Island-hopping by ferry

Also written: 島々のフェリー移動 · 岛屿间的渡轮出行

The ferry trips from Takamatsu Port to islands such as Naoshima and Shodoshima are themselves a popular way to enjoy the relaxed, everyday atmosphere of the Seto Inland Sea.

Kagawa Shikoku Life & Daily

About this place

Island-hopping by ferry from Sunport Takamatsu in Kagawa Prefecture is not simply transit but a core daily-life experience that visitors are encouraged to enjoy as sightseeing, linking the Seto Inland Sea islands of Naoshima famous for Yayoi Kusama's Red Pumpkin, Shodoshima the olive island, Teshima with its terraced rice fields, Megijima called Onigashima demon island with the large cave from Momotaro legend, Ogijima with lighthouse and cats, and Inujima with its art house project. According to Tonosho Port Wikipedia infobox and VELTRA's 2024 guide to Takamatsu–Shodoshima access, the principal line is Takamatsu Port to Tonosho Port on Shodoshima, managed as a local port by Kagawa Prefecture and designated a disaster-resilient port with three berths and two piers and 45 departures statistically, also listed in the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism plan for Nankai Trough earthquake maritime continuity. The route is operated by Shodoshima Ferry and jointly by Shikoku Ferry and International Ryobi Ferry as part of National Route 436's maritime section, capable of carrying automobiles and motorbikes with side-brake requirement. The standard ferry takes about 60 minutes aboard Shodoshima-maru, the high-speed boat Super Marine and Olive Marine takes about 30 to 35 minutes, with roughly 15 sailings daily from 06:25 morning to evening, first-come first-served, freight reservation possible but passengers no reservation, adult one-way around 700 yen and child 350 yen for ferry, about 1,190 yen adult for high-speed rising to 1,400 yen after April 2024 revision, round-trip discount giving 10 percent off return, purchasable at boarding. On deck you see the roof-shaped mesa of Yashima, steamers under Seto Ohashi Bridge, gulls and Seto's calm sea called Seto-no-Yuunagi when wind drops around sunset, ideal for mirror photography. The ferry also connects to Naoshima Miyanoura Port – ferry 50 to 60 minutes and high-speed 25 minutes with five round trips daily plus seasonal extra fast boats Fri-Sun during Triennale – to Teshima, and to Uno Port in Okayama via Toyoshima taking 90 minutes and to Shin-Okayama Port 70 minutes. Since January 2026 ticket vending machines at Takamatsu and Miyanoura accept cashless – ICOCA and nationwide IC cards, Rakuten Edy, nanaco, WAON, iD, QUICPay, credit and debit cards, although charging at window remains impossible, a change welcomed by art tourists. A 2025 audio guide app released by Shodoshima tourism narrates island stories while sailing, explaining 1908 olive trial planting success making Shodoshima Japan's northern limit for olives with about 2,000 trees now, soy sauce breweries 400 years old at Shodo Shoyu, Dobuchi Strait world's narrowest strait at 9.93 meters certified by Guinness in 1996 where a crossing certificate is issued at the town hall, Heiwa no Gunzo bronze statue from Twenty-Four Eyes novel, Angel Road sandbar accessible at low tide. Tonosho Port's Olive Bus network including Nakayama, Anger Road via Ikeda and Kusakabe, Sakate, Shikai, West-Ura loop, North and South Fukuda lines links to Olive Park, Kankakei Gorge ropeway and movie village. During Setouchi Triennale extra vessels run, and Sunport Takamatsu's high-rise observation deck allows watching departing ships. For travelers, arriving one hour early in peak season, wearing windproof layers, keeping same trash manners as trails, and respecting that ferry is both commute for island elders doing shopping and art pilgrimage for global visitors makes the 60-minute crossing feel luxurious rather than lost time, embodying Setouchi's yuttari unhurried everyday.