The Kanka Gorge is roughly in the middle of Shōdoshima. It’s a large, forested valley extending 7 km east to west and 4 km north to south with many dramatic gulches and towering rock formations. The scale of the scenery and the changing colours of the leaves throughout the seasons make this one of Japan’s best known gorges. The autumn colours that appear from the second half of November are spectacular, but the fresh green of April is also beautiful.

Most visitors see the gorge from the cable car, which offers excellent views of the various formations, as well as the Seto Inland Sea. There are also two hiking trails which are steep, but not long at two and three kilometres respectively.

Just above the cable car is a lookout with a truly spectacular view. A little way below the lookout is a metal hoop, and you can purchase little clay discs which you attempt to throw through the hoop.

The gorge is formed of tuff breccia and other rocks deposited by volcanic activity about 13 million years ago. The cliffs, towers, and other rock formations were shaped by repeated tectonic movements and erosion by wind and rain.