Cross the sea, car and all
The time on the ferry deck in the sea breeze is itself the start of the island trip. The "in-between" only an island unconnected by bridge has.
GETAWAYS — Setouchi / Shodoshima
Cross by ferry to the outermost edge of Kansai
Shodoshima, floating in the Seto Inland Sea, is an island you cross to by ferry with your car and all. An island of olives, soy sauce, and somen noodles, it has Kankakei — counted among Japan's three great ravine landscapes — and Angel Road, a path of sand that appears only at low tide. It's the way to slip the farthest past Kansai, a getaway across the sea.
What kind of place
You can't reach Shodoshima by land. From Kobe, Himeji, Okayama and elsewhere, you board a ferry and cross the sea with your car. The "in-between time" that only an island unconnected by bridge can offer begins on the ferry deck.
At the island's center rises the ravine of Kankakei, and olive groves spread along the coast. In the "soy sauce village" of Hishio-no-Sato, soy sauce and tsukudani are still brewed, and only at low tide does the sandbar of Angel Road appear.
There's no RV park to be found on the island, but there are places suited to overnight stays, such as a roadside station with a hot spring. Timed to the ferry, it becomes an island trip where you stay a leisurely night and head back.
What you can do here
Tour ravine and sea in a day
Kankakei, one of Japan's three great ravine landscapes, and the olive coast. Drive an island where mountain and sea sit close together.
Walk Angel Road at low tide
A path of sand that appears only as the tide goes out. Check the times and visit right at that moment.
Spots to stop by
* See the scenery on the map. Tap a pin for anywhere that catches your eye.
道の駅 小豆島オリーブ公園
With a hot spring. A go-to for overnight stays.
寒霞渓
One of Japan's three great ravine landscapes.
エンジェルロード
A sandbar that appears only at low tide.
醤の郷
An area where soy-sauce and tsukudani brewing warehouses remain.
Nearest RV park
道の駅 小豆島オリーブ公園 ほか（島内RVパークなし）
No RV park is to be found on the island. Roadside stations suited to overnight stays, such as Michi-no-Eki Shodoshima Olive Park with its hot spring, are the go-to.
※ A ferry is required to reach the island. Follow on-site signage for whether overnight stays are allowed at each roadside station, and the etiquette (check first).
Trip tips
From the garage
From the garage in Nagaokakyo, Kyoto to a ferry port such as Kobe or Himeji, then by sea route to Shodoshima. A half-day island trip (ferry reservation required, as a rough guide).
Best seasons
Year-round. The olive harvest season, and early summer to autumn when the sea is calm, are easiest.
Notes on staying
For the car ferry, check schedules and fares and book in advance. Stay overnight only at designated places such as roadside stations.
Head out to Setouchi / Shodoshima with your companion.
It starts by choosing your dates and checking availability.