Mitsukejima
見附島 (石川県)
A ferry ride away — smaller roads, clearer water and a different pace.
What this place is
Mitsukejima (Japanese: 見附島) is an uninhabited island in Takadate-cho, Suzu, Ishikawa, Japan.Due to its shape, it is also known as Gunkanjima (軍艦島; Battleship Island), which is also the common name given to Hashima Island in Nagasaki Prefecture.According to folklore, the island was given the name "Mitsukejima" by the Buddhist monk, scholar, and artist Kūkai, who was the first to discover the island while travelling from Sado Island.Mitsukejima is approximately 150 metres long, 50 metres wide, and 30 metres above sea level.It is composed of Neogene-period diatomaceous earth, the raw materials commonly used for shichirin, a portable clay cooking stove which is a specialty product of Suzu.The top of the island is covered with Japanese black pine and Japanese knotweed.Mitsukejima is known as a scenic spot of the Noto Hantō Quasi-National Park, and attracts many tourists.
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
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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