Story 03 — The Quiet Sea
In search of a quiet sea, to Setouchi.
On a sea without waves, island silhouettes overlap one after another. The landscape of the Seto Inland Sea is made of soft gradations.
Photo: Aimaimyi / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0
SETOUCHI — Hiroshima / Okayama / Kagawa / Ehime / Yamaguchi / Hyogo
Looking down on an archipelagic sea
Climb a hill to a viewpoint, and the islands, inlets and passing ships can all be seen at once. Wait for the evening hour when the water turns gold.
When the sea is quiet, even people's voices grow softer.
Photo: Joi Ito / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.0
NAOSHIMA — Kagawa
Naoshima, art on the beach
Step off the ferry and walk the island. The works are placed not only inside museums but also on the beaches and in the villages.
MIYAJIMA — Hiroshima
Miyajima, a shrine floating on the sea
A great torii that floats on the sea at high tide and can be approached on foot at low tide. Within a single day, the same place becomes both sea and tidal flat.
Photo: JordyMeow / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0
Destinations in this story
Places visited in this story
SETOUCHI
Seto Inland SeaHiroshima / Okayama / Kagawa / Ehime / Yamaguchi / Hyogo · Chugoku
An inland sea enclosed by Honshu, Shikoku and Kyushu. An archipelagic seascape dotted with islands large and small, it forms the heart of Setonaikai National Park, one of Japan's first national parks, designated in 1934.
Seas / Islands / National parks
NAOSHIMA
NaoshimaKagawa · Shikoku
Naoshima Town, Kagawa Prefecture. An island in the Seto Inland Sea where museums and outdoor works are scattered through the island's landscape. From its calm inlets and beaches, you look out on the Setouchi sea with its layered islands.
Islands / Seas
MIYAJIMA
MiyajimaHiroshima · Chugoku
Itsukushima (Miyajima), Hatsukaichi City, Hiroshima Prefecture. The buildings and great torii of Itsukushima Shrine, built over the sea, were inscribed as a World Cultural Heritage site in 1996. One of the Three Views of Japan.
Islands / Seas / World Heritage
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