Shōdoshima, Kagawa
Shōdoshima is a town in Kagawa Prefecture, Japan, with a population of 13,646. The town was established in 2006 and covers various ports and communities on the eastern half of Shōdoshima, the second-largest island in the Seto Inland Sea. Shōdoshima is roughly halfway between the much larger islands of Shikoku to the south and Honshu to the north, and has a mild and relatively dry climate.
Soy sauce production, which flourished through the early 20th century, remains a major industry. Other industries include sōmen noodles, tsukudani, fishing and agriculture. In Japan, olives were first successfully cultivated here in the 1910s and olive oil production resurged in the late 20th century.
Tourism is also economically important. Shodoshima participates in the Setouchi Triennale, a regional art festival, and the mountainous interior is home to Kankakei Gorge. The book and film Twenty-Four Eyes was set on the island, and a movie studio park and museum attracts visitors.
Geography
Notable locations
The town of Shōdoshima was created in 2006 by merging the former towns of Ikeda and Uchinomi, both from Shōzu District. The total area is 95.59 km2, and covers the entire eastern half of the island of Shōdoshima. Notable communities and locations include:- Kankakei Gorge
- Kusakabe, a port and community, with soy sauce production concentrated to the east
- Olive Park/Olive Garden, olive orchards and tourist sites
- Sakate, a port in the southeast
- Twenty-Four Eyes Movie Studio, a tourist site for the book and film ''Twenty-Four Eyes''