About the Islands - Inujima

Inujima

01Characteristics of Inujima

Located about 10 minutes by regular boat service from Hoden Port in southeastern Okayama Prefecture, Inujima is a small island with a circumference of 3.6km and an area of 0.54km2.
About 5,000 people are said to have lived on the island during the peak of its copper smelting and quarrying industries.
02Life on Inujima

As of the end of January 2015, 47 people live in a village marked with narrow alleys.
Although Inujima is the only inhabited island in the city of Okayama, its residents average age 75 years and the island is undergoing serious depopulation and aging.
03The Nature of Inujima

Inujima is known for the production of granite known as Inujima Mikage.
Stone from Inujima is prized at sites around the country, including the cut stone walls of Edo Castle, Osaka Castle, and Okayama Castle.
04The History of Inujima

Inushima once prospered under copper smelting and quarrying industries.
Even today, the remains of copper smelters from the Meiji and Taisho periods and the remains of quarries are found on the island.
05Activities on Inujima
The Inujima Seirensho Art Museum opened in 2008, restoring and preserving the remains of the smelter.
Inujima Art House Project began in 2010 under artistic director Yuko Hasegawa and architect Kazuyo Sejima.

Art Facilities on Inujima