In addition, a new room featuring an olive herbal steam sauna and a dedicated meditation room is scheduled to open this spring.

Just steps from Hishio no Sato, the historic district lined with traditional soy sauce breweries, this intimate island inn is perfectly positioned for sightseeing. With only eight guest rooms, the property embraces the theme of hospitality through hishio—the fermented essence of Shodoshima’s culinary culture.

The main house and storehouse, both over 90 years old, were once run as a small inn affectionately known as “Mother’s Minshuku.” Today, the main house is registered as a Tangible Cultural Property, where guests can enjoy a refined soy sauce kaiseki featuring locally produced soy sauce. Fresh fish and vegetables from the Seto Inland Sea are brought to life with Shodoshima’s signature wooden-barrel fermented soy sauces. In particular, the sashimi served with four distinct soy sauce —including moromi sauce and a rare double aged variety—is an exceptional dish found only on this island.

Each guest room is equipped with a private, free-flowing hot spring bath, allowing you to relax at your own pace, free from time constraints or prying eyes. The spring water is rich in metasilicic acid, known as a “beautifying” mineral, and feels wonderfully soft on the skin. After your bath, unwind further with a glass of the inn’s homemade fruit liqueur—a stay that nourishes both body and soul.

Welcomed by chic black walls and stone walls, Umiotomari is a retreat where stone defines the architecture. The entrance features Aji stone, a rare granite quarried in Kagawa Prefecture, setting a quietly powerful tone from the moment you arrive. All six guest rooms face the sea, offering uninterrupted views of the ocean and sky as they shift in color at dusk and glow again at sunrise.

Not only the rooms, but also the baths and dining spaces overlook the water. Sitting before the calm, glassy sea, it becomes easy to forget the restless pace of everyday life and simply let time pass.

The highlight of the stay is the Olive Kaiseki, a course centered around Shodoshima produced olive oil. Carefully selected by the inn’s concierge, different olive oils are paired with each dish. From the pre-meal juice and appetizers to sashimi, grilled courses, soup, and even dessert, olive oil enhances each ingredient—an experience that could only belong to Shodoshima. An olive oil tasting is highly recommended for the guests as well.

When the names of the six rooms—Sa, To, E, No, Yu, Me —are read together, name of the owner’s mother is hidden. This quiet tribute reflects the heartfelt hospitality that defines the inn, promising an intimate and deeply personal stay.

Opened in the summer of 2024, this guesthouse is located in the mountainous farming village of Hitoyama. It was created by renovating an elementary school that closed 20 years ago and is situated on the second floor of HOMEMAKERS Farm & Cafe.

Originally from Tokyo, Wataru Kakisako moved to Shodoshima in 2019 after becoming deeply drawn to the island’s history. With a background in graphic and UI/UX design, he had no prior experience in hospitality. However, noticing that “there was nowhere for friends to stay in Shodoshima when they visited,” he decided to open NOTEL. The guesthouse is run collectively by five partners, including Takuhiro Mimura and his wife Hikari of HOMEMAKERS Farm & Cafe, along with an architect and a shop owner.

“Hitoyama is a community with strong bonds,” Kakisako explains. “There are many local events, such as mowing the grass together three times a year, but the population is declining. If this continues, it becomes difficult to sustain that sense of connection. After actually living on Shodoshima, I realized that most visitors only come for a short, one-day trip. That feels like such a waste. By encouraging people to stay overnight, we hope they can experience this area with greater depth and understanding. Ideally, NOTEL can become the gateway to Hitoyama.”

The shared kitchen is fully equipped with essential cookware, along with Shodoshima soy sauce, salt, and other seasonings making it easy and rewarding to cook with fresh local ingredients from Hitoyama. At night, enjoy a sky filled with stars before turning in early, embracing the unhurried rhythm of village life.

Widely considered the most challenging site among the Shodoshima 88 Sacred Pilgrimage, No. 72 Ryoukouji Temple and its inner sanctuary, Okunoin Kasagataki, test both body and spirit. Reaching the main hall requires overcoming three successive obstacles: a long flight of steps, the first cliff, and the second cliff.

After ascending the so-called “steps for warding off misfortune,” sheer rock faces appear, which must be climbed by gripping chains fixed into the stone. Once you reach the top, a breathtaking panorama unfolds below. Continue onward, climbing through a pitch-dark passage carved into the rock, and you will finally arrive at the main hall.

Along the way, there is a narrow rock opening fitted with a wooden frame, known as Shiawase-kuguri—the “Happiness Passage.” Those with a slender build may wish to try passing through. Photography is prohibited at the main hall.

