The restaurant Madoka in Ogijima – Enjoy local seafood set with a ocean view
How would you choose your lunch in Ogijima ? Comparing to other islands in Setouchi Inland Sea like Megijima, Oshima, Awashima, and Takamijima, there are lots of restaurants serving lunch in Ogijima. You can enjoy a box of ”taco-gohan”* or fried taco at the shop of Ogijima tourist association beside the port, eat a hamburger with sea view at “Dream Café”. You can also try a home-grown organic vegetables set at “Dorima no ue”, curry rice at Ogijima library’s yard, or French lunch at “Bistro Iori”.
*taco-gohan: Japanese dish using octopus and rice cooked together (Taco is octopus in English)
Only 5-minute walk from Ogijima port, the restaurant Madoka serves many kinds of seafood sets made of fresh local seafood, in a cool space offering a wide ocean view of Setouchi Inland Sea.
Even though Madoka is not far from the port, not so many tourists adventure on the way to go to Ogijima lighthouse. This is the reason why travelers are not familiar with the restaurant.
Follow the road signs to the lighthouse, climbing the winding path you will finally find the white billboard of Madoka “円”. Continue on the steep path until you reach a stairs with a handrail, welcome to the entrance of the restaurant.
Open since 2003 by a married couple, there are some evidences of time going slowly over the year in Madoka, but never the less the cleanness and coziness make you feel comfortable as soon as you step in. There is no menu in the restaurant and the daily lunch set will be written on the blackboard at the entrance. The price for a set is from JPY 1,000 to 1,400, and they also serve Udon, beer and soft drink.
The Chinese character for Madoka is “円” which is the same as the Japanese currency “yen”. However, as the pronunciation is different the meaning is also different and the interpretation here will be “complete, harmonious, and silent”. In Madoka the decoration is simple with lots of pictures taken at different places and season in Ogijima, including sunset and snow views, displayed on the wall.
Depending on the day’s catch the lunch set will be different according to the season. If you do not have the appetite to finish a whole set, you can order “à la carte”. On the day I visited Madoka, they were serving fried taco set, fried Japanese horse mackerel, and Miso fish set. Those three sets made me hesitate a lot before ordering at the counter. However, I finally decided on a fried taco set as it is the specialty of Ogijima.
While the outside fried batter is thin, crispy, and non-greasy, the octopus inside is soft and sweet, this right and delightful balance attract lots of people to Ogijima just for the taco tempura.
Sit beside the window and enjoy slowly your lunch looking at the sparkling Setouchi Inland Sea view in the summer afternoon. How could this combination of vision and taste not satisfied you ? This is the ordinary luxury life-style of Setouchi.
From your seat you can clearly see the ferry Meon which sail among Takamatsu, Megijima, and Ogijima entering the port slowly and the people waiting in line to board.
The restaurant’s business hour is from 11:00 to 17:00, but it may close earlier when the lunch ingredients run out. If you arrive at Ogijima a little bit late, you can check its business hour on the whiteboard at Ogijima information office, or make a phone call to check before you go.
There are lots of ways to enjoy the islands. In Ogijima, you can appreciate artworks, play with cats, or just eat a local seasonal seafood lunch set.
INFORMATION
Access: 5-minute walk from Ogijima port.
- Address: 〒760-0091香川県高松市男木町夕日丘1925-2
- Business hour: 11:00～17:00
- Closed on: Wednesday
- TEL: +81-87-873-0703
- Wi-Fi: N/A
- Language: Japanese
- Credit card: N/A
