Yashima屋島

Lava plateau jutting out in the Seto Inland Sea, with the best view of the islands in the entire sea area.

Yashima is a peninsula of lava situated to the east of Takamatsu in the northern part of Kagawa that protrudes out into the Seto Inland Sea. It is a lava plateau with an altitude of 293 meters within Setonaikai National Park. The name Yashima, or Roof Island, derives from its flat top that looks like a roof.

Yashima is the site of a famous battleground where in the 12th century the samurai general Minamoto-no-Yoshitsune of the Genji clan defeated the enemy clan, the Heike. You can see the old battleground from the Dankorei observation deck on the mountaintop. From another observation deck in Shishi-no-reigan, you can enjoy a bird's eye view of the islands in the Seto Inland Sea. Yashima is accordingly called the best scenic spot for viewing the Seto Inland Sea.

You can even take on the challenge of participating in the famous clay plate throwing event. This event is based upon an episode where officers and soldiers of the Genji clan who won the battle of Yashima threw their wooden headpieces from the mountaintop as they shouted in triumph. Participants in the event throw a small, unglazed clay plate as far as they can, an act which is also said to ward off evil.

Another attraction is Yashima-ji Temple. The main temple, which is said to have been built by the great Chinese priest Ganjin in the 8th century, is painted red and houses a Buddhist image of a seated Senju Kannon.