Welcome to one of many least explored areas in Japan.
Japan really is an island nation — along with the nation’s 4 fundamental islands of Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu, there are over 3,000 smaller islands to find, and a few of them are house to tiny populations.
One such island is Ushijima (actually “Cow Island“), which belongs to Kagawa Prefecture and sits off the coast of Shikoku, within the Seto Inland Sea. Dwelling to a inhabitants of solely 10, the island is well accessible from Kagawa’s capital metropolis of Takamatsu.
▼ The primary leg of the journey entails a 40-minute prepare journey on the Yosan Line from Takamatsu Station to Marugame Station.
From Marugame Station, stroll 10 minutes to the Marugame Port Ferry Terminal, the place the every day ferry will take you over to Ushijima in quarter-hour.
▼ There’s just one ferry a day, leaving right here at 12:10 p.m., so that you’ll wish to maintain that in thoughts when visiting.
▼ A round-trip ticket to the island prices 940 yen (US$6.43).
Ushijima isn’t the ultimate vacation spot for the ferry, because it continues on to a bigger island referred to as “Honjima” (“Primary Island”).
▼ Honjima
It is a nice port for island hoppers, as you may as well head out to different islands, together with one referred to as “Hiroshima” (“Broad Island”), which isn’t to be confused with the well-known metropolis of Hiroshima on the mainland.
▼ Hiroshima
These islands are largely unknown and unvisited by international guests, however Ushijima is essentially the most unexplored out of all of them.
▼ The journey to Ushijima begins with a journey on the Nijimaru ferry.
▼ On a daily day, you’ll discover lower than a dozen passengers on board.
▼ The journey is a nice one, taking you thru the Seto Inland Sea.
▼ After about quarter-hour, the ferry slows and approaches the remoted island port of Satoura on Ushijima.
▼ Stepping off the ferry, you’ll really feel as in the event you’re stepping right into a distant, unexplored area.
When our reporter Kouhey visited, the one different particular person to alight right here was a postal employee, and provided that he was right here to ship the put up, Kouhey was the one sightseer. As a passionate island hopper, Kouhey felt a flutter of pleasure on the journey forward of him, however earlier than getting down to discover, he made positive to test the time for the return ferry so he wouldn’t be stranded right here in a single day.
▼ The ferry again to Marugame Port departs at 2:21 pm, so he had about two hours to discover the island.
▼ There are two villages on the island, with the primary being Satoura, positioned close to the port.
▼ Strolling in the direction of the village from the port, you’ll come throughout stone lanterns and outdated homes…however not a soul in sight.
▼ Additional into the village are buildings that look like a part of an outdated temple complicated.
▼ The signboard right here reveals that that is certainly a temple referred to as Gokuraku-ji.
▼ Passing via the gate reveals a temple overrun by weeds.
The location is house to Muken no Kane, a temple bell that’s been designated as a cultural property by Marugame Metropolis.
Legend has it that anybody who rings this bell will have the ability to obtain prosperity however will ultimately fall into break. Kouhey wasn’t going to take any possibilities with the bell, so he continued on, coming to the following cease on the path…
▼…an deserted shrine referred to as Hijiri.
To get to the following village, you’ll want to move again to the port on the Seto Inland Sea, passing by the Purple Lighthouse, one of many symbols of the island, the place you possibly can take pleasure in panoramic views that stretch out in the direction of the well-known Seto Ohashi Bridge on the horizon.
▼ The street to Koura Village is one other quiet and superbly scenic one which takes you previous outdated homes and gardens.
The one signal of life within the space was the manicured gardens and well-maintained rice paddies round this farmhouse.
It actually looks like a spot that point forgot, and though Kouhey was but to spy any of the island’s inhabitants, there have been indicators of their existence on the Ushijima Meeting Corridor.
▼ This signal by the street factors in the direction of “Ushijima’s Showa Picture Exhibition” being held on the corridor.
Like the remainder of the island, there have been no individuals on the Meeting Corridor, however the door was unlocked for guests to step inside and look at the exhibition.
▼ The inside seemed like an outdated non-public home that had been renovated.
Entering into the following room revealed a variety of images exhibiting Ushijima in the course of the Showa period (1926-1989).
Though the present inhabitants of Ushijima is reportedly lower than 10, these images point out the island was as soon as a vibrant hub of exercise.
▼ A college sports activities day occasion on Ushijima with youngsters from Teshima (手島), Honjima (本島), and Hiroshima (広島).
▼ Leaving the assembly corridor and strolling again in the direction of Koura Village, the surroundings was stunning.
There have been extra indicators of human life on this village, however the one sounds to be heard had been the chirping of birds and bugs.
There have been no merchandising machines or outlets on the island, however there’s a guesthouse. Nonetheless, this enterprise has to obtain meals and different provides from exterior the island so reservations are needed.
▼ Passing via the village takes you again to…
▼ …the countless expanse of the Seto Inland Sea.
▼ Returning to the port, there have been extra graves than residents at a small cemetery overlooking the coast.
On the port, Kouhey met the postal employee who’d beforehand gotten off the ferry with him a few hours earlier. As they waited for the ferry, they struck up a dialog, the place the postal employee informed him extra concerning the island.
Apparently the island has a circumference of 4.2 kilometres (2.6 miles) and a floor space of 0.84 sq. kilometres (0.32 sq. miles). It will get its “Cow Island” title on account of the truth that it was as soon as used for grazing, though its historical past stretches again to the Edo Interval (1603-1868), when it was the house base for a ship owned by Maruo Gozaemon, a former samurai-turned-rich-merchant who was often known as the “Sea King of the Inland Sea“. Members of the Maruo clan are buried on the island, accounting for a few of the graves that Kouhey had handed earlier.
▼ After studying concerning the historical past of the island, the return ferry arrived.
Though his time on the island was brief, it turned out to be an journey that left an indelible mark on Kouhey’s soul. This expanse of nature is one that is still completely missed by guests to Kagawa Prefecture, making it an island paradise solely frequented by locals and people in-the-know. Now that you realize about it too, you would possibly wish to add it to your journey itinerary, together with this small island nearer to Tokyo.
Reference: Marugame Metropolis
Photographs © SoraNews24
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