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Sakushima is in Nishio City, Aichi Prefecture, and is an outlying island of Aichi Prefecture that sits on Mikawa Bay, and those two islands next to it are Hinamagata and Oat Island.
There are only a few hundred people on this island (the 2020 figure is 196), and while it seems pretty big on the map, the actual area is only 1.73 square kilometers, roughly the size of 230 soccer fields, and with close to 80% of the area being mountainous, the actual usable area is very small.
So until now, there are no convenience stores on this island (because there are too few people), only some B&Bs and restaurants, but don't worry, there are still quite a few unmanned vending machines on the island.
Sakushima Island as a whole is a hair band shape, the left is the West Island Ferry Yard, the right side of the East Island Ferry Yard, the tour is recommended to go from one end, and then to the other end of the next, usually on the West Island Ferry Yard.
In the history of Japan, this island didn't have much of a reputation. In fact, it wasn't until the turn of the millennium that it slowly gained some popularity. The reason for this is that the island hired a group of designers in 2000 to create the current Sakushima in the style of Naoshima in the Seto Inland Sea, and now there are more than 20 pieces of artwork placed in the harbor, seashore, and residential areas, making Aichi, the land of cows and horses, famous as an island of art.
🤗 Sakushima, the Island of Art
If you ask us if Sakushima is fun?
The answer is probably no. In fact, with the exception of a few outlying islands in Okinawa, which can be described as fun, the outlying islands in the core of Japan are basically in the “no fun” category.
Here and we are going to talk about Sado Island, the same, exudes a “boring” atmosphere, but it is this not so loved by the public temperament, so that the art of the island has an unusual beauty, but also those islands in Japan has become a “niche tour” traveler's The islands of Japan have become the favorite of travelers on “niche tours”.
Like Naoshima, this area is best known for its art installations. Yutaka Minamikawa's “East House” and “Napping House” and Takato Kimura's “Seagull Parking Lot” are now popular photo spots.
Napping Hut
The Napping Hut on the Ishigaki coast is a representative work of art on Sakushima and the first place many people visit when they come to the island. The black walls of the western village are used as the theme for the black boxes, and the contrast between the blue sky and the sea creates a unique charm of “small and big”.
There are 9 rooms in the box, and as the name suggests, you can take a nap. If you climb up the ladder and find a favorite “grid” and watch the sea quietly, you will have a peaceful mood. If you put it in a box and take a picture with the sea as the background, it will be one of the best pictures!
When I look at this nine-paneled “Nap Hut”, there is always a sense that even if you are in a very small place, you can still have the boundless “blue sky” and “sea”.
Conan, “Japan's Tourism Ambassador,” “Missing Persons Scientist,” “Anesthesiologist,” and his cousin, Kuroha Koudou, once left their precious images here, in Detective Conan: Shipwrecked in the Sky. Conan: Shipwrecked in the Sky”.
East House
Another art facility that is just as popular as the Nap House is East House, also by Yutaka Minamikawa, and while there are similarities in design, there are also different aesthetics. For example, the Napping Hut is black and the East House is snow-white.
East House is built on the way to the trestle bridge to Oshima Island and is about 60 meters long. The white walls and the blue sea are beautifully harmonized, and the style is very close to that of Awaji Island, which we have talked about before～.
The main body is a four-paneled grid with steps on top, so you can take in the beautiful ocean of Sakushima, and the photos look great no matter which angle you take them from. The sunsets here are amazing~
Seagull Parking Lot
Sakushima is known as the Island of the Wind.
The “Seagull Parking Lot” is an installation about the “visible wind”, which is called “Kazamigi” in Japanese, and is actually a seagull-shaped weathervane that rotates with the direction of the wind.
This unique artwork was created on the embankment of the Oura Beach. It was originally installed to learn about the direction of the wind at sea, but because of its cute appearance, it has become a popular photo spot.
I love this kind of weird signage in Japan, and I thought the tuna sign at Kii Katsuura was super cute!
There are a lot of seagulls gathered in neat rows, and it's so nice to press the shutter button to take a picture! The seagulls changing the direction of their bodies according to the wind direction is also a unique sight. If you're lucky, there will be seabirds and mimosas mixed in with the seagulls.
You can take a picture of the reflection of the sea and the sky from the angle below, or take a picture in the direction of the seagulls, so enjoy!
Ribbon of the North
You can reach the “Ribbon of the North” by following the road along the seashore. It looks like a ribbon connecting the forest, the sea and the sky, hence the name.
I don't think it's a great place to visit, but there's one great thing about it: on a clear day, you can see Mount Fuji!
Besides these, there are quite a few other art installations. “Apollo, Sakushima's Secret Base” and ‘Stargazing Chairs’, but I personally found them all to be average.
A small island - Sakushima
It would be a bit of an overstatement to say that the art installations alone are beautiful enough to make people go click, after all, many of the places we've written about are no less beautiful than this place alone.
Another important reason for us to recommend this place is that it may be a bit like Choshi. Although this place is small, backward, and not that famous, everyone is working hard for the island.
However, despite the hard work of the people, the real owners of Sakushima are very lazy.
Many islands in Japan have been occupied by mimics due to their history of being “deserted”. Sakushima is no exception. Although there have always been people on this island, because of the small number of people, the sea and the pleasant climate, there are many island cats lazily basking in the sun on the island, and they are the real masters of the island.
The movie “The Cat and the Grandfather” tells the story of Cat Island, which is said to have been set on Sakushima Island in Aichi Prefecture, and you will encounter many cats on Sakushima Island. However, cats can be aggressive, so be careful when approaching them!
Also, like Toshima, there is no public transportation on the whole island.
You have to walk or ride a bicycle to get around, but the air is fresh and the grass is green, so it's a very pleasant place to walk or ride a bicycle.
On the way, you will find a lot of unique scenery. For example, many of the buildings on the island are made up of layers of tiles on the outside and black walls on the inside. This is a unique structure on the island known as the “black walled colony.” The stacked tile walls add weight and are strong and windproof, while the walls are painted black with kerosene to protect them from the sea winds.
The problem of food you do not have to worry, the island has a lot of places to eat, after all, it is an island, seafood meals and so on are enough (no big seafood, a lot of small seafood). In addition to the art installations here, many coffee shops, dessert stores, handmade stores have appeared on this island.
The claim that Sakushima is the most literary island in Japan is an overstatement.
Sakushima feels to us more like a synthesis of the Seto Inland Sea, with the romance of an island, the uniqueness of art, and quite a few remnants of a land-based city.
If you go to Aichi, you might want to arrange 1-2 days to experience Sakushima～.
📎 How do I get to Sakushima?
Getting to Sakushima is relatively easy.
From Nagoya Station to Nishio Station on the JR Tokaido Main Line, transfer to the Meitetsu Bus Nishio Ichise Line and get off at the bus stop for Ichise Fish Plaza and Sakushima.
After that, you can buy a ticket for a high-speed ferry at the ferry terminal, and you will arrive at Sakushima Nishi-ko in about 20 minutes.
There are only 7 highway boat trips a day, starting at 6:30pm and ending at 5:30pm, and there are basically 1 hour trips from 6-7pm, and 2 hour trips after 8pm, with 110 people on each trip, so check your arrival time in advance.
- Author:japan guides
- URL:https://japan-guides.com/article/culture-126
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