Sakatejima

What it is

• The smallest of four inhabited islands in Toba Bay, Mie Prefecture.
• A small landmass covering 0.51 square kilometers located 600 meters offshore.
• Home to Wakamiya Shrine, which was founded in 1908 by merging four local shrines.
• The birthplace of Ryu Murayama, the wife of famous author Edogawa Ranpo.

What to see

• Rinsho-ji, a local temple belonging to the Soto Zen sect of Buddhism.
• The Sakate Village Battery Site, designated as a prefectural historic site.
• Mount Asama, which serves as the highest point on the island.
• Local coastal areas where a specific seaweed called Sakateme is harvested.

Getting there

• Municipal ferries run from Toba Port to Sakate Port.
• The ferry journey from the mainland takes approximately 12 minutes.

Notes written by Japan Gems from facts in Japanese Wikipedia.