As the rocky terrain can be slippery, especially after rain, it’s best to avoid wet days and wear comfortable, sturdy shoes such as sneakers when visiting.

Opened in 2019, PIZZA KAMOS is tucked away in a quiet residential neighborhood just a five-minute walk from Tonosho Port. The welcoming space offers counter seating, tables, and a pleasant terrace. With its open kitchen, you can watch pizzas being baked in the stone oven—making the wait part of the enjoyment.

The dough is made by hand using Sanuki no Yume wheat from Kagawa Prefecture and koji from Moriseikoujo on the island, then cold-fermented for four days to develop depth and character. While the Bismarck pizza (¥2,000), topped with prosciutto and a softly set egg, pairs beautifully with the chewy crust, the standout is the Setouchi Pizza with Whitebait and Shodoshima Lemon (¥1,900). Finished with green lemon olive oil, it captures the pure, concentrated flavors of the island in a single slice.

For those seeking truly memorable pizza, this is a must-visit. Arriving early or making a reservation in advance is highly recommended.

Served in a renovated traditional house, the cuisine here is rooted in Shodoshima’s local ingredients and regional foodways. The dishes reflect the island’s culinary culture and customs as depicted in the literary works of Sakae Tsuboi, a celebrated author born on Shodoshima and best known for Twenty-Four Eyes.

“I want guests to taste food that truly conveys the spirit of the land and its climate,” says owner Hitoshi Kishimoto, himself a native of Shodoshima. One example is imo neri, a dish made by simmering sweet potatoes mixed with wheat flour, which appears as a late-night meal in Tsuboi’s novel Koyomi. Another local specialty, kakimaze—a rice dish mixed with various ingredients—is described in Kishi Utsu Nami. The somen noodles are prepared following the method written about in Tsuboi’s essay collection Sode Furiau, resulting in a firmer texture than usual.

“Before the era of television, standardized food culture didn’t reach everywhere. That’s what makes regional cuisine so compelling,” Kishimoto explains. “When you read Tsuboi’s books, you notice how often she writes about food on Shodoshima. It feels like opening a time capsule.”

Kishimoto and his wife explore the island’s deeper stories by speaking with local grandmothers in their eighties about traditional home cooking and by reading the literary works of Sakae Tsuboi. “Shodoshima is relatively large for an island in the Seto Inland Sea, which makes it a place where people can take on new challenges. There’s great variety in both vegetables and seafood.”

From both the dining area and the kitchen, the sea is always in view. “Shodoshima is calm and easy to live in,” Kishimoto adds. “Being surrounded by the sea gives you a sense of openness and release.”

After training in Osaka, chef Takashi Maekawa moved to Shodoshima and opened his restaurant in 2024. Using only wild-caught fish and organically grown vegetables from the island, he serves dishes designed to “reach the hara”—the core of the body—through natural, honest ingredients.

“Shodoshima is close to Kansai, but since you travel by ferry, it really feels like a journey,” Maekawa says. “I was deeply moved by the scenery. At this restaurant, I mainly use ingredients where I can see the faces of the producers.”

At lunchtime, the daily set menu (Honjitsu no Higawari Gozen, ¥2,500) features seasonal dishes such as minced hamo (pike conger) rice caught off Shodoshima, yūan-style grilled barracuda, vinegared octopus, and ankimo (monkfish liver). The house-made miso soup is deeply comforting, and the fact that everything is free of chemical seasonings makes the experience even more satisfying.

This organic farm was founded in 2013 by Takuhiro Mimura and his wife, Hikari. Formerly city dwellers, they began to question a lifestyle centered on constant consumption. After the Great East Japan Earthquake and encounters with Shodoshima through the Setouchi Triennale, they decided to relocate, drawn by the island’s quiet strength and richness.

Together with friends, they now run a café that serves meals and desserts made from vegetables harvested directly from their fields. “We want people to feel the immediacy of food that is truly seasonal and fresh,” says Hikari. “Our dishes reflect the stages of vegetables—hashiri (the first harvest), sakari (peak season), and nagori (the lingering end).” The farm grows around 100 varieties of vegetables throughout the year, each one vibrant and full of life.

Freshly picked produce, along with house- made ginger syrup and ponzu sauce, is also available for purchase at the café—well worth taking home.

One of the signature dishes, available only on weekends and holidays, is the original spice curry with green salad (¥1,400). Created with the wish that guests would exclaim “Wow!” at both its generous portion and visual appeal, it perfectly captures the spirit of the farm and café.

