Cat Spotting in Sanagijima 佐柳島
Sanagijima is an island located in the Seto Inland Sea. While this region hosts the Setouchi International Art Triennale every three years, it does not feature any exhibitions on the island itself.
from Takamatsu, Kagawa, Japan
香川県高松
En Route to Sanagijima
Tadotsu 多度津
The ferry to Sanagijima departed from Tadotsu. It is about a 20-minute walk from the train station, or just 5 minutes by taxi.
Ferry to Sanagijima 佐柳島
There were three ferry departures daily between Tadotsu and Sanagijima, so we needed to wait at the port. When we visited, we saw some local residents boarding the ferry with motorcycles.
The ferry was comfortable and clean. As the two who were easily nauseated on boats, we were able to relax during the one-hour trip, which included a brief stop at Takamishima.
Sanagijima 佐柳島
It is recommended that you spent one or two nights on the island to experience both the daytime and nighttime views of Seto Inland Sea. The only hostel on Sanagijima, Neconoshima (ネコノシマホステル), requires a reservation. The walk from the port to Neconoshima took around 15 minutes. We decided to stay for a night because the hostel was refurbished from an abandoned elementary school, and we never stayed at school overnight before.
On our way to the hostel, we ran into several cats—some healthy, others looking a bit sick or skinny. It seemed like the hostel was the only place really looking out for them. Elsewhere, the food and water spots looked a little forgotten.
The hostel is a bit away from the residential area. Most of the time, we met with the hosts and other cat lovers instead of the local residents there. When the sun began to set, we gathered at the entrance of the school and petted the cats with the gentle sound of waves from beyond the breakwater providing a soothing background. Some of the guests began to share why they were cat lovers.
For an isolated island in Seto Inland Sea, we expected the meals to be as simple as curry rice. In fact, what we had could be some of the best seafood with local vegetables we have tasted.
The night view was truly spectacular. However, it is best to stay close to the hostel for safety. Don’t worry—cats also gathered around the classrooms for their dinner.
We owned the view of dawn and interacted with cats exclusively by getting up very early in the morning. We were anticipating breakfast already when talking about the meal last night.