Setouchi Triennale 2025

Islands and Venues

Takamishima

Takamijima
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An island of steep slopes and stone walls that was once a thriving pyrethrum production area.

Located 7.5 km off the northwest coast of Tadotsu Town, Takamijima has an area of 2.35 km2, a circumference of 6.4 km, and a population of a few dozen. A high conical hill rises on one end of the island.

With little flat land, the houses are built on stone terraces that rise like steps up the steep slope, giving the island its distinctive appearance.

In the past, pyrethrum cultivation flourished, reaching peak production in the 1960s after which demand dwindled. The plant is no longer grown commercially on the island.

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Steep Slopes Lined with Houses and Stone Walls

The houses perch on stone terraces that climb the steep slopes like a staircase. The roughly stacked stone walls give the island its distinctive appearance. Most of the houses were built in the Edo period (1603-1867) and are a testimony to the skill of the island’s Shiwaku carpenters. The island’s graveyard shows that the custom of double graves, one for the body and one at which to pray, was practiced here. Currently a few dozen people live on the island.

Pyrethrum Cultivation

Pyrethrum, which is a natural insect repellant, grows well in dry areas. When it was introduced to the islands of Kagawa, which tended to suffer from water shortages, cultivation flourished. Women were mainly responsible for farming the flowers on Takamijima, and during the 1960s, it was grown over much of the island. Subsequently, production dwindled, and it is no longer grown commercially. During the industry’s peak, the white flowers, which bloomed at the end of spring, made it look as if the island was covered in snow.

Grand Sports Day

In the past, the islands of Takamijima and neighboring Sanagijima held a joint sports day. Residents from both islands as well as from nearby Tadotsu Town gathered on Takamijima, enlivening the normally quiet island.