Ogijima

Naufal Achsan Daffa 4 months ago

I never went here before but this place is beautiful, especially the lighthouse. I wonder if a half-bred blonde hair girl living there...

Frank Siu 6 months ago

I visited in Q4 2022. Ogijima 男木島 and its neighbor island, Megijima 女木島 (literally, "man and woman wood island") are a short ride from the city of Takamatsu 高松. The rule of thumb continues to hold -- cat islands close to major metropolises don't have many cats! The island is a popular weekend getaway for Takamatsu locals wanting a dose of island life and perhaps some nostalgia food. A few cat-themed cafes and stores are on the island, along with a cat photo exhibit hall. Perhaps more interesting are the random pieces of modern art dispersed across the island, part of an art collaboration among various islands held once every few years, the Seto Triennale. Cats are relatively few, I'd estimate no more than 30. The domestic news reports ~140 cats being neutered on Ogijima back in 2018. The remaining cats are very well fed and a few are overweight if not outright obese. Less of a "cat island" and more of a "cat publicity island"!

Tobius Maxilla 7 months ago

Old decrepit island with very few residents. If you are coming for the cats come in the fall. In the summer they are all hiding from the heat. If you are coming for the art most exhibitions are permanently closed. Most cafe and restaurants are closed during the week as well.

Dušan Mihok 4 years ago

One of the best islands in seto sea. Cozy and calm atmosphere. Nice empty beach, camping availability. Just a few tourists and some small art sites.

Phillis LeBlanc 4 years ago

If you're planning a trip to Ogijima just to see the cats, stop. A charity called Sakura Neko has been working to trap, neuter, and release the wild cats. When they've neutered the cats, they clip their ears. This means that there are much fewer wild cats on the island. During our 3 hours there, we saw less than 10 cats. Also, don't bring food for the animals. The TNR charity provides the remaining cats with some food and water. It's also frowned upon to bring them food. It's really nice to see a "cat island" that has made efforts to control the cat population. However, if you're going to Ogijima for the art, you will not be disappointed. Most of the installations are within the same small area, making it easy to visit all of the art within a short visit. The instillations were all really wonderful. If you're visiting for the Setouchi Triennale, make sure to come here. There were also many places to get food, which was a nice surprise after visiting Teshima and Naoshima. Another piece of advice - line up early for the ferry back to Takamatsu. We arrived at around 2:30 for the ferry that departed at 3pm and there was already a long line at the port. We were only just able to find seats. The ferries are much smaller than those going to the bigger islands, so if you don't arrive early you may end up standing.