Megijima and Ogijima are two neighboring islands that you can reach from Takamatsu Port on the same ferry, the “Meon.” The ferry stops at Takamatsu Port → Megijima → Ogijima in that order, so if you plan your connections, you can visit both islands on a day trip.
This article introduces a model course that starts on the 8:00 ferry and covers Megijima and Ogijima in one day, divided into ferry connection times, fares, and a time plan for each island.
The photos of Megijima were taken in May 2025, and those of Ogijima in May 2024 (they are not from a single day visiting both islands).
*The ferry times and fares and the cave admission fees were checked on October 29, 2026, on the websites of the ferry operator and the Onigashima Tourism Association. They may change, so please check again before you go.
- Model Course for Megijima and Ogijima in One Day (Overview)
- How to Take the Ferry and Fares (Checked on October 29, 2026)
- Morning: Onigashima Cave and the Observatory on Megijima
- Late Morning: Art and the Moai Statue around Megi Port
- Afternoon: Walk the Hillside Village and the Lighthouse on Ogijima
- Tips for Visiting Two Islands in One Day
- Summary: Choose Your Ferries and You Can See Megijima and Ogijima in One Day
Model Course for Megijima and Ogijima in One Day (Overview)
From the ferry leaving Megi Port. The mountain rises right behind the port.
The ferry runs about every two hours. Your time on each island depends on which sailing you take, so the key is to decide your sailings first. Here is a combination that gives you about 4 hours on Megijima and about 4 hours 20 minutes on Ogijima.
| Time | Plan |
|---|---|
| 8:00 | Depart Takamatsu Port (the Meon ferry) |
| 8:20 | Arrive at Megijima. Take the bus to Onigashima Cave |
| Morning | Onigashima Cave → Washigamine Observatory → bus back to the port |
| Late morning | Art around the port, the Moai statue, lunch |
| 12:20 | Depart Megijima |
| 12:40 | Arrive at Ogijima. Hillside village → Ogijima Lighthouse |
| 17:00 | Depart Ogijima |
| 17:40 | Arrive at Takamatsu Port |
The times are from the regular timetable of Shiyūtō Kaiun (excluding August 1–20). The time spent on Megijima and Ogijima is a rough guide and will vary with your walking pace and how crowded it is.
On Days When You Start Late, Take the 10:00 Ferry
If you want a slow morning, you can take the 10:00 ferry from Takamatsu Port to Megijima (arriving at 10:20), then leave Megijima at 12:20 for Ogijima (arriving at 12:40). This gives you about 2 hours on Megijima, so we recommend focusing on the cave and the area around the port. For the return from Ogijima, you can choose the 15:00 or the 17:00 ferry.
You Can Also Visit Ogijima First
If you stay on the 8:00 ferry from Takamatsu Port, you will arrive at Ogijima at 8:40. Leaving Ogijima at 11:00 gets you to Megijima at 11:20, and ferries to Takamatsu leave Megijima at 13:20, 15:20, and 17:20 (all on the regular timetable). This order suits people who want to walk the hilly island of Ogijima in the cool of the morning.
How to Take the Ferry and Fares (Checked on October 29, 2026)
The ferry leaves from the ferry terminal at Takamatsu Port, about a 5-minute walk from JR Takamatsu Station. The location of the terminal and how to buy tickets are explained in detail in our Complete Access Guide to Megijima and Ogijima (Japanese).
| Route | Adult one-way |
|---|---|
| Takamatsu Port → Megijima | 370 yen |
| Megijima → Ogijima | 240 yen |
| Ogijima → Takamatsu Port | 510 yen |
| Ferry total | 1,120 yen |
On Megijima, you will also need to pay for the bus to the cave (adults 1,000 yen round trip) and admission to Onigashima Cave (adults 600 yen). If you follow the model course, the cost is about 2,720 yen per adult (not including meals).
