Shodoshima, the second-largest island in the Seto Inland Sea, offers not only stunning natural beauty but also a rich culinary heritage. With 400-year-old soy sauce breweries, traditional somen noodle production, and renowned sesame oil and olive-related products, the island presents a unique gastronomic experience. Come and discover the charm and flavors of Shodoshima for yourself.
This itinerary can be customized to meet your needs and preferences. Send me a message with your requests!
Tonosho port ( or Ikeda port)
You can walk across the sand road twice a day at low tide, once in the morning and once in the afternoon. It is said that if you walk across holding the hand of your special person, an angel will descend and grant your wish.
Perched on a gentle slope with stunning views of the Seto Inland Sea, Shodoshima's Olive Garden is a serene escape offering great food and beautiful scenery. At Olive Palace RestleA, taste Shodoshima's best dishes like hishiodon, a local specialty crafted to tantalize the taste buds.
Explore the olive grove, see Isamu Noguchi's sculptures, and enjoy AKARI's light and shadow play at the gallery.
Don't forget to grab a souvenir before you leave!
Welcome to Soy Sauce Village in Shodoshima, where tradition and flavor intertwine to create a unique culinary experience! Here, the art of soy sauce production has been perfected over 400 years, using traditional methods and kioke wooden barrels. What sets Shodoshima's soy sauce apart is its rich history and dedication to preserving time-honored techniques.
Did you know that only 1% of Japan's soy sauce is brewed in kioke barrels, and Shodoshima produces over one-third of that? Take a fascinating tour of the breweries, starting with the renowned Yamaroku brewery, to witness firsthand the meticulous process behind this iconic condiment.
But the adventure doesn't stop there! Many breweries in Soy Sauce Village offer a delightful array of treats infused with soy sauce flavors, including soy sauce soft-serve ice cream. As you explore the area, why not indulge your taste buds with this unique delicacy?
And if you're up for more enchantment, allow me to introduce you to the Olive Fairy in Soy Sauce Village. This delightful character embodies the charm and spirit of the village, adding an extra touch of magic to your visit.
Come and immerse yourself in the rich heritage and flavors of Soy Sauce Village, where every taste tells a story and every moment is a delight for the senses.
As you wander through Soy Sauce Village on Shodoshima Island, delve into a culinary adventure rich in tradition. Learn about somen noodles, a local specialty with over 400 years of history, as you explore the village's quaint streets. Experience the hand-stretching process and sample nama-somen, the fresh variety. Join a hands-on noodle-making session at a local factory, where you'll learn to shape dough with chopsticks. Let the flavors of sesame oil and soy sauce captivate your senses, offering a taste of Shodoshima's culinary heritage! (reservation required)
Discover the charming café nestled within the renovated 70-year-old factory of Shodoshima Shuzo, the island's sole sake brewery. Step into a world where local ingredients blend seamlessly with Japanese sake and sake lees, creating a culinary experience like no other.
Satisfy your sweet tooth with original desserts, such as the highly recommended "Amazake Drink" infused with seasonal fruits from the island. Experience the delicate balance of sweetness and acidity, enhanced by the aroma of amazake.
Embark on a journey of discovery and savor the new dimensions of Japanese sake at Morikuni sake brewery.
They also serve dishes lovingly crafted by local grandmothers, including the popular "Brewer's Meal," featuring hearty fare made with sake lees. Warm your soul with dishes like sake lees miso soup, highlighting the island's bounty.
In the heart of Shodoshima's Nakayama district lies Nakayama Senmaida, a special place selected as one of Japan's Top 100 Terraced Rice Fields. Here, you'll find approximately 800 terraced fields of varying sizes, creating a stunning mosaic of beauty.
Nakayama Senmaida breathes with the tradition of rice cultivation, utilizing pure mountain spring water to irrigate the fields. This sight is truly mesmerizing, with the terraced fields reflecting the ever-changing sky above.
At the center of Senmaida sits the Nakayama Rural Kabuki Stage, designated as an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Japan. This stage, crafted in the traditional thatched-roof style, has been cherished by the Nakayama community for over 300 years. Here, locals come together every early October to perform traditional Kabuki, including actors, narrators, and stagehands, all from the area.
