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Kashima Island (Ehime Prefecture)

Kashima (鹿島) is a small island off the coast of Hōjō, Matsuyama, in Ehime Prefecture, Japan. Aptly named "Deer Island," Kashima is home to a flourishing population of Sika deer. The island is about 1.5 km in circumference and 114 meters high at its peak with a 400-meter long white sand beach.^[1] Having inhabited the island for thousands of years, Kashima's deer are a designated "natural treasure of Ehime Prefecture."^[1] They are accessible for feeding and photos in an enclosure on the east end of the island, north of the ferry pier.^[2]

Kashima has a multitude of tourist attractions, such as a forest with hiking trails, a campsite, a Shinto shrine, and shops. It can be accessed by a ferry that runs from Hōjō Port.

Overview

Kashima hosts over 260 species of plants in its laurel forest, which remains uncultivated, with four hiking trails available to explore the woods.^[1]^[3] In the heart of Kashima Forest is the observation platform, a 20-minute trek from the base, where a panoramic view of Hōjō and the Seto Inland Sea is visible. In October of 2014, a "Bell of Happiness" was installed at the observation platform for couples to ring while viewing a rock formation west of the island called Iyo Futami to strengthen their love.^[1]

Multiple accommodations for shopping and food are available on the island. There is one restaurant, Otaya, on the northeastern end, where diners can enjoy fresh seafood and tai meshi, a local dish of Ehime.^[2] Legend holds that Empress Jingū was served tai meshi during a trip to Kashima as a prayer for her success in her conquest of the Korean Peninsula.^[3]The restaurant is open from late April through early November; during this season, particularly in the summer, the island becomes a popular tourist spot for camping and barbecues.^[2]^[3] Snorkelers and swimmers are welcome to use the public beach during the swimming season, July to early September.^[2] Watanabe Shōten, a short walk from the ferry pier, offers convenience store goods as well as treats for feeding the deer.

Additional sites include the Kashima Museum of Natural History and Archeology (鹿島博物展示館), a souvenir shop, and a free campsite with public toilets, showers, and cooking facilities.^[2]^[3]

Kōno origins

The island has a rich history predating samurai times. According to legend, in the Battle of Yashima in 1185, the Kōno prayed for victory by stretching a Shimenawa (注連縄) to Iyo Futami.^[4] Every May at the Hōjō Kashima Spring Festival, the Minamoto victory is commemorated with a shimenawa replacement ceremony. Local volunteer firemen twist a new rope made of rice straw twine and transport it by boat first to Kashima Shrine for a blessing and later to Iyo Futami to replace the previous year's rope.^[5] Other festivities at the festival strive to honor the naval accolades of the Kōno and their protection of the Seto Inland Sea, including a ritual dance performance held on wooden boats called kaineri odori (櫂練り踊り) and other arts performances held at Kashima Shrine.^[6]^[7] A similar festival is celebrated at the shrine and on the mainland in Hōjō each October.^[7]