Ocean islands nurturing their own distinctive ecosystem
Ogasawara Islands
Your
Trip
Charm of Ogasawara Islands
Chichijima, lying approximately 1,000 km to the south from Tokyo, and the more than 30 islands of various sizes centered on Hahajima a further 50km to the south make up the Ogasawara Islands. As ocean islands that have never been connected to a continent, the Ogasawara Islands have formed their own distinctive ecosystem. That rare ecosystem was evaluated and the islands inscribed as a natural World Heritage area in 2011. The trip to Chichijima from Tokyo by boat takes approximately 24 hours. You cannot access some of the Ogasawara Islands and others you cannot land on without a guide. When visiting the island do not take any non-native species. Also, you must completely remove any plant seeds or dirt from your clothes and shoes, etc., using a door mat or adhesive roller. Precisely because it’s not easy to get close to, when you witness the unique beauty, the grandeur of nature, the more intense the feeling you will experience. In this way, on these islands on which the distinctive natural environment has been protected, you can see many endemic species, flora and fauna. In the blue sea around the islands known as the “Bonin Blue,” throughout the year, you can enjoy snorkeling while watching dolphins swim and looking at coral. Between January and April, humpback whales visit and you can also enjoy whale watching.
Special Contents
We will introduce the story of each world natural heritage from various themes.
Select the theme you are interested in.
- Trekking / hiking
- Traditional food / local cuisine
- Activities of the four seasons
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Ogasawara Islands
Hahajima Island / Mt. Chibusayama Trekking Tour featuring the many remaining endemic species of the Ogasawara Island
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Ogasawara Islands
Experience the distinctive cuisine of Ogasawara, born from its uncommon island environment
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Ogasawara Islands
Releasing Green Sea Turtles on the Ogasawara Islands in Summer under the Twinkling Starry Sky
Don’t Miss It
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Minamijima Island
An uninhabited island designated a natural monument of Japan. To protect the beauty of the site, the island may only be accessed from March to October, with a limit of 100 visitors per day, who must be accompanied by a certified Tokyo Nature Guide. The symbol of the island is the Ogi-ike lagoon, where turquoise waters pass through a natural limestone karst tunnel into a bay with a beautiful white sand beach.
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Chihiro-iwa (“Heart Rock”)
“Heart Rock”, a heart-shaped cross-section of cliff towering some 260m above the sea is a recommended trek, as well as a sight to take in from aboard a vessel. The trail, which takes around 2.5 hours to reach the summit for a breathtaking view of the island group, also takes hikers through subtropical forest featuring unique flora as well as WW2 battle sites.
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Green Sea Turtles
The Ogasawara Islands are the largest breeding ground for green sea turtles in Japan. You can learn more about conserving these creatures through seminars and feeding the turtles. Meanwhile, the diet of the islanders traditionally relied on turtles. Even today, the islanders balance culture and wildlife by enforcing a yearly hunting quota for turtles.
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Night tours
Night tours to view the starry skies are also very popular in the Ogasawara. Expect plenty of mysterious encounters, from the glow-in-the-dark green mushroom yakotake (known here as “Green Pepe”) to the Ogasawara giant bat found only in these islands that is listed as a Natural Monument of Japan and other nocturnal creatures that live near the sea.
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Seihyo Beach
Off Seihyo Beach, the strand in front of the Marine Center on Chichijima Island, lies a beautiful branch coral reef. Be surrounded by fish in a beautiful marine environment as you snorkel through the gaps in the coral. You may be here in time for “coral night”: around the full moon in May and June the coral reef simultaneously releases its eggs
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Sea kayak
An eco-friendly sea kayak is highly recommended as a way to fully enjoy the Bonin blue waters unique to the Ogasawara. In addition to viewing coral and fish from aboard your kayak, this mode of travel also offers exclusive access to certain beaches. It is an activity that can be enjoyed year-round here in the subtropics.
Check the Activities
How to go and Where to stay
Access
Traveling from major cities around Japan
- From Sapporo
- From Tokyo
- From Nagoya
- From Osaka
- From Fukuoka
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Shin-Chitose Airport
By air 1 hour 35 minutes
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Haneda Airport
By Tokyo Monorail 20 minutes
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Hamamatsucho Station
Walk 7 minutes
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Takeshiba Pier
By ferry 24 hours
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Ogasawara Islands (Chichijima)
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Tokyo Station
By Keihin-Tohoku Line or Yamanote Line 10 minutes
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Hamamatsucho Station
Walk 7 minutes
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Takeshiba Pier
By ferry 24 hours
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Ogasawara Islands (Chichijima)
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Nagoya Station
By shinkansen 1 hour 35 minutes
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Shinagawa Station
By Keihin-Tohoku Line or Yamanote Line 5 minutes
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Hamamatsucho Station
Walk 7 minutes
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Takeshiba Pier
By ferry 24 hours
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Ogasawara Islands (Chichijima)
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Shin-Osaka Station
By shinkansen 2 hours 20 minutes
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Shinagawa Station
By Keihin-Tohoku Line or Yamanote Line 5 minutes
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Hamamatsucho Station
Walk 7 minutes
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Takeshiba Pier
By ferry 24 hours
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Ogasawara Islands (Chichijima)
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Fukuoka Airport
By air 1 hour 45 minutes
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Haneda Airport
By Tokyo Monorail 20 minutes
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Hamamatsucho Station
Walk 7 minutes
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Takeshiba Pier
By ferry 24 hours
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Ogasawara Islands (Chichijima)
Accommodations
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Shanti Bungalows & Shanti Bovie`s
A place to stay for any type of tour from solo travelers to groups, in an amazing location surrounded by mountains.
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PAPA’S ISLAND RESORT
Lodgings with attached diving school. Kick back and relax in the cottage and enjoy the homemade meals using local ingredients.
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WEST・WEST-ANNEX
A pleasant place to stay, comprising of two different types of lodging, the main building which offers family comforts and the annex, which is close to town and the beach.
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Island Resort Hahajima Nampu
A well-kept inn made of wood, giving a feeling of warmth and cleanliness. The restaurant meals that use local Ogasawara ingredients are also popular.
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Healing Guesthouse TETSUYA
Relax in this “people-friendly and eco-friendly adult resort” at the south end of the island, far from the hustle-bustle.
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CRAFT INN La Mare
A lohas-style inn on Hahajima surrounded by nature – blue sea on one side, a mountain full of indigenous species on the other.