Tucked away beneath Espoir Omori, a local liquor shop, Donny’s Bar feels like a secret hideout waiting to be discovered. The bar boasts a collection of around 200 bottles, carefully selected by a sommelier and sommelière well versed in natural wines.

The food menu is equally satisfying, offering everything from light snacks to heartier dishes that truly fill you up. A standout is the Shodoshima Pork and Chickpea Cassoulet (¥1,000), designed to pair beautifully with red wine. With its relaxed atmosphere and excellent wines, it’s the kind of place where you’ll find yourself lingering longer than planned.

This home-style eatery offers rice balls made with rice grown in terraced paddies nourished by the pure spring water that also fills the local baths. With sweeping views over the Nakayama Senmaida rice terraces, you can enjoy generous portions of local ingredients in comforting dishes such as the storybook-worthy Terraced Rice Ball Set (¥2,500), a somen noodle set (¥2,200), and another popular choice, the Olive Beef Hamburger Set (¥1,700).

Olive beef comes from cattle raised on specially formulated feed that includes pressed olive pulp. Thanks to the high oleic acid content found in olives, the meat is exceptionally tender, light, and free from any gaminess—making it a premium local brand. This hamburger can only be enjoyed at Komame Shokudo, so it’s well worth seeking out for a true taste of Shodoshima.

Appearing unexpectedly in a residential neighborhood, this lively café-restaurant is housed in a renovated warehousethat once belonged to a somen noodle factory. The space is always bustling with people, yet it retains a relaxed, welcoming feel. True to its name—derived from a local dialect meaning “one’s own home”—it’s a place where you can unwind and savor dishes made with Shodoshima’s fresh vegetables.

House-baked ciabatta and tofu bread are particularly delicious, and the warm, friendly atmosphere created by the owners, Makoto Nishimoto and his wife, makes you want to linger. In April 2025, they also opened Cultiva, a food and lifestyle complex located about five minutes away by car near Kusakabe Port. With local specialties available for purchase, it’s well worth visiting Cultiva together with UCHINKU for a fuller taste of the island. 

Set in a renovated traditional house built during the Taishō era, this café enjoys an unbeatable location right in front of the sea. What you’ll savor here are coffee and sweets prepared by the owner, affectionately known as Yama Chan—his coffee beans are roasted using a hand-cranked roaster, lending each cup a deeply personal touch.

The baked treats, made with wheat from Kagawa Prefecture and free-range eggs from the island, are outstanding. After launching the café project in 2009, the space finally came to life following six years of twists and turns—including the memorable episode of the master carpenter disappearing. The result is a place that feels as comforting as visiting a relative’s home.

From July through September, shaved ice made with seasonal island fruits takes center stage, during which time only kakigōri is served.

Perched partway up a hill near Sakate Port, this craft beer brewery is run by a couple who relocated from Osaka. They brew four core beers alongside around ten seasonal releases throughout the year. Popular choices include the West Coast IPA Midorimame-mame and the easy-drinking white ale Shiromame-mame. There are also more distinctive brews, such as SHODOSHIMA100, made entirely from ingredients sourced on Shodoshima—malt, hops, yeast, and water.

At the adjoining bar, the Three-Beer Tasting Set (¥1,600) is a hit, allowing you to sample your choice of brews. Pair your beers with snacks like salt-koji fried chicken or Mexican-style nachos, and enjoy a relaxed drinking experience with a view.

Housed in a former Tsukudani factory built over 100 years ago, this sake brewery was established in 2015, reviving Shodoshima’s local sake production for the first time in 35 years. Today, the island’s only sake brewery produces 13 varieties of Japanese sake. Among them, the junmai sake Hachihachi, made with rice harvested from the island’s terraced paddies and fermented using Sanuki olive yeast, stands out as a truly unique expression—available only here and highly recommended as a souvenir.

At the café and bar attached to the gallery shop, you can enjoy dishes and sweets made with sake lees. One highlight is the hearty, handmade kasu-jiru prepared by a local grandmother using island ingredients. Gentle on a travel-weary stomach, the soup warms you from the core. The Toji no makanaimeshi set, which includes kasu-jiru, is a wonderful way to refuel for the day ahead.

