AM20: The Japan Journals

Day 65

June 4th

The tides washing against the shores of Shikoku are far different from the rapids of Honshu. Despite the constant flux of whirlpools, swirling on the outskirts of his island, the vibe here is oddly relaxed.

The feeling of being on an island (literally and figuratively speaking) can be felt here. Shikoku is known to be one of the lesser-traveled regions in Japan, which is reflected in daily life here. There's a laid-back, cozy vibe around these parts. Perhaps part of that is due to the climate.

I was told that the nearby Seto Inland Sea is far different from the other bodies of water around the country. Unlike the shores of Honshu (or Sado, for that matter) Seto has a mild, consistent climate. For that reason, it's often considered to be similar to the areas around the Mediterranean Sea. The Seto Inland Sea is a neighbor to as many as 700 different islands, all with different calling cards.

For example, there's an island that's known for having an abundance of rabbits (hundreds, to be specific). Places like this are of no interest to me, but many others offer their unique flavor. For that reason, I spent most of my day island hopping with a local tour company.

Many places around Shikoku offer tour packages for these excursions, but few can reach more than a handful of islands in one tour. To get the most out of my day, I picked a tour that scooted over the more popular islands. Before setting foot on the open Sea, I had a nice morning route to drive.

The tour leaves Takamatsu, which is over 2 hours from where I stayed last night (Tokushima). Like many routes I've had recently, the swift ocean breeze accompanies me like essential riding gear. Depending on the direction I'm driving into, my gas mileage is improved by the blowing coastal winds. I don't make much of that, as the changing direction (and wind) equalize any savings in my pocket.

Before arriving at the tour location, I made the ill choice of dining on some of Shikoku's finest cuisines. Amongst many things, the most popular dish to consume in this region is a hot bowl of Udon Noodles.

The thick, bulking straws of food are a local favorite, so much so that the noodles made here have become the common way to prepare the food throughout the country. Unlike their counterparts, these noodles (Sanuki noodles) are square, with flat ends. This results in a different texture than other forms of Udon. I savored the flavor of these noodles, as their chewy texture took more effort to process.

The noodles were served with soup and green onions (which is considered the traditional way to serve Sanuki noodles). It was easy to see that this dish is a source of pride in the area, as there are hundreds of restaurants dedicated to this food. I suppose it helps that most of the ingredients are made on the island. It's what I consider to be their "sweet corn". Can't have too much of an area's cash crop.

After I consumed the slippery bowl of Udon, I headed over to the docking area for the tour. This excursion took me to two of the region's most popular islands, Shodo and Naoshima. Little did I know, that freshly consumed bowl of udon is going to test my sea legs.

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The first stop was Shodo Island. This place is home to the country's first national park, along with many unique industries. One such industry is olive growing. Almost all olives sold in the country come from this island. File that under the category of useless trivia lol.

We eventually made our way through the national park, taking in every moment via photo. It does seem odd that this part of the country has a rather mild climate, considering the areas around it all experience drastic changes in their weather. I'm guessing that the bay-like shape of the Sea insulates it from changing conditions. Regardless, it feels like I'm on a sunny Greek island, not Eastern Asia.

The next stop on the tour was Naoshima Island. This place may be the most avant-garde attraction, of this entire trip. Up until a few decades ago, this island was largely forgotten and sparsely populated. With one artistic vision, that was swiftly changed.

A wealthy businessman (who was an avid art collector) had the idea of renovating the island, filled with artistic decisions. The most notable of which was the Chichu Art Museum. Chichu translates to "art museum in the earth". As the name implies, the majority of the museum was built underground, with different angles of light peaking in.

The design was intentional, as it allows certain art installations to change looks, or "ambiance", as they called it. There were several fancy paintings that I don't remember the name of, but they were intriguing, nonetheless. The collector of these pieces has a lot of zeros in his bank account, as constructing such a place (with numerous pieces) has to be insanely pricey.

Art museums like this usually don't grab me. Not because I'm not impressed by the work, more so, I'm just not in the demographic to care. I can just think of a lot of other things I could use art money on.

Perhaps the coolest art installation, to me, on Naoshima was the "Art House Project". Found in a small village on the one end of this island, the project is a collection of abandoned houses (and other buildings) that have since been renovated as standing pieces of art. Depending on the building, its art may reflect the history behind the building or be a metaphor for a grander purpose.

Unlike the Chichu Art Museum, I instantly gravitated to the array of abandoned artwork. You can see the evolution of this island (and the people who live here) through these buildings. For the longest time, this village was sparsely populated and was mainly a fishing hub. Thanks to the Art House Project, much of the island's history has been illuminated, for the world to see.

My tour ended after the Art House Project, with a wavy ride back to shore. There's not much to write about, regarding the ride back. The bowl of Udon managed to stay in one place, thankfully. I don't know how some people work on the water for a living. It takes all types and without question, I am not one with Sealegs. I'm more likely to develop a Sea Stomach than legs lol.

Tomorrow, I'm going to explore the city I'm staying in tonight (Takamatsu).

Thanks and I'll see you soon!

-Ayden