Islands and Venues
Located about 10 km west of Kanonji Port, Ibukijima has an area of 1.05 km², a circumference of 5.4 km, and a population of about 600.
Ibuki Iriko is a top-quality brand of dried anchovy. Anchovy are transported to the processing plant within 30 minutes of being caught and are swiftly boiled and machine-dried. The finished product is shipped the next day to ensure maximum freshness.
Ibukijima forms a high plateau surrounded by steep cliffs. The island has its own unique culture and is the only place in Japan where the Kyoto accent used during the Heian period (794-1185) is still spoken.
Iriko are Japanese anchovy that have been boiled and dried. As soon as a haul of anchovy is caught, it is transported within 30 minutes to the island’s processing plant where the fish are immediately boiled and machine-dried. They are shipped the following day, and it is this integrated system for ensuring freshness that makes Ibuki Iriko unique.
Ibukijima fishermen use four vessels to undertake what the Japanese call ‘patch net’ fishing, named for the shape of the net which resembles a pair of undershorts. A detection boat searches for schools of anchovy, two boats stretch a net to catch the school and haul it up, and a high-speed carrier boat takes the fish to the processing plant, traveling at a speed of about 60 km/hour. There are about fifteen patch net fishing groups in Ibukijima producing Ibuki Iriko.
Culture It is said that the island dialect retains the accent of the Heian period (794-1185) spoken long ago. Haruhiko Kindaichi (1913-2004), a Japanese linguist, visited the island twice. A stone monument engraved with a poem he composed on one of these visits was erected in his honor. The Kagura Festival, which takes place annually on June 1 according to the lunar calendar, has been held on Ibukijima since the 17th century. Kagura is an ancient form of sacred music and dance that is performed as a ritual offering. In the past, the islanders performed it, but today Shinto priests from other parts of Kagawa Prefecture are invited to perform.