Travel Guide Megijima

Located 4 km to the north, this island is also called Oniga-shima, or Demon or Ogre Island. It is associated with the legend of Momotarō, the child born from a peach. A child, of great strength, was born from a peach found by a washerwoman. He joined forces with a rooster, a dog and a monkey to conquer the island of Ogres and drive out the demons. This legend remains very popular in Japan. One can visit the caves where the demons were supposed to hide. A number of houses are built with ōte, huge stone walls made to resist waves and wind. Megijima is also one of the places where the Setouchi Art Triennial takes place (over a hundred days, spread over spring, summer and autumn), and features a number of houses transformed into works of art. Most of the artworks are closed on weekdays and in winter outside the festival. The island has a population of about 140 and is mostly forested mountains.