5 of Japan’s Most Remote Islands and How to Explore Them

From above, the coral reef that rings all the way round Yoron Island looks like a turquoise halo. On land, the island’s beautiful beaches, fascinating cave formations, and vivid rituals and traditions make this worth the extra flight to get there. About 600 kilometers south of Kagoshima Prefecture on Kyushu, Yoron is actually closer to Okinawa (22 km) and draws much of its colorful culture and laid back vibes from there. The disappearing beach of Yurigahama is Yoron’s star attraction but that doesn’t mean there isn’t plenty more in the way of marine sports and hiking. You should also spare time to explore Yoron’s rich history at the Yoron Folk Village and Yunnu Taikenkan Cultural Information Center.

Don’t miss: Yurigahama beach is visible only during low tide from April to October, popping up at random places along the sandbar depending on the day to unveil its ridiculously picturesque self.

Things to know: The inhabitants of Yoron Island have their own dialect, called Yunnu Futuba, derived from the Northern Ryukyuan languages spoken in Kagoshima, Amami, and Okinawa. Impress the locals by using “totuganashi” instead of “arigato” to say thank you.

Getting around: There is a public bus service that travels between the north and south of the island. Taxis are also available. Information is available at the Yoron Sightseeing Center next to the town office.

Where to stay: There’s everything from camping and hostels to private apartments on Yoron. If you want to go fancy, Pricia Resort is a swanky Mediterranean-style villa complex along the waterfront.

How to get there:

• Daily flights depart from Kagoshima, Amami, and Okinawa (two flights per day in the summer months from Okinawa) respectively to Yoron’s small airport with Japan Airlines.
• You can also board one of the boats traveling from Kagoshima to Okinawa. There are two ferry companies that depart daily.

Not many tourists make it to Saga, the smallest prefecture on the island of Kyushu, but most will have come into contact with it in their travels across Japan thanks to the area’s prized—and pricey—pottery. Karatsu City is Saga’s pottery hub on a hill, overlooking the ocean and from where you can see the mysterious island of Madarashima.

Long a stopover for travelers heading to mainland Japan from China and Korea, Madarashima became a refuge for a family of persecuted Christians from nearby Nagasaki in the Edo period. They were later joined by other Christians from the surrounding Goto Islands and Hirado. Today, half of the island’s 1,000 or so residents are Catholic, holding mass every Sunday. Explore Japan’s oldest wooden church before climbing Mt. Banshonotsuji for a view as far as the Korean Peninsula.

Don’t miss: The live squid, prepped in under 30 seconds, is the freshest sashimi lunch you’ll ever taste.

Things to know: With an area of less than 2 square miles, Madarshima is ideal for a quirky day trip from the nearby city of Karatsu.

Getting around: There is no public transport on Madarashima, but the island is small enough that you don’t need it.

Where to stay: There is one ryokan (traditional Japanese inn) and one guesthouse if you did want to stay overnight. You can book with the Karatsu Tourism Information Center before you board the bus to Yokobo Port.

How to get there:

• From Karatsu station, head to the adjacent bus center and board the bus to Yobuko Port.
• From Yobuko, you can take the Yusho Maru liner ferry to Madarashima (about 40 minutes).

Thirty subtropical and tropical islands make up the idyllic Ogasawara archipelago dubbed “The Galapagos of the East.” Of these, only Hahajima, along with the more developed Chichijima, is inhabited. While the island is technically under the jurisdiction of Tokyo, it’ll take you about 26 hours to get there from the city’s central Takeshiba Ship Terminal. Still, once you’ve traversed the 1000 kilometers or so of ocean, the view of forested mountains rising straight out of the jewel-blue waters—your very own treasure island—will be more than worth it.

Aside from gawping at the sheer beauty of its remoteness, Hahajima is also ripe for trekking, diving, cruising, fishing, whale watching, and star gazing, to name a few. With just a handful of shops around the small port, once you get inland it feels well and truly like a lost island adventure.

Don’t miss: Hiking Mount Chibusa in the north of the island for a panoramic view of the Pacific ocean.

Things to know: There is one ATM on the island (JA Postal which accepts international credit and debit cards) at Oki Port, where much of the island’s action is centered. Along with the ferry terminal building, here you’ll also find a few shops and a tourist information desk.

Getting around: Hahajima is a narrow island, stretching about 15 km lengthwise but just 3 kilometers in width. To really make the most of island life, rent a motorbike. Bicycle rental is also available if you’ve got the legs for it. There are even taxis, just don’t expect to be able to hail one, you’ll need to call for pickup. Information on island transport is available at the ferry terminal building at Oki Port.

