Culture and nature
With its 53 km from north to south and 22 km from east to west, Awaji Island is Japan's 11th largest island. It is connected to the island of Honshu by the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge, the longest suspension bridge in the world, and to the island of Shikoku via the Onaruto Bridge, near the famous Naruto whirlpools. This exceptional natural phenomenon, due to its size, is explained by the friction between currents of different speeds at the boundary between the Japanese Inland Sea and the Pacific Ocean. The tidal current can reach 20 km per hour and the size of a whirlpool the 30 meters in diameter. Every six hours, the ebb and flow of the sea offers a natural maritime spectacle that can be appreciated from boats that weave their way through the eddies to the delight of the eyes. The sea, the relatively temperate climate and the low rainfall are ideal for fishing, agriculture and livestock, the main sectors of activity on the island, which is famous for its seafood products, such as fugu, globe fish, onions and beef. Floriculture is also very well represented here, especially with narcissus, which, depending on the season, offers a colourful and magical panorama. This historical and mystical island also conceals traditional arts of great importance, such as the Awaji Ningyo Joruri puppet theatre, with more than 500 years of history, but also popular beliefs and unique customs born from the island's agriculture. The stories told during puppet theatre performances are often inspired by the myth of the genesis of Japan. Folklore again with Tokushima, located at the eastern tip of Shikoku Island, home to one of the country's most famous traditional festivals, a festival that attracts more than a million visitors in August. People from the town and the surrounding area come to dance from place to place to the rhythm of shamisen, drums and Yoshikono , a song from the Edo period. But the highlight of the festival is the dances performed by dance troupes who compete professionally to offer a sensational show. The atmosphere that emerges from this historic festival is simply euphoric. Water, which is omnipresent around this region of Kansai, also plays a key role in many other handicrafts, such as indigo dye, Awa washi paper, Otaniyaki pottery and soba. As for modernity and contemporary architecture, one must turn to the visit of the Akashi Bridge. This breathtaking and dizzying experience is an opportunity to go behind the scenes of the world's longest suspension bridge while enjoying a fantastic view 300 meters above the sea. During the visit of this bridge, the visitor discovers the construction techniques, the ingenuity of the engineers, the anti-seismic work and also unusual places closed to the public. The view from the 98th floor of the bridge is... one of the most incredible views in Kansai.
The art of indulging
This region of Kansai is also a very pleasant destination for travelers wishing to slow down the frantic pace of their Japanese journey. It is quite possible to ride a rented two-wheeler on the island of Awaji to ride around its 150 km, at your own pace, to discover a fabulous nature in front of the immensity of the sea. The sea is, of course, a key element of any visit to the Seto Inland Sea region. The visitor enjoys tasting the three-year-old tiger globe fish from Awaji Island at a good table, but also enjoying the romantic sunrises and sunsets from the bridge, a beach, a cliff or simply from the balcony of his hotel. The region offers a quality hotel offer that encourages you to relax and unwind. The Grand Nikko Awaji, with its spacious rooms overlooking the sea and hanging gardens, the New Awaji Plaza Awaji Shima Hotel, the Nagisa no Shou Hanagoyomi and the AoAwo Naruto Resort in Tokushima are the local jewels. When the pleasures of relaxation mingle with the gustatory pleasures offered by local delicacies...When you leave the comfort of your hotel, the area is also a beautiful destination for hiking and discovering on foot the isolated sites that make up the charm of the Seto Inland Sea, where many small romantic islands are scattered, such as Nushima and Tomogashima, a group of four islands off Wakayama. The four islands, Jinoshima, Kamishima, Okinoshima and Torajima, are part of Setonaikai National Park. One can camp on the island of Okinoshima, among the ruins of an abandoned former military fort resembling Laputa, the floating island from the film Castle in the Sky by Studio Ghibli.
For more information, go to: kansaiguide.jp/exciting/
