Historic stone-walled village by the sea in Shikoku
The village of Sotodomari was built in the late 1800's on a slope overlooking the Uchiumi Sea. To protect them from seasonal winds and typhoons, homes and fields were surrounded by tall stone walls. Although many of the homes are gone, the walls remain. For tourists visiting the southwest corner of Shikoku, this Ishigaki-no-sato (stone wall village) is a recommended stop - especially for photographers.
Ishigaki-no-Sato (The Stone-Walled Village) lies in a bay on the Nishiumi Peninsula close to the southernmost point of Ehime Prefecture. The village consists of about 50 houses all huddled together in the middle of a hillside. Here you see the giant stone walls that gave the village its nickname, Ishigaki-no-Sato. The place looks like old castle ruins, but the high stone walls, which reach the eaves of the houses, were built to protect the residences from summer typhoons and strong winter winds.
The settlement came into existence in the final years of the Edo Period (1603~1867) and the beginning of the Meiji Period (1868~1912). The village has since lost some of its population and also houses, but the townscape has not changed much and is still a wonderfully unique mix of walls and houses blended together.
Ishigaki-no-Sato (The Stone-Walled Village) lies in a bay on the Nishiumi Peninsula close to the southernmost point of Ehime Prefecture. The village consists of about 50 houses all huddled together in the middle of a hillside. Here you see the giant stone walls that gave the village its nickname, Ishigaki-no-Sato. The place looks like old castle ruins, but the high stone walls, which reach the eaves of the houses, were built to protect the residences from summer typhoons and strong winter winds.
The settlement came into existence in the final years of the Edo Period (1603~1867) and the beginning of the Meiji Period (1868~1912). The village has since lost some of its population and also houses, but the townscape has not changed much and is still a wonderfully unique mix of walls and houses blended together.
