Japan Guide
Shikoku
Shōdo-shima
The third largest island in the Inland Sea, Shōdo-shima is also one of the most interesting to visit, with splendid natural scenery and some worthwhile sights. The mountainous, forested island styles itself as a Mediterranean retreat, and has a whitewashed windmill and mock-Grecian ruins strategically placed in its terraced olive groves.
If you're short of time, from the main port of Tonoshō head up into the mountains on the bus bound for the 612-metre-high spot of Kanka-kei, which has breathtaking vistas across the Inland Sea.
Another way of getting up to Kanka-kei is by cable car (at least daily 8.30am–4.30pm; ¥700 one way, ¥1250 return; 
www.kankakei.co.jp ) from Kōuntei, a fifteen-minute bus ride from the port of Kusakabe on the south of the island.
Along the main Highway 436 heading east from Tonoshō and around the south of the island lies Olive-kōen (daily 9am–5pm; free; www.1st-olive.com ), a pleasant but touristy park of olive groves and fake Grecian ruins where, among other things, you can buy green-olive chocolate or take an onsen bath (¥700) followed by a moisturising session with olive-oil creams. Just as touristy, but far more interesting, is Nijūshi-no-Hitomi Eigamura (daily 9am–5pm; ¥630). This fake village, a film set used in the 1980s remake of 24 Eyes, is now a mini-theme park dedicated to the movie, which is played in one of the evocative buildings. The location, at the tip of a crooked isthmus sticking out into Uchinomi Bay on the south of the island, is idyllic.
Shōdo-shima is best served by ferries from Takamatsu and high-speed boats that depart daily for several ports on the island.
Tonoshō has plenty of business and tourist hotels charging around ¥8000 per person, including two meals. A good option is Maruse ( 
0879/62-4620, www.new-port.biz ; Price: ¥5000–10000), a small, clean minshuku next to the Tonoshō post office. The friendly Shōdo-shima Olive Youth Hostel ( 0879/82-6161, www4.ocn.ne.jp/~olive-yh/ ; Price: ¥7000-10000), a ten-minute walk west of Kusakabe port, has high-standard dorms (¥3100 per person) and private tatami and Western-style rooms, and serves good meals.