Summary
This time, I used the “Okayama-Kagawa Wide Pass” (an unlimited-ride ticket that includes JR, ship, and bus services in Okayama, Kagawa, and Shodoshima), which can be purchased via the setowa app, for a 3-day/2-night trip to enjoy the spectacular scenery of Shodoshima and Kagawa.
The sea is beautiful, and Kagawa specialties such as somen noodles and meat are the most delicious, making for a very satisfying three days!
This article presents the first day of the program.
Starting from Okayama Station, we will cross over to Shodoshima Island and visit spots on the mountain side, such as Monkey Country and Kankakei Gorge.
I hope you all will take a look at this plan for your trip!
*Please note that information and prices listed are subject to change.
Travel Itinerary
10:00am Okayama Station（岡山駅）
The start is Okayama Station.
It is a large station with many souvenir stores and restaurants.
First, take a bus to Shin-Okayama Port!
Okayama Station East Exit
Board the bus at platform 1.
Spot Outline
Okayama Station is a station of West Japan Railway Company (JR West) located in Kita-ku, Okayama City. It takes only 50 minutes from Osaka by Shinkansen bullet train and less than one hour from Kyoto. You can also take a sightseeing train, SAKUBI-SAKURA, to Tsuyama Station.
11:40am Shin-Okayama Port（新岡山駅）
Take a boat to the port of Tonosho. The boat trip takes about 70 minutes.
store
Souvenirs are sold, there are restaurants, and the time spent waiting for the ship can be spent in a meaningful way!
Boarding a ship
The ship is clean and spacious✨
Spot Outline
Shin-Okayama Port is located in Shinzinko, Naka-ku, Okayama City, Okayama Prefecture. The port is connected to Shodoshima’s Dojo Port by ferry, which takes about 1 hour and 10 minutes, with eight services per day.
12:50pm Tonosho Port（土庄港）
Landed on Shodoshima Island.
First, we set out to eat somen noodles (Ultra-thin noodles made from wheat flour), a specialty of Shodoshima!
Spot Outline
The “Port of Tonosho” is a port located in Kou, Tonosho-cho, Shozu-gun, Kagawa Prefecture. It is designated by Kagawa Prefecture as a port with enhanced disaster prevention functions.
1:00pm Dining Ginshiro（お食事処 銀四郎）
Visit a restaurant right in front of the harbor where you can enjoy authentic hand-pulled noodle dishes.
You can also buy somen noodles for souvenirs.
(Japanese) restaurant
Ginshiro noodle 600 yen
It’s delicious and sticky!
There are also other varieties such as black sesame somen and olive somen.
Spot Outline
Dining Ginshiro is located in Tonosho-cho, Shozu-gun, Kagawa Prefecture. You can casually enjoy “hand-pulled somen,” a specialty of the island. The restaurant’s relaxed atmosphere is perfect for a meal with family or friends.
2:00pm Angel Rent-a-Car（エンジェル・レンタカー）
We use a convenient car rental agency where you can return your car at each port or affiliated hotel.
Spot Outline
Angel Rent-A-Car is a car rental agency located in Tonosho-cho, Shozu-gun, Kagawa Prefecture. It can be returned at the port or affiliated hotels, and is well-reputed by word of mouth for its convenience.
2:30pm Choshi Valley Monkey Country（銚子渓 自然動物園 お猿の国）
Arrive at your destination! Here, there are about 300 monkeys on the grounds, and you can experience feeding them.
Spot Outline
Choshi Valley Monkey Country, located in Tonosho-cho, Shozu-gun, Kagawa Prefecture, is a nature zoo with approximately 300 wild monkeys designated as natural treasures. Visitors can also experience feeding the monkeys.
3:30pm Kankakei Gorge（寒霞渓）
The next destination is one of the three most beautiful valleys in Japan and one of the most representative scenic spots in Setonaikai National Park.
A place where you can see spectacular views from multiple vantage points ✨
Spot Outline
Kankakei Gorge is located in Shodoshima-cho, Shodo-gun, Kagawa Prefecture. Known as one of Japan’s three most beautiful valleys, it is one of the world’s most famous scenic spots. The spectacular view of the Seto Inland Sea from the ropeway is also an enjoyable experience.
Kankakei Gorge Ropeway（寒霞渓ロープウェイ）
The 5-minute aerial walk provides a spectacular 360° view of the city.
Spot Outline
Kankakei Ropeway is a ropeway located in Shodoshima-cho, Shozu-gun, Kagawa Prefecture. It is the only ropeway in Japan that offers a view of the sky, the sea, and the valley all at once. The ropeway offers seasonal views of fresh greenery in spring and summer, autumn leaves in fall, and winter scenery in winter.
4:45pm Shihoji Observation Deck（四方指展望台）
Take the ropeway to the top, and after a short walk, you will see … a 777-meter-high observatory that has been selected as one of the Sanuki 100 Sceneries!
360-degree spectacular view✨
Spot Outline
Shihoji Observation Deck, located in Shodoshima Town, Kagawa Prefecture, is a viewpoint that has been selected as one of the “Sanuki 100 Sceneries. The 777-meter-high hill is a popular spot for sunrise on the first day of the new year, and offers the best view on the island.
6:00pm Tenku Hotel Kairo（天空ホテル 海廬）
After enjoying the spectacular view, we drove to a hotel about 30 minutes away.
We had an ocean view room✨
View from the window
Angel Road is visible!
room
Soft futons and yukatas were also available.
View from the garden
Angel Road can be seen from the garden!
It seemed that barbecues were also available.
large public bath with a view
The open-air baths with a beautiful night view, not to mention Angel Road, are the most soothing.
Spot Outline
Tenku Hotel Kairo, located in Tonosho-cho, Shozu-gun, Kagawa Prefecture, is the oldest onsen ryokan on Shodoshima. There are three grades of room types to choose from, including rooms with a relaxed atmosphere based on Japanese modernism and ocean views with a spectacular view of Angel Road right in front of you.
Read More
Watch the video
See articles on Day 2 and Day 3
