On this side of the sea, on the other side of the island (8-day tour of the Seto Inland Sea)
There is a movie called "In the Bosom of the Sea," in which "In the Bosom of the Sea" is not the name of a place but the names of two boys. They are probably the strongest "cp" combination in the universe without brains and unhappy. And I also knew the name "In the Bosom of the Sea" and searched for information about this place on Baidu, bought the book "Small Island Travel," and decided to see the blue with my own eyes, the art galleries full of art, the works of masters, and the endless udon noodles...
So, I started planning my four-country trip half a year in advance, read many travel notes, and made thorough preparations. Finally, during the May Day holiday, I escaped from Shanghai with the crowd and went to the not-so-popular four countries.
The Pudong Airport on May Day was really crowded, and the people lined up to go to the sun really made me hesitate. I gave up buying things because I was born not to fight with others for things, and the only thing I could do was to stay away. Fortunately, although Spring and Autumn are broken, they still arrive on time, just like last year's Kyushu. There are no high-rise buildings around, just a faint smell of sea water and those farm-style fields, but what makes me happy most is the blue sky and white clouds, and my mood is instantly cured. So, Takamatsu City, nice to meet you for the first time. After leaving the airport, there are vending machines to buy airport buses, to JR Takamatsu Station. There are Chinese-speaking staff to help you next to the machine, 760 yen one way, and when you arrive at JR Takamatsu Station, you need to go to Warp to exchange our 7-day tour pass.
Smiling station, come on, smile
The first meal after arriving in Takamatsu was a visit to a restaurant called ICHIHE, which was very close to the hotel. It is probably considered a popular restaurant in Takamatsu. Fortunately, we went to eat as soon as we had settled our luggage on the plane. When we wanted to go to this restaurant again in the following days, almost everyone had to queue up, and the queue was really long.
Chicken with bones is a local specialty in Kagawa. Almost every izakaya (Japanese-style pub) has the option of chicken with bones. To put it simply, it's a grilled chicken leg with bones, seasoned with salt, pepper, and garlic sauce. It is divided into young chicken (tender chicken meat) and old chicken meat. Personally, I recommend not ordering old chicken meat unless you have very strong teeth, because it's really hard to chew. Each serving of chicken with bones comes with a plate of cabbage, which I love. It's sweet every time you take a bite. It may not be worth the money, but it's really tasty, especially with beer.
After looking through some reviews on a popular review website, I recommend trying the chicken skin in vinegar and the jellyfish, which are both really good. The chicken skin in vinegar is especially worth trying. My husband even wanted to go back to this restaurant for it in the following days.
Chicken rice
The warehouse cafe umie is located in the Kitahama alley, near the Kagoshima port. There are not many shops in the warehouse street, but the most popular one is umie. When we arrived at the store, there were no seats available, so we left our information and arranged to come back at 6pm.
Climbing up the narrow, winding staircase with its iconic handrail, pushing open the deepest iron door, and entering the high, triangular iron warehouse space, groups of friends sit on sofas, in corners, reading, daydreaming, taking photos, and more.
We were grateful to be arranged at the window-side bar, where we could drink beverages and watch the unbeatable sea view outside the window. We ordered a refreshing white peach-flavored sparkling water and freshly squeezed orange juice, along with freshly made small snacks. The comfortable light, lively music, and low murmur of voices reminded me of the quote from "Laid-Back Camp": Why does youth have to sweat and run, why can't it just idle by the river?
The story of 785 steps and udon at day2
It takes about an hour by car from Takamatsu to Kotohira. Kotohira is a place that Japanese people want to visit once in their lifetime, and it is also the Konpira Grand Shrine that Conan and Little Maruko have visited. The 785 steps will not feel tired with the company of Doraemon.
The Konpira Grand Shrine is famous for enshrining the sea guardian deity called "Konpira". It is a deity that cures diseases, removes disasters and brings good luck, so it has been popular since ancient times. In the 14th century Muromachi period, when popular belief was high, "visiting Konpira" was a popular activity, and even now many people come from all over the country to visit.
The second activity on the day was the Nakano Udon Noodle School. The school is located on the way to Kondo Hachimangu Shrine, so you can go to the shrine first and then come down the mountain to participate in the Udon Noodle School activity. I made a reservation online in advance, with a price of about 100-150 CNY / person. The website reservation is: ******. Kagawa Prefecture's other famous specialty is udon noodles. The saying goes, "eat udon noodles during the day and bone-in chicken at night," so if your time allows, I highly recommend coming here to learn. There were many people learning on the day we booked the 1:30pm session. In the classroom, there were people from Hong Kong, South Korea, Japan, and us. Don't worry if you don't understand Japanese and are afraid of not understanding the teacher's meaning, because you can see what your classmates are doing and just try to follow along. That's what I did, hahaha. The learning is divided into two parts. The first is where they give you a dough, flatten it, fold it, and cut it into noodles, which you will then cook and eat in a bowl prepared by them. The second part is where they give you flour and you knead the dough, then put it in a bag and start stomping it with your feet. Finally, this dough is for you to take home and keep for three days.
