9 Islands in Ōita worth your time

Two massive sacred rocks connected by a record-breaking rope, famous for stunning sunrises and seasonal light displays in Saiki City.

What it is

• A designated scenic spot located within the Nippo Kaigan Quasi-National Park.
• Two large rocks known as the male and female rocks connected by a sacred rope.
• The male rock stands seventeen meters high while the female rock stands ten meters high.
• The sixty-five meter sacred rope was previously listed in the Guinness World Records.

What to see

• The massive sacred rope connecting the two offshore rock formations.
• Sunrises that appear directly between the two rocks during specific times of year.
• Nightly illuminations of the rocks during the winter holiday season.

When to go

• Visit around March 3 or October 10 to see the sunrise between the rocks.
• The second Sunday of December is when residents replace the giant sacred rope.
• Late December to early January features special evening light displays on the rocks.

Getting there

• The site is a ten-minute walk from Azamui Station.
• Accessible via National Route 217 from the Tsukumi Interchange.

Read more about Bungo-Futamigaura

A scenic island in Saiki Bay featuring traditional fishing villages, ancient burial mounds, and a designated coastal hiking course.

What it is

• A seventeen kilometer island located within the Saiki Bay of Oita Prefecture
• Part of the Nippo Kaigan Quasi-National Park consisting of eight traditional villages
• A community centered around fishing and marine product processing industries
• Site of the Toshima Kofun burial mound discovered in 1901

What to see

• Mount Tomi which serves as the highest point at 193.5 meters
• The Kyushu Olle Saiki-Ōnyūjima Course which opened for hikers in 2018
• Ancient archaeological remains at the Toshima Kofun burial mound
• Coastal views along the seventeen kilometer perimeter of the island

When to go

• January for the annual Tondo Fire Festival
• Before April 2025 to see the local schools before they close

Getting there

• Take the car ferry connecting Saiki Port to Ishima Port

Read more about Ōnyū Island

A historic island in Usuki Bay where the Liefde ship landed, featuring monuments to William Adams and a swimming beach.

What it is

• A small island in Usuki Bay measuring three kilometers in circumference.
• The landing site of the ship Liefde on April 19, 1600.
• Part of the Nippo Kaigan Quasi-National Park system.
• Home to the Miura Anjin Memorial Park dedicated to William Adams.

What to see

• A statue of Jan Joosten, a crew member of the Liefde.
• The Miura Anjin Memorial Park commemorating the first Englishman in Japan.
• A swimming beach and a campsite for outdoor recreation.
• Views of the surrounding Nippo Kaigan Quasi-National Park.

Getting there

• Take a ferry from Sashiu Fishing Port to reach the island.
• The ferry crossing takes approximately three to five minutes.

Read more about Kuroshima

An uninhabited island in Oita Prefecture known for its protected natural environment and excellent fishing for black sea bream.

What it is

• An uninhabited island located off the coast of Yonozu Bay in Saiki City.
• Part of a pair of islands collectively known as Kuroshima.
• Designated as a quasi-national park special protection zone.
• A location formerly divided between Yonozu Village and Kamae Town.

What to see

• Surrounding waters populated by black sea bream and largescale blackfish.
• The neighboring Okiguro Island located one kilometer to the southeast.
• A reef named Chotabae situated between the island and Kishimegi Cape.

Getting there

• Access is available only via private charter or ferry boats.
• No scheduled ferry service exists for this uninhabited location.

Read more about Jiguro Island

A dense fishing village on a small island known for its unique three-story concrete houses built on steep coastal slopes.

What it is

• A small island in the Bungo Channel serving as a base for deep-sea tuna fishing.
• A designated historic cultural asset of fishing located within Nippo Kaigan Quasi-National Park.
• A compact settlement with a circumference of only four kilometers and steep terrain.

What to see

• Three-story concrete buildings standing closely together on the steep coastal slopes.
• Mount Tomi which reaches one hundred and seventy-nine meters above sea level.
• Oita Prefectural Road 612 which narrows to a minimum width of only 1.2 meters.

Getting there

• Regular boats depart from Tsukumi Port for the twenty-five minute journey to the island.

Read more about Hotojima

A quiet island in Oita featuring a 400-year-old banyan tree and scenic views within a quasi-national park.

What it is

• A small island in Saiki City also known as Bungo Oshima
• The island covers an area of 1.63 square kilometers
• Home to a small local population of eighty-five people
• The eastern coast belongs to the Nippo Kaigan Quasi-National Park

What to see

• A four-hundred-year-old banyan tree designated as a prefectural natural monument
• The highest point on the island reaching one hundred and ninety-three meters
• Scenic coastal views located six hundred meters north of Tsurumisaki

Getting there

• Take a regular ferry from Saiki Katsu Port to the island
• The ferry journey takes approximately thirty to forty minutes

Read more about Ōshima

An uninhabited island in the Bungo Channel featuring a historic lighthouse and popular spots for rock fishing.

What it is

• An uninhabited island in the Bungo Channel belonging to Saiki City.
• A small landmass with a circumference of 300 meters and 20 meters height.
• A protected area within the Nippo Kaigan Quasi-National Park.
• The site of a lighthouse that was fully automated in 1986.

What to see

• The Mizunokojima Lighthouse standing on the rocky island terrain.
• Coastal views of the Bungo Channel from the surrounding waters.
• Rock fishing spots utilized by local anglers in the area.

When to go

• Summer weekends when cruise ships operate around the island.
• Daylight hours to view the lighthouse from a passing vessel.

Read more about Mizunokojima

An uninhabited island in Oita known for its subtropical forests, a historic shrine, and a nickname inspired by its shape.

What it is

• An uninhabited island in Usuki Bay covering zero point two square kilometers.
• Part of the Nippo Kaigan Quasi-National Park with the nickname Onigiri Island.
• Lord Inaba Kazumichi enshrined the deity Benzaiten here in 1624.
• The entire island is covered in subtropical virgin forests.

What to see

• A swimming beach and campsite located on the mainland side.
• The habitat of the Graphium doson butterfly, a prefectural natural monument.
• Dolphins occasionally visible in the waters surrounding the island.
• The highest point of the island reaching one hundred sixty-six meters.

Read more about Tsukumi Island

An uninhabited island in Nippo Kaigan Quasi-National Park known for its sea cliffs, ivy, and crystalline schist terrain.

What it is

• An uninhabited island located off the coast of the Saganoseki Peninsula in Oita City.
• Part of the Nippo Kaigan Quasi-National Park featuring a central coastal terrace.
• A small island covering 0.04 square kilometers with a peak of 64.4 meters.
• Named for the ivy that grows there and also known as Maenoshima.

What to see

• Natural terrain consisting of crystalline schist and steep sea cliffs.
• A third-class triangulation point installed at the island's highest elevation.
• Coastal landscapes that have been documented since the historical Dazaikannai-shi records.

Read more about Tsutashima