Where to stay: Minpaku, or guesthouses, can be found and booked on the island’s official website. There are no large hotels or resorts. Camping is not allowed.

How to get there:

• The only way to get to the island is by ferry. From Takeshiba Passenger Ship Terminal, you’ll first need to take the Ogasawara-maru ferry line to Chichijima. Tickets available from the Ogasawara Kaiun ferry company. The journey is overnight and takes about 24 hours. From Chichijima, you can take the Hahajima-maru ferry to Hahajima (approx 2 hours). The boat between the two islands doesn’t accept reservations, you just buy the tickets in the port waiting room.

A volcano inside of a volcano (yep, you read that right), Aogashima boasts the sort of unbelievable landscape you’d expect in a CGI rendering of some lush alien planet. Its extraordinary topography does attract visitors from far and wide, meaning that tourism is slightly more developed here than on Hahajima. You’ll find several accommodation options, including camping, which can be combined with bathing in the volcanic hot springs under a starry sky.

Aogashima also has a Tokyo address, this time as part of the closer Izu Islands chain — a collection of volcanic islands between 100 and 700 kilometers from the city. However, its relative proximity doesn’t make it any easier to reach and access to the island requires a separate boat or helicopter ride from nearby Hachijojima.

Don’t miss: A chance to sample the locally brewed Aochu, a potent potato liquor that will put a carpet of hair on your chest.

Things to know: Aogashima is fondly thought of by locals as the most difficult island to reach in all of Japan. Whether or not the boat (actually a cargo ship) runs depends on the weather, potentially leaving you stranded on Aogashima Jurassic Park-style for several days, so you need to plan for this possibility.

Getting around: A rental car is available on the island by applying at the village office. Bicycle rental is not available.

Where to stay: Most visitors choose to stay on the island’s free campsite. You must apply to stay at least two weeks in advance by emailing to [email protected] (in Japanese). When you arrive on the island, you’ll also need to head straight to the village office to notify them that you are staying on the island. Locals do not speak any English and the tourism association requests that you bring somebody who can speak Japanese (like Jeenie!) with you.

How to get there:

Domestic flights are available to Hachijojima, in addition to the overnight ferry from Takeshiba Passenger Ship Terminal.

• From Hachijojima, there is a cargo boat that ferries passengers once per day and takes around three hours. However, in reality, the boat travels only half of the time it's scheduled due to the severe sea currents around Aogashima. The departure is decided at 7 a.m. every day.
• By helicopter, it takes just 20 minutes and the once-daily departures are generally less weather-dependent. The helicopter only seats nine and, for obvious reasons, must be reserved in advance.

50 kilometers off Hokkaido, Rebun Island is a botanist’s dreamscape, abundant with rare alpine flowers — some of which can only be found here. But even if you’re not super into flowers, this section of the Rishiri-Rebun-Sarobetsu National Park serves up exceptional hiking. The most comprehensive, and rewarding, is the Hachijikan Haikingu-kosu, literally the “Eight-Hour Hiking Course,” which traces the entirety of the island’s eastern edge.

Peak time to visit Rebun is in the summer when it’s practically overrun with flora and fauna, while spring is perfect for bird watching. Although Hokkaido’s long, frigid winter gets a bad rap, snow-shoeing across Rebun’s rolling hills, the ocean churning in the distance, doesn’t seem a bad way to spend it.

Don’t miss: Eating the island’s melt-in-your-mouth specialty, uni-don, which is raw sea urchin served on rice.

Things to know: Aside from the Eight-Hour course, there are several different hiking trails across the island appropriate for all levels of walking. Plus, unlike the rest of Hokkaido, you won’t have to worry about bears.

Getting around: There is an infrequent bus service that shuttles visitors between the main town Kafuka to the island’s northern and southern tips. Car and motorbike rental is available on the island but it’s cheaper to rent a vehicle while you’re in Wakkanai and bring it over on the ferry. Information is available at the Rebun Island Tourist Association in Kafuka.

Where to stay: Rebun has quite a few large hotels to cater for the busloads of Japanese tourists that come for summer sightseeing tours, as well as few guesthouses and a youth hostel.

How to get there:

• From Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya and Shin Chitose (Sapporo) airports you can fly direct to Wakkanai, Japan’s most northerly town.
• From there you can catch the Heartland ferry to Rebun. From April 21 to Oct. 21, the ferry travels between Wakkanai and Kafuka on the island four times daily making a day trip entirely feasible.