Enjoy Shodoshima without a Rental Car｜A One-Day Island Tour Bus Itinerary

Many people use rental cars when sightseeing on Shodoshima, but some may not be used to driving or may prefer to enjoy their trip by public transportation.
With the Island Tour Bus, you do not have to drive or look for parking, and you can spend the travel time comfortably while enjoying the scenery from the window.

The Island Tour Bus is a scheduled sightseeing bus that departs from and returns to Tonosho Port, taking visitors around Shodoshima’s popular spots in about 6 hours.
It efficiently covers Shodoshima’s representative sightseeing spots, including Kankakei Gorge, Twenty-Four Eyes Movie Studio, and Shodoshima Olive Park Roadside Station.
One of its appeals is that you can fully enjoy Shodoshima even with limited time on the island.

On board, you can enjoy commentary from a bus guide, and a free audio guide app is also available in Japanese, English, Chinese, and Korean.
Because you can tour the island while deepening your understanding of the history and culture of each sightseeing spot, it is also recommended for first-time visitors to Shodoshima.
Download the app to your smartphone in advance.

The Island Tour Bus introduced in this article departs from and returns to Tonosho Port, so using a Shodoshima Ferry route from Takamatsu Port or Shin-Okayama Port to Tonosho Port makes transfers smooth.
Some ferries operate as Slowpoke Ferries, decorated with Slowpoke, a Pokémon character that promotes Kagawa Prefecture.
There are also ferry services where you can enjoy udon on board, making the travel time itself part of the fun.

Depending on the season, ferries may be crowded, so advance reservations are recommended when bringing a car on board.
Operating conditions may change, so check the official Shodoshima Ferry website in advance.

The Island Tour Bus operated by Shodoshima Transportation Co., Ltd. is a scheduled sightseeing bus that efficiently tours the island’s representative sightseeing spots.
Because it allows visitors to comfortably visit popular spots without a rental car, it is also popular with first-time visitors to Shodoshima.
Here, we will introduce the route, fares, and reservation method.

Board the sightseeing bus at Tonosho Port and set off for a tour of Shodoshima.
During the ride, you can learn about Shodoshima’s history and culture while listening to the guide’s commentary or using the audio guide app.

This giant Kannon statue stands about 50 meters tall.
It is beloved as a landmark of Shodoshima, and you can feel its impressive presence even from the bus window.
It is a fitting spot to begin the journey.

Kankakei Gorge, counted as one of Japan’s three most beautiful gorges, is a must-visit spot when sightseeing on Shodoshima.
From the summit, you can enjoy panoramic views of Uchinomi Bay, the Seto Inland Sea, and the mountains of Shikoku.
Takatori Observatory is especially popular as a scenic viewpoint.
Other photogenic spots are also scattered around the area, including kawarake throwing, a good-luck custom of throwing small clay disks, for happiness wishes (200 yen per set), and the scenic artwork “Sora no Tama / Kankakei” by Noe Aoki, which was also exhibited at the Setouchi Triennale 2022.

At lunchtime, enjoy local specialties such as olive beef croquette burgers, olive pork croquette burgers, and Momiji Cider.
Then take the ropeway down to the base station and experience the dynamic beauty of the gorge from the air.

This sightseeing facility uses the film set of the movie “Twenty-Four Eyes.”
The townscape and wooden schoolhouse from the early Showa period, around 1926 to 1930, have been recreated, making you feel as if you have traveled back in time to old Japan.
Its beautiful location overlooking the Seto Inland Sea also makes it perfect for strolling and photography.

Shodoshima is known as a production area for soy sauce and tsukudani, a sweet and savory food simmered in soy sauce and sugar.
Ittokuan, a tsukudani shop on Shodoshima Island, is a place where visitors can experience this food culture.
Inside the shop, various types of tsukudani are lined up, and visitors can enjoy tasting and shopping. The shop’s famous mitarashi soy sauce soft-serve ice cream, made with soy sauce, is also popular.

The final stop of the trip is Shodoshima Olive Park Roadside Station.
Inside the park overlooking the Seto Inland Sea, the symbolic Greek-style white windmill and olive groves create scenery that feels as if you have visited the Mediterranean.
At Shodoshima Olive Park Roadside Station, visitors can borrow magic broomsticks for free, and taking jumping photos that look like scenes from a movie is popular.
Take a memorable photo from your trip.

At the shop inside the park, you can also buy Shodoshima souvenirs such as olive oil, Shodoshima specialties including soy sauce, somen noodles, and tsukudani, as well as sweets and cosmetics.
Enjoy strolling and shopping while taking in the spectacular views, and spend a fitting final moment of your trip.

Inside the park, there is also a cafe where you can enjoy Shodoshima olive oil.
It is a spot where you can enjoy dishes made only with Shodoshima olive oil, from preparation to finishing.
It is not included in the Island Tour Bus route, but it is worth stopping by if you have time.

The one-day trip, packed with Shodoshima’s attractions, including scenic views, history, local cuisine, and photo spots, comes to an end.
One of the unique appeals of the Island Tour Bus is that you can sightsee efficiently even without a rental car.