The Ritsurin Park, a three-star Michelin top-rated garden, was built between the Japanese Genki era (1570-1572) and the Tensho era (1573-1591). According to documents, the park was named "Ritsurin" because it used to be a forest of chestnut trees. The park was originally a private garden built by the Sato family in the southwest corner of today's park, near Shonai-do. The local lord, Takatoshi Sawayama, then expanded the garden against the backdrop of Mount Shosha. After 19 years, the garden was further expanded by the lord of the Takamatsu domain, Ryozyo Matsudaira. After 100 years and 5 generations of lords, the garden took its current form. In the past, the garden was a private property of the Matsudaira family until it was nationalized in 1871 during the Meiji period. Four years later, it was opened to the public as a county park, and the general public was allowed to visit for the first time.
Ritsurin Park is one of Japan's most famous gardens, covering 750,000 square meters. It has a long history and is said to have originally belonged to the Ritsurin mansion of the lord of Takamatsu in the Tensho era. In 1642 during the Kan'ei era, it was further developed by the lord of Takamatsu, Matsudaira. It was not completed until 100 years later, during the time of the fifth generation lord of the Matsudaira family. In 1875, during the Meiji period, the garden was turned into a county park and opened to the public, allowing the general public to see the splendor of the feudal era.
Although the cherry blossoms were all gone at the end of April, the park was still stunning with its abundance of green, making it easy on the eyes. This park truly amazed me and is definitely worth a special trip. It is divided into a south tour and a north tour, which take different amounts of time. Since we arrived later, we chose the south tour and every step we took revealed a new stunning view. That's what it means to be a three-star Michelin park – it's a place that's worth traveling to. No doubt, if you come to Takamatsu, you must not miss Ritsurin Park.
There are many ferries from Takamatsu to Shodoshima Island, divided into fast and slow. As mentioned earlier, the JR pass can only be used on the slow ferry, so please check the timetable and choose accordingly. The first day of the island-hopping trip didn't go well. When we arrived at the port before 9 a.m., we were startled by the thick fog in front of us. As expected, the ship was suspended and it was unknown when it would be open. The waiting room was crowded with people, and even a TV station came to interview us. All I could think of was constantly starting Plan B and praying that the fog would dissipate quickly. Because today's arrangement is to stay on Shodoshima Island for one night, if we can't go, the hotel will lose out. Most importantly, all the hotels in Takamatsu are fully booked, which means we may not have a place to sleep tonight. Contact the insurance company and ask about the relevant matters. Finally, at 11 a.m., the fog at the port dissipated slightly, and we were notified that we could board the ship. After a short time, the ship set off. It was truly a stroke of luck in the midst of misfortune.
One hour later, we arrived at Tsuchizaki Port. With the flow of people, we lined up to take the bus on the island to the Small Island International Hotel. Check-in wasn't until 3pm, so after completing the check-in procedures, we went out to explore the area.
Recommended route for Small Island:
Tsuchizaki Port - Kansha Creek (during the red maple season) - 24 Mizuishi Movie Village - Olives Park - Marukin Soy Sauce Factory - Lost Town - Angel's Road - Tsuchizaki Port
The Lost Town
On the island of Shodoshima, there is a fun project called "The Lost Town." There are five renovated houses, including an old kimono store warehouse and a soy sauce store warehouse. The third house is called "The Flexible Alley Space." You enter through a tobacco counter, and inside is an old house. It's like an escape room, and you finally come out through the fridge in the kitchen. It looks like a normal house from the outside. Unfortunately, it is not open during the Art Festival.
Legend has it that in the Middle Ages, in order to prevent pirates from invading, the locals of Shodoshima intentionally built a complex and confusing town. Getting lost became a local feature. MeiPAM Art Team took the streets as an art museum, and specific scenes as works of art. When people use a map to find their way to these three buildings, they have already begun this artistic behavior.
When you leave the hotel, you will see a little demon painted on the wall across the street. That's right, it's preparing for you to find the Lost Town. Follow the navigation and find the first house. Buy a Lost Town package inside. Start our journey of getting lost. Each house is frightening. I'm grateful to have someone with me, otherwise I would have screamed in a minute. The package will tie a red band around your wrist. Don't tear it off. It's the sign of passing through. They will also give you a badge. Finally, return to the first house and drop it off. The badge is the key to opening each room, so take care of it. Don't expect to visit with many people. It doesn't exist. This journey is only for you. That's right, the path you choose, the choices you make, and the direction you go will determine your future. You are the protagonist of your own story.
The World's Narrowest Strait
Located near the entrance of the Lost Town is the world's first narrowest strait, Tsuchibuchi Strait, which is only 9.93 meters apart. According to Wikipedia, a strait is a body of water that connects two larger bodies of water or oceans and is naturally formed, with a generally deeper depth and faster flow than artificially dug canals like rivers. Of course, the best gift to prove that you have been here is to go to the opposite government department and exchange 100 Japanese yen for a certificate of crossing the strait.
Angel's Road
There is a fantastic road that appears with the ebb and flow of the tide. There is a legend that if you walk the road hand in hand with your loved one, your wish will come true. It is a naturally sculpted romantic masterpiece. This holy site, known as Angel's Road, has a view that can only be experienced twice a day. I chose to stay at the Small Island International Hotel because almost every room has a view of Angel's Road and it also has the entrance to Angel's Road, so I personally recommend this hotel when visiting Small Island.
The thing that attracted me most to Small Island was actually Angel's Road. I had seen the blue of the Pacific Ocean and the beauty of the Inland Sea, but the crescent-shaped beach between the two islands that appears and disappears with the tides was truly breathtaking. It's okay to throw your plans off course as long as you have someone you want to hold hands with by your side.
