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.
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.