Just a short walk away—only a few dozen seconds—is MORIKUNI Bakery, opened in 2015. Its specialty is coppe bread made with rice flour from sake rice. Leftover sake rice from brewing is milled into flour, and the recipes were developed by Nobuto Shibuya, chef of Ristorante FURYU and owner of Minori Gelato. Perfectly sized for eating on the go, favorites include the Daiginjo Sake Lees & Sweet Red Bean Coppe (¥380) and fried bread (¥250)—ideal companions for a stroll around the island.

All of the soy sauce made here is brewed in wooden barrels inside a storehouse built in the early Meiji period. “Lactic acid bacteria, yeast, and other microorganisms live in the wood itself,” explains Yasuo Yamamoto, the fifth-generation head of Yamaroku Soy Sauce. “Because fermentation and aging take place in wooden barrels, the soy sauce develops complex flavors and aromas—that’s what makes it truly delicious.”

Their signature soy sauce, Tsuru-bishio, is produced using a traditional double-brewing method. Raw soy sauce aged for one to two years is returned to the barrel and brewed again for an additional two to three years. The result has no sharp saltiness at all, offering instead a mellow, profound richness and aroma. Made from just whole soybeans, wheat, and salt, its depth cannot be explained by numbers alone—this is flavor that exists precisely because of the wooden barrels.

It’s said that soy sauce brewed in wooden barrels accounts for only about 1% of total production today—a reflection of how demanding and labor-intensive the process is. Even so, Yamamoto takes great pride in choosing wooden barrels over the tanks used by major manufacturers. His dedication runs so deep that he once apprenticed with a carpenter friend at Fuji Seiokejo in Osaka, the only cooperage in Japan still producing large wooden barrels. Today, however, the number of barrel craftsmen continues to decline. “To preserve wooden barrel culture and carry it into the future, we launched the Wooden Barrel Craftsmen Revival Project in 2012,” Yamamoto says. Since then, workshops and seminars have been actively held across Japan to keep this tradition alive.

From early June through the Obon holiday period, Hishio Tomatoes (¥100 each) are sol —grown using compost made from soy sauce lees produced through wooden-barrel brewing. Be sure to also check out the original soy sauce–based desserts at the neighboring Yamaroku Chaya.

Opened in 1987 to commemorate the 80th anniversary of Marukin Shoyu, this museum offers an in-depth look at the history and production of soy sauce on Shodoshima—one of Japan’s most important soy sauce–producing regions. Through a rich display of photographs and historical tools, visitors can trace the evolution of soy sauce making and gain a deeper understanding of the craft.

After expanding your knowledge, reward yourself with the museum’s signature treat: Soy Sauce Soft Serve Ice Cream (¥350), made with fresh soy sauce. Its sweet-and savory flavor is an unexpectedly delightful way to end the visit.

In 2022, Shodoshima’s very first winery was born on a hill on the island’s western side, overlooking the scattered islands of the Seto Inland Sea. Winemaker Ryuta Shiga spent five years reclaiming land that was once forest, carefully preparing the soil by clearing the ground and enriching it with compost around the vines.

Shiga’s path to winemaking began far from Shodoshima, during business trips to California when he was running an advertising production company in Osaka. Spending weekends visiting wineries, he found himself wondering where the difference in value between a ¥100,000 bottle of wine and a ¥1,000 one truly comes from. That curiosity gradually grew into a desire to try making wine himself. Born and raised in Osaka, Shiga had nonetheless been familiar with Shodoshima since childhood—it is his mother’s hometown. “I only have happy memories, like fishing by the sea,” he recalls. “I always thought I’d like to live here someday.” Although he initially imagined moving after retirement, he made a decisive change at the age of 50 and relocated to the island.

Today, he cultivates seven grape varieties—including Chardonnay, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon—across five vineyard plots. His sparkling wine Shima Chaｍ, made from Delaware and Chardonnay grapes using the traditional Champagne method, proved especially popular, with all 1,400 bottles selling out within just two months. The lineup continues to expand, with bottles such as Azu Cham, a 100% Chardonnay sparkling wine, and Jade Petillant, a lightly sparkling white made entirely from Shodoshima-grown Shine Muscat grapes.

“My life theme is simply ‘to enjoy,’” Shiga says with an easy smile. Much like the man himself, the wines he creates carry a bright, open-hearted character that feels joyful and approachable.

Shodoshima somen has been made since the late 16th century. With only a few simple ingredients—wheat flour, salt, water, and sesame oil to prevent drying—the subtle differences in flavor stand out all the more. Yet the actual process remains surprisingly unknown to many.

