Hachijojima Island Japan Sokodo, Izu Islands
Frequently Asked Questions
At Sokodo port on the island's east coast, facing water of a blue so distinctive that residents named it Hachijo blue. Sokodo's serviced beach is a short walk from the quay.
287 kilometres south of Tokyo in the Philippine Sea, though the island is administratively part of Tokyo. It belongs to the Izu Islands, the volcanic chain extending Japan southward, and consists of two volcanoes joined by an isthmus.
One main outing, not three. Either the climb to the Hachijo-Fuji crater, or the Uramigataki bath in the south, or snorkelling at Sokodo. Distances are short but the terrain is steep, and there is no dense bus network.
The Nishiyama volcano, universally called that for its conical profile. It rises to 854 metres, the highest point in the Izu Islands. A road climbs the cone to the crater trail; the summit loop is demanding in strong wind.
Because during the Edo period the shogunate sent its banished here: disgraced samurai, gamblers, conspirators. The ocean was prison enough. From that history the island kept distinctive traditions, including its weaving and a drum played by two people on one instrument.
A silk hand-woven on the island and dyed a deep yellow from local plants. A few workshops keep the craft alive and open their doors to visitors: the clatter of the looms marks gestures unchanged for centuries.
Yes. The open-air Uramigataki bath in the south of the island is free and faces a waterfall dropping into a forest of tree ferns. A swimsuit is required here, unlike most Japanese baths. Other establishments offer panoramic pools above the sea.
Yes, at Sokodo beach, steps from the quay. Coral, tropical fish and green turtles frequent these warm waters carried by the Kuroshio current. It is the simplest activity of the call, with no transport or booking needed.
Shima-zushi, the island sushi: fish marinated in soy sauce with mustard instead of wasabi, a recipe born of the need to preserve the catch. Village izakayas serve it with ashitaba, a local leaf vegetable. The island also produces milk and cheese, rare for a Japanese island.
By taxi or excursion vehicle. Distances are short, but the terrain between the two volcanoes involves serious climbs, and public transport is limited. Agree on a return time with your driver before setting off.