Following extensive preservation efforts, the Nakayama Rural Kabuki Stage will reopen for visitors in the spring of 2024, offering a fresh opportunity to experience this cherished cultural tradition.
On Shodoshima Island, some artworks for the Setouchi International Art Festival are located near Tonosho Port. We also have a variety of souvenir shops offering local specialties, so let me introduce them to you. We can adjust the end time to match your boat schedule. For those who have another day to explore Shodoshima, I'll be happy to provide advice on island activities until the time of my departure.
Tonosho port
This tour can be customized to meet your needs and preferences. Click below to send me a message with your requests.
planning your itinerary and making reservations, guide fee
transportation fee (you and the guide)
lunch and drink (you and the guide)
Nakabu-an somen experience :1200JPY/ person,
somen tasting 700JPY/person,
(10AM~2PM)
Olive oil tasting and blending: 1500JPY/person,
cable car one-way: regular season 1300JPY/p, high season1500JPY/p
Admission fee for Twenty-Four Eyes movie studio and Branch School in the Cape / 1000JPY/p
Nakabu-an somen noodle factory is closed on Wednesday and Thursday.
Morikuni sake brewery is closed on Thursday. I will suggest alternative tour spots if your tour day falls on Wed or Thu.
Enhance your trip with a touch of literary charm by exploring two captivating books: "KiKi’s Delivery Service", the classic that inspired the beloved animated film, and "Twenty-four Eyes", a bestseller depicting life on Shodoshima around WWⅡ. These reads will undoubtedly add excitement to your journey!
My name is Mika, a local guide living in Takamatsu city. I have been an English teacher, but the Setouchi International Art Festival awakened me to the joy of guiding. The more I learn about the Seto Inland Sea region, the more I am impressed by its life, history, architecture and art works. So, I would like to show you the spectacular scenery that you may have missed in guidebooks alone, and the sights that have yet to be introduced in guidebooks.
In Kagawa Prefecture, island tours are also very popular, such as Naoshima, Teshima, and Inujima, which are sacred places for contemporary art, and I think you can better understand the connection between the history of the islands and art by touring with a guide.
Of course, I would also like to introduce fresh harvest from the Seto Inland Sea, delicious local food, and shopping for folk crafts in the Takamatsu shopping arcade, which will satisfy you fully as a highlight of your journey.
Jason S.
Shodoshima Island Full-Day Customized Tour
“Mika became a part of the family”
Mika went above and beyond to help us prepare for this trip, and was a wealth of information on culture and history while we traveled together. I only wish I could give 10 stars. This tour covered a huge amount of our wishlist, and Mika helped us to coordinate our free day on the island. Thank you
Mika S.
(2 reviews)Thank you so much for your heartwarming review! I was thrilled by your interest in authentic soy sauce, which inspired me to create this special Shodoshima tour Last February. What a lucky day it was when we met three masters of soy sauce breweries and the female priest at the shrine! This tour wouldn't have happened without your request, and I am so happy that your family enjoyed Shodoshima. Please come back to the islands in the Seto Inland Sea.
“Takamatsu Walking Tour”
I spent a wonderful day with Mika. She put a lot of effort into preparing, planning and customising the tour based on my interests. She is friendly, knowledgeable and was very generous with her time. Even though the weather wasn't the best it didn't dampen the experience and actually added to it times. Mika also took this into account and adjusted accordingly. Communication before during and after was excellent and very easy. I greatly enjoyed her company and would highly recommend anyone visiting Takamatsu to consider spending the day with Mika. There is no substitute for local knowledge and experience, it really adds another dimension to sightseeing. Many thanks again Mika!
Mika S.
(2 reviews)Thank you so much for your heartwarming review! I thoroughly enjoyed our time strolling through Ritsurin Garden, taking in the ink painting-like view from the summit of Yashima, and experiencing the solemn atmosphere of Yashima Temple. If you have any questions while exploring Kagawa, please don't hesitate to reach out anytime. Wishing you safe and enriching journeys ahead!
$226/ per group
Reserve