Ogijima, a Seto Inland Sea island located a 40-minute ferry ride from Takamatsu harbor, is one of the venues of the Setouchi Triennale 2016 (International Art Festival).

Originally an art installation created for the Setouchi Triennale 2010, the slightly odd-looking building on the left is called the Ogikoryukan. Situated right in front of Ogi harbor, from where the ferry departs, it is now a tourist information center and the place to buy ferry tickets.

The gourmet spot I will introduce today, Murakami Shoten, lies just opposite the koryukan.

The shop itself is quite small, but lots of customers come here to taste the dishes made with home-grown vegetables, and the okonomiyaki with Ogi octopus is especially popular. Another good point is, as it is located right in front of the harbor, you can stay here until the very last moment before the ferry departs.

This is the shop owner, Kinuko Murakami.

Let’s try her famous octopus okonomiyaki! On the menu it’s called chidakotamayaki and is 600 yen.

The sliced octopus is put neatly on top of the okonomiyaki dough and fried thoroughly.

Now this looks delicious!

After a while, it’s flipped over and fried on the other side.

After frying, it is covered in a special sauce and dried bonito flakes and chopped spring onions are sprinkled on top. My chidakotamayaki is ready!

On sunny days, I recommend sitting outside and enjoying the harbor view while eating.

As there are cats all over the island, Ogijima also goes by the name of neko no shima (cat island). While they are usually friendly, when they’re hungry, they tend to jump up on tables, so don’t let your guard down! Feeding the cats is also prohibited, so keep that in mind, too.

Tokuseitakomeshi (special octopus bowl) is a limited dish only available during the Setouchi Triennale 2016. It is 400 yen.
This one is a takikomigohan (boiled rice cooked with various ingredients) with Ogi octopus. For customers wanting it to take out, it gets nicely packed. It’s perfect to bring on a walk and look for a nice place with a great view to sit down and eat. (You can also get the okonomiyaki to go.)

One relatively close place with a nice view is Toyotamahime shrine. The gods enshrined here are Toyotamahime and Yamasachihiko, known in the Legend of Umisachihiko and Yamasachihiko. Islanders have been coming here since ancient times to pray for easy childbirth.

The shrine’s best vantage point is close to the two torii gates in the middle of the approach. The view from the stairs is spectacular, and just to the side of the path there’s a rock perfect for sitting on and enjoying the view.

However, it’s also one of the island’s cats’ favorite spots, so be prepared to be fully surrounded by our feline friends. (In the end, I wasn’t able to sit down and eat, so I had to stand to enjoy my tokuseitakomeshi and the scenery.)

In the north of the island there’s an easy-to-walk promenade with observation platforms and resting areas suitable for picnicking.

I definitely recommend starting any tour around Ogijima with an okonomiyaki or takomeshi take-out from Murakami Shoten.

Murakami Shoten

Address: Ogiminatomae, Ogi, Takamatsu City, Kagawa Prefecture
Open: 10:00～17:00
Closed: No scheduled holidays
Tel: 090-3786-0601
http://ogijima.info/eatandstay/murakami/

Ogijima Access Information (Shiyujimakaiun ferry)
Travel time: About 40 minutes (Takamatsu – Megijima: 20 min. Megijima – Ogijima: 20 minutes)
Fare: Adults 510 yen, Children 260 yen (Takamatsu to Ogijima one way)
http://ogijima.info/access/

Setouchi Finder Photo-writer: Hironobu Matsuoka