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Miyazaki 🏝 Island 📷 10

Kōjima

幸島

A ferry ride away — smaller roads, clearer water and a different pace.

See the photos How to get there Open in Maps
Best season April–October (calmest seas and longest daylight)
Time needed Half a day to a full day
Admission Ferry roughly ¥500–3,000 each way (≈ $3–19)
Opening hours Depends entirely on the ferry timetable

What this place is

Kōjima (幸島) is a small island in the Sea of Hyūga off the shore of the city of Kushima in Miyazaki Prefecture, Japan.The island is approximately 13 km ESE and 20 km by road from the central built-up area of Kushima.It is approximately 300 m offshore and 30 hectares in area, and mainly forested.Kōjima is best known as housing a field study site of the Japanese Primate Research Institute, where Japanese macaques are held in wild conditions for primatological study.The buildings of the field station are on the mainland so as to minimise disturbance of the monkeys' behaviour.Study of the monkeys began in 1947, and since 1952 all individuals have been marked so that the demographics of the population can be studied.Many investigations have been carried out, including studies of the changes that occur in social dominance over time.

Background text from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)

Why it is worth the trip

  • The crossing itself: the approach by sea is half the experience.
  • Coastal scenery and viewpoints you can circle in a day on foot, by bike or by local bus.
  • A small resident community whose food, festivals and dialect differ from the mainland nearby.

What you can do here

  • Rent a bicycle or e-bike at the port and ride the coastal loop.
  • Walk to the island's main viewpoint or lighthouse for the wide sea panorama.
  • Eat seafood caught that morning at a port-side restaurant.
  • Stay overnight if you can — the island empties out after the last ferry and the night sky is excellent.

Photos

Photos from Wikimedia Commons — click any image for the photographer and licence.

Getting there by public transport

Route on Google Maps

Good to know before you go

  • Plan around the ferry timetable first, everything else second; the last boat is unforgiving.
  • Ferries are cancelled in high wind or swell — have a backup plan for the day.
  • ATMs, konbini and card payment can all be scarce; bring cash and water.

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