10 Islands in Aichi worth your time

An uninhabited island in Mikawa Bay accessible by foot during low tide, known for its clam digging and scenic observatory.

What it is

• An uninhabited island within the Mikawa Bay Quasi-National Park.
• A small landmass with a circumference of approximately 800 meters.
• Formerly a maritime zoo that housed free-range rabbits and peacocks until 1997.
• A production site for high-quality clams located 600 meters from the coast.

What to see

• The land bridge that connects the island to the mainland during low tide.
• An observatory providing views of the surrounding national park.
• Public facilities including toilets for visitors exploring the island.

When to go

• Low tide periods when the island is accessible by foot from the mainland.
• Clam digging season when fishing cooperatives operate boat services to the island.

Getting there

• A 600-meter walk from the Higashi-Hazu coast during low tide.
• Boat services provided by fishing cooperatives during the clam digging season.

Read more about Maeshima

An uninhabited island in Mikawa Bay offering a seasonal swimming beach and protected marine habitats within a quasi-national park.

What it is

• An uninhabited island covering 21.6 hectares within the Mikawa-wan Quasi-National Park.
• A natural habitat for protected lancelets living in the surrounding waters.
• The setting for the novel titled Our Secret Society.
• A destination featuring a 44 meter elevation and views of nearby Hotoke-jima and Kojima.

What to see

• Mikawa-Oshima Beach which opens specifically for visitors during the summer months.
• Views of the surrounding Mikawa Bay and neighboring southern islands.
• A seasonal pier installed from early March through late September.

When to go

• July and August when boats operate and the beach is open to the public.
• March to September while the pier is installed for island access.

Getting there

• A fifteen minute boat trip departing from Gamagori during the summer season.

Read more about Mikawa-Ōshima

A forested island shrine in Mikawa Bay, formerly a monkey park, now accessible primarily during the seasonal clam digging period.

What it is

• An uninhabited eight-hectare island in Mikawa Bay also known as Sarugashima or Bentenjima
• The entire island serves as the grounds for Okishima Shrine
• A former site of the Mikawa Bay Marine Zoo which closed in 1997
• A natural habitat covered in evergreen broad-leaved forests

What to see

• The grounds and structures of Okishima Shrine
• Dense evergreen broad-leaved forests covering the island terrain
• Views of the surrounding Mikawa Bay from the coastline

When to go

• Visit during the clam digging season when boat transportation is operational

Getting there

• Located 1.5 kilometers from the Higashi-Hazu coast
• Boats operate to the island only during the clam digging season
• Regular ferry services to the island are currently discontinued

Read more about Okishima

A 5-star international airport on an artificial island featuring award-winning terminals and 24-hour operations near Nagoya.

What it is

• An international airport built on an artificial island in Tokoname, Aichi Prefecture.
• The facility opened in 2005 and is the second offshore international airport in Japan.
• It operates 24 hours a day and features a 3,500-meter runway.
• The airport is nicknamed Centrair and holds a Skytrax 5-Star certification.

What to see

• Terminal 1 is a recipient of the Good Design Award.
• Terminal 2 is a newer facility that opened for service in 2019.
• The 3,500-meter runway serves international and domestic flights.

Getting there

• Meitetsu Railway provides direct train service to the airport station.
• The facility is connected to the mainland by the Centrair Line road.
• It is located approximately 35 kilometers south of central Nagoya.

Official site

www.centrair.jp

Read more about Chubu Centrair International Airport

A small island in Mikawa Bay known for its ancient ties to Ise Grand Shrine and fresh seasonal seafood.

What it is

• An inhabited island measuring less than one square kilometer within Mikawa-wan Quasi-National Park.
• A traditional supplier of dried sea bream to the sacred Ise Grand Shrine.
• A fishing community famous for its local whitebait and pufferfish catches.

What to see

• Shinmei Shrine which is rebuilt every twenty years using timber from Ise Grand Shrine.
• Sun Sun Beach featuring an eight hundred meter stretch of natural white sand.
• Coastal views from the highest point of the island at forty-nine meters elevation.

Getting there

• High-speed boats depart regularly for the island from Morozaki Port.
• A car ferry service operates between Morozaki and the island harbor.

Read more about shinojima island

A remote island in Mikawa Bay featuring ancient burial mounds and modern art installations scattered across a rural landscape.

What it is

• The largest remote island in Mikawa Bay and part of a Quasi-National Park.
• A rural community recognized as one of Japan's 100 Beautiful Villages.
• A quiet landscape with no traffic lights and a maximum elevation of 38 meters.
• Home to 47 ancient burial mounds and a small local population.

What to see

• Modern art installations positioned at various points throughout the island.
• Ancient burial mounds dating back to early Japanese history.
• Local seafood specialties including dried sea cucumber and large clams.
• Traditional village scenery and a combined primary and junior high school facility.

Getting there

• Accessible by taking a ferry from Isshiki Port.

Read more about Sakushima

A sacred island connected by a long bridge, featuring an ancient shrine and unique flora within a national park.

What it is

• An uninhabited granite island in Mikawa Bay designated as a national natural monument.
• The sacred grounds of Yaotomi Shrine, founded in 1181 by Fujiwara no Toshinari.
• One of Japan's seven great Benten shrines dedicated to the deity Ichikishimahime-no-mikoto.
• A protected area within the Mikawa Wan Quasi-National Park featuring 238 plant species.

What to see

• A 387-meter bridge connecting the mainland to the island, designated for its landscape importance.
• The historic Yaotomi Shrine located in the center of the island.
• A 680-meter shoreline that reveals a land bridge during low tide.
• Diverse botanical life including hundreds of species of higher plants across the terrain.

Official site

yaotomi.net

Read more about Takeshima

A natural chert rock formation in the Pacific Ocean featuring two wave-eroded caves visible from a coastal observation deck.

What it is

• A natural reef formation made of chert rock located in the Pacific Ocean.
• Wave erosion created caves that pass through the rock to form gates.
• The formation consists of two main gates named Oki and Kishi.
• The rock was originally formed from sediment on the seabed.

What to see

• Two distinct stone gates carved out by the action of the waves.
• Views of the rock formation from the Hii Enchi park observation deck.
• The gates as seen from the nearby Koijigahama beach area.

When to go

• Visit at dawn to see the sunrise through the stone gates.

Read more about Hii Stone-gate

A small island in Mikawa Bay famous for its octopus and pufferfish cuisine and ancient burial mounds.

What it is

• An island in Mikawa Bay belonging to the Mikawa-wan Quasi-National Park
• A fishing community known for its octopus and pufferfish tourism
• A small land area of less than one square kilometer with a single traffic light

What to see

• Fourteen ancient burial mounds located at Himaka Shrine
• Traditional fishing gear and tools displayed at the Himakajima Museum
• Views from the highest elevation point of thirty meters above sea level

Getting there

• A high-speed ferry connects the island to Morozaki Port

Read more about Himakajima

An artificial island in Nagoya Port currently used for dredged soil disposal and proposed as a future bird sanctuary.

What it is

• An artificial island at the entrance of Nagoya Port created from dredged soil.
• Construction on the site began in 1975 south of Tobishima Village.
• A reclamation area covering approximately 2.57 square kilometers of land.
• A location with undecided municipal jurisdiction and no finalized land use plan.

What to see

• Soil mounds reaching heights of over 16 meters as of 2017.
• Potential habitats for various species of endangered wild birds.
• A disposal site currently receiving sand dredged from the surrounding port.

Read more about Port Island