Mukaishima

Overview

Mukaishima is an island belonging to Onomichi City in Hiroshima Prefecture, lying at the northernmost end of the Geiyo Islands chain in the Seto Inland Sea. Covering roughly 23.31 square kilometers and home to about 22,000 residents, it is one of the more lively and lived-in islands along the Shimanami Kaido route. It faces the townscape of Onomichi across the narrow Onomichi Channel, so close that a short ferry ride carries you between the two shores in just a few minutes. Long known as a shipbuilding island, its interior is dotted with terraced fields and citrus groves that preserve the gentle scenery typical of the Seto Inland Sea.

Highlights

• ●The sweeping panorama of the Seto Inland Sea and its islands from 283.2-meter Takamiyama
• ●The narrow Onomichi Channel and its crossing ferries dividing the island from Onomichi town
• ●Its position as the northernmost island crossed by the Shimanami Kaido (Nishiseto Expressway)
• ●The blend of a busy shipbuilding island with the calm of inland citrus groves

History

Sitting on an important maritime route of the Seto Inland Sea, Mukaishima has shared in the port-town culture of neighboring Onomichi since ancient times. In the modern era, shipbuilding took root as the island's core industry, and shipyards and related works line its coast, giving it the character of an industrial island. At the same time, farming centered on citrus cultivation has continued in the island's interior, sustaining a way of life where industry and nature coexist. Since the Nishiseto Expressway (Shimanami Kaido) connecting Honshu and Shikoku came to run across the island, it has also become known as a cycling destination.

Map

34.3833, 133.2000 · Wikidata

Suggested itinerary

1. 1Board a ferry from central Onomichi for the few-minute crossing to Mukaishima
2. 2Walk the port-town atmosphere while taking in the coastal shipyard scenery
3. 3Climb Takamiyama and survey the Onomichi Channel and the Inland Sea's many isles
4. 4Wander the inland citrus groves and quiet country lanes with the Shimanami Kaido in view

Did you know?

💡 The island's highest peak is Takamiyama at 283.2 meters, whose summit lookout takes in the Onomichi Channel and the many islands scattered across the Seto Inland Sea. Thanks to its setting just across the water from Onomichi, the island has long been a favorite location for films and television dramas.

Nearby spots