From August 1 to 20, the summer timetable applies, and extra sailings run only from Takamatsu to Megijima. Please check the times of the sailings to Ogijima each time on the official Shiyūtō Kaiun website (Japanese).
Morning: Onigashima Cave and the Observatory on Megijima
Take the Bus from the Port to Onigashima Cave
When you arrive on Megijima, take the bus from “Oni no Yakata” at the port to Onigashima Cave. The bus runs to match the ferry, and the fare is 1,000 yen round trip or 700 yen one-way for adults. On foot, it is an uphill walk of about 2.5 km, taking about 40 minutes, so the bus is convenient if you are visiting two islands in one day. Bus times are introduced in Megijima Bus Timetable and Fares.
The cave entrance, hung with a shimenawa rope. Inside, the ceiling is low in some places.
Onigashima Cave is known as the setting of the legend of Momotaro defeating the ogres. Admission is 600 yen for adults, 300 yen for elementary and junior high school students, and 500 yen for those aged 65 and over. It opens at 8:35, the last entry is at 16:40, and it is open every day of the year (Onigashima Tourism Association, checked on October 29, 2026).
Deep inside the cave, there is also a spot with a sign reading “Sugawara no Michizane Momotaro Shrine.”
Inside the cave, passages continue on, with ogre statues and ogre roof tiles placed here and there. The highlights and legends are covered in A Complete Guide to Onigashima Cave, and discounts and what to wear in Onigashima Cave Admission Fees and Opening Hours.
Since it is a cave, some places are hard to move through. I went in the hot season, but it was cool and comfortable inside.
After the Cave, Head to Washigamine Observatory
The view from the mountain. The port is at the lower right, and the Takamatsu cityscape can be seen in the distance.
Climbing the stairs from the cave exit brings you to Washigamine Observatory (188 m above sea level). It is about a 5-minute walk from the cave and looks out over the city of Takamatsu and the islands of the Seto Inland Sea. The observatory is farther in than the cave, so stop by before taking the bus back. Details are in Megijima’s Scenic Spot: Washigamine Observatory.
Megijima is also known as a model for the setting of the game and anime “Summer Pockets.” If you want to visit the real-life locations, see also Summer Pockets Megijima Locations.
Late Morning: Art and the Moai Statue around Megi Port
After returning to the port by bus, walk around the port area until the 12:20 ferry to Ogijima. The sights are all gathered within a short walk of the port.
“Seagull Parking Lot” lined up on the breakwater.
Lined up on the breakwater is “Seagull Parking Lot” (Takahito Kimura), an artwork of the Setouchi Triennale. You can see it even outside the festival period.
“20th Century Recollection,” a piano artwork shaped like a sailing ship.
Along the seafront there is also “20th Century Recollection,” which looks like a piano with sails. Both are introduced by the Onigashima Tourism Association as permanent artworks on the island. The artworks of Megijima are gathered in A Trip Around the Artworks of Megijima.
The Moai statue standing by the port.
A Moai statue also stands near the port. According to the Onigashima Tourism Association, it was donated by Tadano, a crane manufacturer based in Takamatsu, and was made for a project to restore the Moai on Easter Island.
Have Lunch at HAKOBUNE by the Port
The kikurage burger and fries at HAKOBUNE (May 2025).
At HAKOBUNE near the port, you can eat a burger made with kikurage (wood ear mushrooms) grown on Megijima (when I visited in May 2025, the shop’s blackboard said “Made with kikurage from Megijima”). The menu and prices are introduced in Megijima Food: A Full Report on HAKOBUNE.
There are only a few places to eat once you cross to Ogijima, so it is safest to have lunch on Megijima.
There are not many restaurants, so it gets crowded at lunchtime. It was crowded when I actually visited, too.
The beach near the port. A flat-topped mountain (Yashima) can be seen across the sea.