At Nakabu-an, a hand-stretched method distinct from the usual approach is still practiced. Rather than rolling the dough thin and cutting it like handmade udon, the noodles are carefully stretched by hand. To understand this difference, visitors can join a factory tour and observe the production process up close. You can also try hashiwake, the traditional technique of separating noodles as they pass through the stretching machine (approx. 50 minutes).

After experiencing the depth of hand-stretched somen, be sure to pick some up as souvenirs. From chewy, springy fresh somen to olive-infused fresh noodles made with squish of olives and extra virgin olive oil from the company’s own groves, you may encounter an entirely new texture—and a new way to enjoy somen.

After about a 20-minute climb from the parking area to the mountaintop, a massive rock perched in perfect balance suddenly comes into view. Known as Kasaneiwa (Heavy Rock), it is enshrined as the sacred object of worship at Koseishizuchi Shrine and revered as a stone believed to be inhabited by a deity—making it a powerful spiritual spot.

Whether the rock is a natural formation or the result of human intervention remains a mystery, but its overwhelming presence is undeniable. From the summit, sweeping views open up across the Seto Inland Sea, with islands such as Teshima and Ogijima visible in the distance. Be sure to wear comfortable, sturdy shoes when you visit.

The Shinpaku tree at Hōshō-in is designated a Special Natural Monument of Japan. According to legend, it was planted by Emperor Ōjin, the 15th emperor, during the Kofun period, making it more than 1,600 years old. The immense tree, whose single trunk divides into three directions, commands awe with its sheer scale, yet also holds a quiet, enveloping sense of mystery.

As you gaze at this sacred tree, you may begin to discern shapes within its form—a dragon, an elephant, and a turtle. Each represents an auspicious creature: the dragon reaching toward the heavens in pursuit of happiness, the elephant associated with the birth of the Buddha, and the turtle, a symbol of longevity. Searching for these forms has a strangely purifying effect, leaving visitors with a calm and uplifted spirit.

Between Bentenjima and Nakayo Island, a sandy path emerges twice a day during low tide. It is said that if you walk across it hand in hand with someone special, your wish will come true. Appearing and disappearing with the rhythm of the tides, the path offers an ever-changing sense of magic—from the powerful glow of the morning sun to the soft, enveloping light of sunset.

Be sure to check the tide schedule before visiting. At night, the path is illuminated, revealing a moonlit scene that feels entirely different from the daytime view and equally enchanting.

With around 800 rice paddies cascading across the hillsides, this breathtaking scenery has been selected as one of the 100 Best Terraced Rice Fields in Japan. From the lush greens of early summer just after rice planting to the shimmering gold of autumn before harvest, the landscape transforms with the seasons—an enduring image of Japan’s rural soul.

Nestled deep within the terraces stands Embrace: Shodoshima, a bamboo installation by Taiwanese artist Wen-Chin Wang, created for the Setouchi Triennale 2025. In quiet harmony with the surrounding fields, the artwork adds a contemplative layer to this already timeless scene.

Opened in 2016 to coincide with the Setouchi Triennale, this gelato shop captures the flavors of Shodoshima in every scoop. Using seasonal island ingredients such as hishio tomatoes, sake lees from Shodoshima Sake Brewery, and cedar-barrel–aged soy sauce, each gelato is carefully handmade with close attention paid to both processing and technique.

Salted sablé cookie sandwiches filled with flavors like island lemon cream or olive white chocolate are also popular. Gelato is available for purchase online as well, making it easy to relive your travel memories at home.

The interior and graphic design, created by the creative unit graf, add a stylish touch. Located just steps from Kusakabe Port, it’s the perfect place to enjoy your gelato while gazing out at the sea on a sunny day.

One of Japan’s three great somen varieties, Shodoshima’s hand-stretched somen has been crafted for centuries. In Tonosho Town’s “Labyrinth of Streets,” Somenya Kibako invites more people to experience this tradition by offering somen and nyūmen (warm somen) for dine-in.

Shodoshima somen is made using the island’s clear air and pure spring water, shaped by the mild, temperate climate of the Seto Inland Sea, along with aromatic sesame oil from the renowned Kadoya Sesame Mills. The process is simple yet exacting: knead, rest, stretch—then repeat. This hand-stretching technique has been carefully preserved and passed down for over 400 years and continues to be nurtured today. The dashi is also thoughtfully prepared, made with soy sauce produced on Shodoshima.

For a souvenir, the Hand-Stretched Shodoshima Somen, 5-Bundle Pack (¥550) makes a perfect choice.

