Shodoshima: Beyond the Art Triennale, Discovering its Everyday Charms! 🏝️🌸

#summervacay On my second day in Takamatsu, I chose to island-hop to Shodoshima, the reported hometown of Slowpoke. This island is also said to be the first place in Japan to successfully cultivate olives, so the air was constantly filled with their fragrant aroma. Despite its name, Shodoshima is anything but "small"! Combined with incredibly inconvenient rural transportation—public buses running only once an hour—we spent most of our time waiting. It felt a bit like a military drill just trying to get around! However, the scenery itself was incredibly healing. It's the perfect place to aimlessly spend an afternoon lost in thought. Stripped of its art festival colors, in its everyday state, this island is simply about the sunset, the wind carrying years of history, and the quiet harbors of its fishermen. While waiting for a bus, I spotted a group of beached clams – a quirky discovery! Before I knew it, I had to rush to catch the last "Slowpoke ferry" back to Takamatsu, but I was rewarded with a beautiful pink sunset. #shodoshima #setouchisea