Shodoshima International Hotel and the Angel Road 小豆島国際ホテル & エンジェルロード
Shodoshima
Shodoshima, often referred to as “Mini Shikoku,” is a picturesque island in the Seto Inland Sea. It boasts beautiful beaches, a scenic mountain perfect for hiking, and charming small fishing villages. The island is renowned for its numerous shoyu (soy sauce) breweries and is home to the famous Kadoya Sesame Oil factory, founded in 1858. Shodoshima is also an excellent spot for island hopping, with Teshima being the closest neighboring island. Additionally, Shodoshima is well-known among Japanese tourists for its olive oil production and wagyu beef.
Setting
The Shodoshima International Hotel, though large and frequently hosting bus tour groups, provided a very pleasant stay. Located directly opposite the famous Angel Road, a natural sandbar that connects the mainland to three smaller islands and is only visible and walkable during low tide, the hotel offers stunning views and convenient access to this unique attraction.
The hotel is within walking distance of several small eateries, a nice ramen shop, and a large supermarket. It provides a shuttle bus service to and from Tonosho Port, driven by an extremely friendly driver. The overall service at the hotel is top-notch.
The hotel offers complimentary coffee and tea all day in the lobby. In the evening, leftover rice is turned into complimentary onigiri, and free popsicles are available after enjoying the onsen.
Onsen
The women’s onsen features a stunning view of Angel Road and the sea. We recommend visiting early (before 17:00) as the water tends to get less clean later in the day. The men’s onsen does not have a view. There’s a public bath nearby with sea view rotenburo’s, but it was under renovation during our visit.
Breakfast
The hotel offers a broad Japanese buffet-style breakfast with many options, including curry, tofu, fish, plenty of fruits, and vegetables prepared in various ways. They also have chefs making onigiri with preferred fillings, mostly seaweed or dried fish. We highly recommend the breakfast.
Room
Our standard Japanese-Western room with twin beds gave us a real holiday feeling. Although we didn’t have a terrace, the large windows provided an unobstructed view of Angel Road. The room had everything we needed, including a small Japanese seating area. The beds were comfy and provided a good night’s rest.
Practical Info
We used this hotel as our three-night base for exploring the Kankakei Gorge and for a day trip to the art island of Teshima. On our arrival day, we spent half a day climbing to the nearby Mt. Takami Observation Deck (高見山展望台), a former castle site. It was a gorgeous day, and we enjoyed the splendid views from the viewpoint.
We booked through their own website, and if you register as a member, you get a 5% discount.
We recommend booking a twin room with an Angel Road view on a high floor. Not only is the view better, but the west wing is also quieter, as many bus tours stay in the more affordable Japanese-style rooms. We paid 23,000 yen for two people, including breakfast.