Shamijima

What to know

Shamijima (沙弥島) was once a tiny island off the coast of Shikoku, but land reclamation in 1967 connected it to the mainland. A decade later, the former island became the southern terminus of the Seto Ohashi Bridge, a 9.4-kilometer bridge network linking Shikoku to Okayama Prefecture on Honshu, Japan's main island.

Today, the quiet, easily walkable area around Shamijima features a small fishing village, beaches, parks, temples, shrines, and a few museums.

The most notable museum on Shamijima is the Higashiyama Kaii Setouchi Art Museum. Built in 2005, this modern art facility showcases the works of Higashiyama Kaii, a landscape painter whose grandfather was born in the region. His paintings are displayed in rotating seasonal exhibitions, with two special exhibitions held each year in spring and autumn.

Together with nearby Seijima, another former island, Shamijima serves as one of the venues for the Setouchi Triennale art festival, known as the Seto Ohashi Bridge Area. Several permanent modern art installations from the festival remain on the islands' parks and beaches for visitors to enjoy.

A short walk from the Higashiyama Kaii Art Museum is the Seto Ohashi Memorial Park, a public park built to commemorate the completion of the Seto Ohashi Bridge. It features a large promenade with fountains, lawns, and a sports field. The park also houses the Seto Ohashi Memorial Hall, an observation point and museum displaying photos and dioramas about the bridge's history and construction. Additionally, several large pieces of equipment used in building the bridge are stationed around the park.

At the west end of the memorial park stands the 132-meter-high Seto Ohashi Tower. Its observation chamber lifts visitors 108 meters into the air and rotates for 360-degree views of the Seto Ohashi Bridge, the Seto Inland Sea, and Shamijima below.