A grove of around 2,000 olive trees and a symbolic Greek-style windmill welcome visitors to this hilltop haven. At the shop inside the Olive Memorial Hall roadside station, you can choose from about 15 varieties of premium extra virgin olive oil produced by local farmers. An olive master also carefully selects around 30 types of olive oils and dressings from around the world.

The selection extends beyond food. Olive-based cosmetics, rich in oleic acid for moisture and vitamins that help restore skin firmness and elasticity, are also available. You’ll find olive-infused specialties such as olive ramen and olive cider, alongside a wide range of Shodoshima somen noodles and soy sauces filled with the island’s bounty.

With such an extensive lineup, this is the perfect place to find everything you could want as a souvenir from Shodoshima—all in one stop.

Run by a couple who moved to Shodoshima four years ago, this neighborhood grocery is a go-to spot for locally lovedfoods. The shelves are lined with carefully selected products from island makers, including HOMEMAKERS’ ginger syrup, Kitchen UCHINKU’s hishio tomato sauce, and Shokin Shoyu’s light raw soy sauce. You can also enjoy house-made donuts and coffee in a small eat-in corner—perfect for taking a short break between browsing and shopping.

Sho Ota, whom we met while he was delivering to Mamemame Beer, is the head grower at Bunjirō Farm, where citrus is cultivated without chemical pesticides or fertilizers. Making the most of Shodoshima’s warm climate and low rainfall, the farm produces citrus fruits and rice with remarkably concentrated flavors.

Highly recommended are Shodoshima-grown Setoka oranges and early-harvest green lemons—rarely found on the market. In Ota’s hands is Mikan Wine, a bottle made from Bunjirō Farm’s Unshū mandarins and crafted by 224 Winery, the island’s only winery. All of these products are available through the online store. A musician at heart who enjoys performing live, Ota radiates a powerful yet gentle energy—bright and calm, much like Shodoshima itself.

Floating in the Seto Inland Sea, Shodoshima is an island where calm waters and mountains sit close together, and where daily life and nature, history and the present, coexist with effortless balance. Behind its celebrated food culture—olive oil, soy sauce, and somen noodles—lies the island’s geography, where sea and mountain are never far apart, and the quiet accumulation of time shaped by careful human hands.

This is not so much a place to go see things as it is a place to settle into a rhythm, allowing your senses to slowly open. A stay of two or three nights feels just right—enough time for the island’s pace to seep naturally into your body.

Reach Shodoshima by ferry from Takamatsu or Okayama. As the boat approaches the island, low mountains and a jagged coastline come into view. From the moment you arrive, you can feel the flow of time begin to shift—an invitation to step out of your usual busyness and into the island’s calmer tempo.

Start the morning early with a walk into the hills. At midday, seek out places where the island’s food culture still lives and breathes. Visiting long-established soy sauce breweries or somen workshops reveals how climate, fermentation, and handcraft have been intertwined here for generations. These are not curated attractions, but living sites where production continues to this day—and that ongoing presence is central to Shodoshima’s appeal.

In the afternoon, slow things down. Walk along the shore, open a book at a café, or simply do nothing at all. It’s often in these quiet, unstructured moments that the island’s atmosphere settles most deeply into you. In the evening, return to your accommodation and savor a leisurely meal made with local ingredients.

For souvenirs, choose items you can bring back into everyday life—olive oil, seasonings, and other staples that carry the island’s essence into your own kitchen. The true charm of Shodoshima is that the journey doesn’t end when you leave. It continues quietly, resurfacing at the dining table and in the rhythms of daily life long after you’ve returned home.

Food on Shodoshima doesn’t present itself as something elaborate or extraordinary—it quietly reflects the seasons themselves. The gentle Setouchi Sea and the mountains rising just behind it exist in close proximity, and that nearness has long given the island’s ingredients their distinct character. When traveling here, tasting the present season—just as you would take in the landscape—becomes one of the greatest pleasures.

Rather than choosing souvenirs as simple mementos, it’s more meaningful to bring home things that carry the island’s way of life and sense of time with them.

At the Olive Park roadside station, you’ll find a rich selection of products filled with Shodoshima’s bounty, from olive-based goods to everyday items—ideal both for yourself and as gifts. In Hishio no Sato, venture all the way to the back to visit Yamaroku Shoyu. After touring the moromi storehouse and comparing flavors and aromas during a soy sauce tasting, be sure to take home their soy sauce, ponzu, and Kiku-tsuyu—a versatile sauce perfect for somen, soba, and everyday cooking.

PHOTOGRAPHY: Shiori Ikeno
TEXT: Mika Koyanagi