Okinoshima

What it is

• A sacred reef in the Ariake Sea consisting of two parts named Ojima and Mejima
• The only island located within the Saga Prefecture portion of the Ariake Sea
• A site dedicated to the deity Okigami Daimyojin and the spirit of a girl named Oshima
• A historic cultural asset designated by the Fisheries Agency in 2006

What to see

• The Okinokamise Lighthouse which has stood on Ojima since 1950
• A stone statue of a girl named Oshima located on the reef
• The entire island disappearing beneath the waves during high tide
• Religious sites associated with the nearby underwater torii of Ouo Shrine

When to go

• Annual rituals are held on the nineteenth day of June
• Low tide is necessary to see the land before it submerges

Notes written by Japan Gems from facts in Japanese Wikipedia.