Shodoshima Olive and Angel Road Course

On Shodoshima, the olive island floating in the Seto Inland Sea, this course visits Angel Road, the sandbar that appears when the tide recedes, along with the islands highlights. You can enjoy seaside scenery and island cuisine in one day. Olives, soy sauce, and gorge scenery come together for the varied charms unique to Shodoshima.

Course Route

9:30 Start at Angel Road Head to Bentenjima to match the low tide. Cross the sandbar that has risen from the sea and ring the bell of happiness. The crossable hours change day to day, so visit in line with the tide table.

11:00 Move to Olive Park On the hilltop Olive Park, enjoy the Greek windmill and sea views and stroll through the olive groves. The pairing of the white windmill and the blue sea is popular as a photo spot.

12:30 Lunch with island ingredients Have lunch with dishes unique to the island, made with olive oil and hishio. Somen noodles and olive-based dishes are also local specialties.

14:00 Explore the soy sauce village Walk the quarter where old soy sauce breweries gather and touch on the culture of wooden-barrel brewing. The aroma of soy sauce drifts along the street of lined-up breweries.

15:30 Enjoy the Kankakei scenery Ride the ropeway up to Kankakei and close the day with the stunning view over the gorge and the Seto Inland Sea. The aerial ride from the foot to the summit takes about five minutes.

Highlights

Angel Road is a sandbar you can cross only twice a day at low tide. The white windmill at Olive Park is the islands signature photo spot. Kankakei is known as one of Japans finest gorge landscapes and changes its look with the seasons.

Access and Tips

Reach Shodoshima by ferry from ports such as Takamatsu. The island is large with scattered highlights, so getting around by car is convenient. For Angel Road, be sure to check the tide table and visit during the crossable hours.

Practical Travel Notes

• Angel Road reveals its sandbar only during the hours around low tide, twice a day. The crossable hours change day to day, so decide your visit time after checking the tide table.
• The Kankakei ropeway takes about five minutes from the foot station of Kouun to the summit. A round-trip adult fare is in the 2,000-yen range and varies by season. Departures are frequent, so checking the timetable on site is reassuring.
• The island is large and its spots are far apart, so looking up rental-car or bus times in advance helps you get around efficiently.
• Olive oil, soy sauce, and tsukudani are classic island souvenirs. In the soy sauce village you can also enjoy shopping at the breweries.
• There are several ferry ports, so deciding your port and departure for the outbound and return trips in advance makes travel smooth.

A Quick Tip

For Angel Road, tide timing is everything. Planning your arrival around the tide table is the key to success. Distances on the island are on the long side, so deciding which spots to prioritize before building your schedule brings the most satisfaction.

Practical Information for Your Visit

• Angel Road (Tonosho Town): The information center shop is open 9:00-16:30 (varies with the time of low tide). The hours when you can walk across can be checked on the tide table that Tonosho Town publishes each year. The first car park is paid, with 27 spaces for ordinary cars, 2 for drivers with disabilities and 4 for large buses; the second car park is free, with 18 spaces on the west side of Shimamura and 32 spaces on the west side of the Seven-Eleven
• Michi-no-Eki Shodoshima Olive Park: Open 8:30-17:00, year-round. Admission is free and parking is also free (201 spaces for ordinary cars, 9 for large vehicles and 3 for drivers with disabilities), with the car park and toilets available 24 hours. Only the Sun Olive Onsen inside the park is closed on Wednesdays
• Kankakei Ropeway: Cars run every 12 minutes (with extra services every 6 minutes at busy times). Hours are 8:30-17:00 from March 21 to October 20 and from December 1 to 20, 8:00-17:00 from October 21 to November 30, and 8:30-16:30 from December 21 to March 20. The car parks, with 200 spaces at the summit station and 40 at the foot of the mountain at Koun Station, are both free
• Inquiries: 0879-62-7004 (Tonosho Town Commerce and Tourism Division) / 0879-82-2200 (Michi-no-Eki Shodoshima Olive Park)
• Official information: Tonosho Town official website, Michi-no-Eki Shodoshima Olive Park official website, Kankakei official website, Udon-ken Tabi-net (Kagawa Prefecture Tourism Association)

* The above is a guide based on information published by each facility and local government. Times and prices are subject to change, so please check the official information before you set out.