If you have time to spare, we also recommend walking to the beach near the port. If you miss the 12:20 ferry, the next one to Ogijima is at 14:20, so be back at the port a little before departure.
Afternoon: Walk the Hillside Village and the Lighthouse on Ogijima
The ferry from Megijima to Ogijima takes about 20 minutes. After arriving at Ogijima at 12:40, you have about 4 hours 20 minutes until the 17:00 ferry back.
Ogijima Port seen from above the village. A red ferry is docked (May 2024).
On Ogijima, houses are built in layers on the slope right above the port. The island has many narrow slopes and stone steps, so getting around on foot is the norm. Check the time of your return ferry at the Ogijima Koryukan (community hall) in front of the port before you set off.
At the top of the hillside village is Toyotamahime Shrine, where you can look down on the village and the sea from beyond the torii gate. The way to the shrine is covered in A Complete Guide to Toyotamahime Shrine (Ogijima), and the cats you can meet in the alleys and the manners for feeding them in Was Ogijima a Cat Island?
If You Have Time, Walk to Ogijima Lighthouse
Ogijima Lighthouse, built of stacked stone. On its base is a plate reading “明治二十八年十二月十日初點” (first lit on December 10, Meiji 28, i.e. 1895).
Ogijima Lighthouse, at the northern tip of the island, is about a 25-minute walk from the port. Including the round trip and time at the lighthouse, you should allow about an hour and a half, so if you walk the village first and head to the lighthouse by around 15:00, it will be easier to make the 17:00 ferry. The route is explained in A Complete Guide to Getting to Ogijima Lighthouse, and the history of the lighthouse in What Is Ogijima Lighthouse?
If you do not go to the lighthouse, you can also return on the 15:00 ferry (arriving at Takamatsu Port at 15:40).
Tips for Visiting Two Islands in One Day
- Check the time of your return ferry first: Ferries run roughly every two hours. If you miss one, you will have to wait about two hours for the next.
- Wear comfortable shoes: Both the inside of the cave on Megijima and the slopes and stone steps of Ogijima involve a lot of walking.
- Bring drinks: Ogijima has few shops, so it is safest to buy them at Takamatsu Port or on Megijima.
- Summer timetable from August 1 to 20: Extra sailings run only to Megijima, so be careful not to get on the wrong ferry when heading to Ogijima.
- Be considerate of the islanders: The alleys of Ogijima are part of people’s daily lives. Please do not enter private property.
Compared with Ogijima, Megijima felt livelier and seemed to have more places to eat. Ogijima, on the other hand, is a relaxed place where you can take it easy and even spend time with the cats.
Summary: Choose Your Ferries and You Can See Megijima and Ogijima in One Day
- Megijima and Ogijima can be visited in one day on the same Meon ferry from Takamatsu Port. The ferry fare for the three legs is 1,120 yen for adults (checked on October 29, 2026).
- The model course is 8:00 from Takamatsu Port → Megijima (about 4 hours) → 12:20 ferry to Ogijima (about 4 hours 20 minutes) → 17:00 ferry to Takamatsu Port.
- On Megijima, take the bus to Onigashima Cave and Washigamine Observatory. See “Seagull Parking Lot” and the Moai statue around the port, and have lunch there too.
- On Ogijima, walk the hillside village and Toyotamahime Shrine, and Ogijima Lighthouse if you have time.
My travelogue from driving around Kagawa is in To Kagawa for Udon!! Part: “Where Is Ogijima?” (Japanese), and my tour of the “Summer Pockets” locations on Ogijima is in Ogijima Summer Pockets Pilgrimage (Japanese). Please read them as well.
References (checked on October 29, 2026)
- Access to the Islands (Timetable and Fares) | Shiyūtō Kaiun (Japanese)
- Sightseeing (Onigashima Cave and Artworks) | Onigashima Tourism Association (Japanese)
- Map, Access, and Timetable (Bus to the Cave) | Onigashima Tourism Association (Japanese)
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