Tourist information

When you get off the boat, you notice the unique flow of time on the island.

Oshima, located about 1.5km northeast of the city, is 9.8km in circumference and is said to be the birthplace of Murakami Yoshihiro, the leader of the Iyo Navy, and ruins of the Iyo Navy still remain.

Oshima was a strategic point for maritime traffic and was therefore one of the bases of the Iyo Navy.
It is also said to be the birthplace of Murakami Yoshihiro, the first leader of the Iyo Navy.
On the south side of the island are the remains of the main and second baileys, which were built by Yoshihiro during the Nanboku-cho period, as well as many other remains related to the navy, such as the "funakakushi" (a hidden ship used to hide military boats) and the former village headman's residence, which is said to be Yoshihiro's birthplace. Many place names remain that recall the time, such as "Akebi," where the "hot fire" signal was lit to send a signal to allies.

Oshima has a tradition called "Toudo Okuri" that has been passed down since the Heian period. People gather the sacred ropes and kadomatsu decorations used during the New Year to make a 10m-tall "Toudo," and roast rice cakes over the embers of a fire set on the early morning of Coming of Age Day. They then take the rice cakes home and eat them as zenzai, which is believed to bring them good health and prosperity for the year. (Designated an intangible cultural property of the city)

Oshima's "Mythical Sweet Potato"
The island is home to the "white sweet potato," which is said to grow nowhere else thanks to the island's terraced fields and the Seto Inland Sea sea breeze. The harvest is extremely small, and the sweet potato has a higher sugar content than regular sweet potatoes, earning it the nickname "the phantom white potato." Currently, the sweet potato is processed into cookies, pudding tarts, sachets, and shochu, and is sold in shops around the city.

Toudou Send

The Todobayashi festival, which is held every year on Coming of Age Day, can also be seen in fishing villages in the Toyo region, but only on Oshima is it performed in the same traditional manner and with such interest.
On January 3rd, the boys of the village gather kadomatsu (New Year's pine decorations), bamboo grass, and shimenawa (sacred ropes) and combine them to make two 12-meter tall "Toudo-san" (Toudos), one large and one small, for each district. Then, at around 3:00 a.m. on Coming-of-Age Day, the five districts compete to light the fires.
The sight of it burning brightly in the dark night is truly magnificent.

Navy Island

Oshima has been a key transportation hub since ancient times, and its development has relied on the sea, which is why Oshima was one of the bases for the navy.
Funakakushi is one of them, and is said to have been a place where military ships were hidden.
Remains of the castle, such as the remains of the Honmaru and Ninomaru citadels, as well as the shipyard, the remains of the warrior's wash, and the remains of trenches, still remain to this day, reminding us of the past.

Gangyo-ji Temple

It is the only Jodo sect temple in the city, and the principal image (Amida Nyorai), said to have been made by the Kei school around 1250, is magnificent (photo on the left).
A monk fled to Umagun to escape the wars in Kyoto and enshrined this Amida Buddha. It is said that he was so moved that the Buddhist scriptures described the Pure Land as being on Oshima that he built Gangyo-ji Temple there (in 1573).
This temple is also famous for the presence of a "ghost sleeve" (photo on the right).
It is said that the spirit of a mother who died leaving behind her beloved young daughter appeared to her child and left one of her sleeves to the daughter who was crying and longing for her mother.The daughter then became a nun at Gangyo-ji Temple and is said to have prayed for the soul of her mother.
If you would like to see the Ghost Sleeve, please make a reservation by phone at least one week in advance.

Municipal ferry between Oshima and Kuroshima

The municipal ferry, one of the few in the country that connects Oshima and Kurotori, a distance of approximately 2.5 km (15 minutes), is an essential route for the residents of Oshima. It operates 13 round trips per day at a low fare.

For ferry information, please visit the Regional Transportation Division website. ⇒ https://www.city.niihama.lg.jp/soshiki/koutsu/