Who gets credit for me buying a Tokyo Sea World and Tokyo Disneyland ticket on my rest day in Ōkunoshima? Justin who carries a Disney points credit card. I weathered 2 challenging hours using a device physically in Japan but with USA information to make the purchase.
On this trip, I wanted to include the Japanese’s Japan. Places where there isn’t English subtext and not the post card version of Japan. As Ōkunoshima Island is only 2.5 miles in circumference, it provides lots of time with the Japanese as we interact with 900 rabbits. With rabbits, who needs English subtext?
The Imperial Japanese Army secretly manufactured poison gas on Ōkunoshima Island from 1929 until the end of WWII. So secret, the island was not marked on maps. Under the instructions of the Allied Force at the end of the war, Japanese operators disposed of the poison gas factory and products. (Rabbits are not part of the story.)
The perimeter of the island is 2 milers. It supports one port, one hotel, a million rabbit holes, and a zillion semi-feral rabbits.
OVERVIEW
TRAIN: 20m train from Takehara Station to Tadanoumi Station
WALK: 10m walk from Tadanoumi Port Tadanoumi Station to Tadanoumi Port
FERRY: 10m from Tadanoumi Port to Ōkunoshima Port
HOTEL BUS: 10m from Tadanoumi Port to Kyukamura Ōkunoshima
When Benji told me she had visited Rabbit Island, it became a top priority. For all those I told rabbits had been abandoned from the island poison factory, I was WRONG. The rabbit breed is a domestic breed originating from Europe. Rabbits are not native to Japan and were introduced in the 1970’s.
Decided to check out Mihara the next largest city. It is large enough to have Shinkansen the high speed rail service. Glad to return on local slow train to quant Takehara.
YouTube described the previous mountain hike. Looking at GAIA’s map (Map of Japan is far less detailed than GAIA’s Europe maps.) the trail appeared to continue to a second summit. I met a solo Japanese woman hiker. Using hand signals and referring to the map, I motioned if I could join her to the second summit. Safe climb and again flawlessly executed.
OVERVIEW
FROM: 10m by train from Takehara Station to Tadanoumi Station
WALK: 30m walk from Tadanoumi Station to Mt. Kirotaki trailhead
Walked: 2h walk to Mt. Kirotaki 886’ & Mt. Shirataki 1,146’
FROM: 20m from Tadanoumi Station to Mihara Station
TOUR: Oshima-jinja Shrine, Myosho-ji Temple, Castle Ruins
FROM: 30m from Mihara Station to Takehara Station
YouTube is amazing. I found a hike just 10 minutes away by train. Using GPS (GAIA Ap) I found the trail. All unplanned and all executed flawlessly.
Three excellent musicians played traditional Japanese music with the American spiritual Amazing Grace and the classic Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme by Simon and Garfunkel added to the mix.
A woman in a kimono approached overloaded with a magnum bottle of sake, a pitcher of tea, a stepping stool, and a basket. I motioned to help and was immediately accepted. The items happened to be in preparations for a concert at Shoren-ji Temple. She graciously invited me to be her guest for the concert.
Linda Scandore 