alt=""/>
A headland cape on Ukeshima.
Offloading the Koniya ferry.
Ikeji is the larger of the two towns. It has around 100 inhabitants, a post office and an elementary and junior high school. After that, children have to go to Koniya on Ōshima for high school. They usually board there, going home on weekends. Ukeamuro is smaller. It has maybe 50 or 60 residents and no school. There are no tourist services on the island.
KIYAMASHIMA (木山島; Ki-yama-shima). Less than 985 feet (300 meters) immediately to Uke’s east is this uninhabited islet whose name means “Wood Mountain.” A postage stamp-sized islet, it can be reached by a several mile long jeep track from Ukeamuro town on Uke Island. Once you reach the beach, you can swim if you wish. The islet is about 2,950 feet (900 meters) long by 1,475 feet (450 meters) wide.
JANARESHIMA (シヤナレ島; Janaréshima). Only about 660 feet (200 meters) offshore from the southeasternmost end of Ukeshima lies this tiny rugged islet. It’s a triangle in shape, about 900 feet (275 meters) north to south and 1,475 feet (450 meters) east to west across the longest points of its southern base. A jeep can get you to Uke’s southeast end, but from there it’s a swim or a boat, if you have one.
YOROSHIMA (与路島; Yoro-shima). At their closest points, it’s only about 2 miles (3 kilometers) due west from Ukeshima to Yoro Island, although sailing from Uke’s Ikeji Port to Yoro Port (与路港; Yoro-kō) it’s closer to 6 miles (10 kilometers). In any case, it’s not far. Somewhat like Uke, Yoro is also somewhat of a rectangle although a better formed one. It’s a little island, about 4 miles (6.4 kilometers) from end to end, north to south, and in most places about 1.25 miles (2 kilometers) wide from east to west. Also like Uke Island, it’s mountainous and virtually uninhabited. The only settlement is Yoro town, which has a population of about 150. There’s a post office, an elementary and a junior high school. No other services are available.
Interestingly, like Ukeshima, the island is criss-crossed with unpaved jeep tracks, so getting around, at least with the right type of vehicle, is possible. The whole island is ringed by beautiful but very remote beaches. This is particularly so on Yoro’s western side. Less than 1.25 miles (2 kilometers) east of Yoro town and only 2,460 feet/750 meters) from Yoro’s closest point is the tiny islet of Hanmyashima. We’ll look at it next.
HANMYASHIMA (ハンミャ島; Hanmyashima). Another miniscule, uninhabited, islet, this one is just off the east coast of Yoroshima. Alternatively, it could be reached in less than 1.25 miles (2 kilometers) from the western shore of Ukeshima. Of course, if you did go there, from either island, what’s there? Not much. Hanmya Islet is mostly rock and a bit of sand, with just a touch of vegetation. It’s oblong in shape, about 2,300 feet (700 meters) in length and 660 feet (200 meters) in width.
3 KIKAIJIMA OR KIKAIGASHIMA 喜界島
For the Ryukyus, where size is always relative, Kikaijima (喜界島; Kikai-jima or Kikaiga-shima) is a moderately large island. Its shape is something like that of an elongated pear or perhaps a triangle. Better yet, how about the shape of an arrowhead or an eggplant? You get the idea. It’s wider at the bottom than at the top. It’s about 9 miles (15 kilometers) long and its width varies from around 2–2.5 miles (3.2–4 kilometers) through its northern two-thirds to approximately 6 miles (10 kilometers) at its lower southern one-third. Kikai’s area is 22 square miles (57 square kilometers) and its population a little more than 8,000.
That’s actually quite a few people for an essentially small place. The reason for the relatively high population is that unlike so many of the Amamis, Kikaijima is not mountainous. It’s mostly level, with the exception of one good-sized high ridge which occupies about one-third of the central east side of the island. The escarpment is crowned along its length with a scenic road connecting a couple of parks. But for this exception, most of the rest of Kikai is fully settled, with close to two dozen villages, and highly developed, with almost its entire land surface devoted to agricultural production. Although the primary farming crop is sugar cane, many other crops and fruits are grown, including melons, mangoes and dragon fruit. For this reason, Kikai is sometimes referred to as the “fruity” island.
The “A” Line’s Amami, one of twin ships, the other being the Kikai, that serve Kikaijima.
Because Kikai is a little off the beaten path, few persons visit it. This is a shame, for it is a very pretty island. On the other hand, if you like uncrowded places, Kikai might be just right for you. However, because there is not much tourism, there are not many accommodations. One of the larger hotels in town (maybe 20 rooms) is the Business Hotel Hayashi (ビジネスホテル林; Bisnesu hoteru Hayashi-0997-65-3838). In addition, there are several minshuku inns (民宿).
Kikai is so compact you can walk into town from Kikaijima Airport.
Basically, everything in Kikai Town is within walking distance from the port, even the airport, which is a little less than a mile (1 kilometer) away. The town is primarily composed of the villages of Nakazato (中里; Naka-zato) and Akaren (赤連; Akaren) which surround Wan Port (湾港; Wan-kō).
Kikai is only 15 miles (24 kilometers) east of Amami-Ōshima at the two islands’ closest points, and by coincidence those points are Ōshima’s Airport (奄美空港; Amami-kūkō), which is located on the northeasternmost corner of that island, and the Kikai Airport (喜界空港; Kikai-kūkō), which is on the southwest side of Kikai. It follows therefore, that it’s a short flight between the two islands, about 15 minutes, three times a day. Flying time to Kagoshima on the Japanese “mainland,” is a little further, about one hour. There are one or two flights a day there.
“Mattress” (tatami) class aboard the “A” Line’s Kikai.
As the crow flies, it’s 27 miles (43 kilometers) east–west between Nazé, Amami and Kikai Town, both of which are located next to their respective seaports. However, ships don’t fly like crows. By ferry, over the ocean route, around the top northern end of Ōshima and then back down to Kikai, it’s closer to 45 miles (72 kilometers) and takes about two hours in good weather. There are five sailings a week in both directions on the “A” Line Ferry (マルエー; Maru-A) service. The twin ships, the Amami and the Kikai, make the run.
As with all things ferry-related, things change. So it always pays to double and triple check, but here’s how the service has been operating for the last several years. Five days a week, Monday through Friday, either the Amami or the Kikai departs Kagoshima North Sea Terminal at 5:30PM. It’s about a 238-mile (380-kilometer) cruise, so it takes all night. The ships arrive non-stop at Kikai’s Wan Port the next morning at either 4:30 or 5:30AM.
Half an hour later, at 5:00 or 6:00AM, Tuesday through Saturday, the “A” Line departs and cruises approximately two hours over the northern end of Amami-Ōshima to Nazé Port (名瀬港; Nazé-kō). A half hour later, at approximately 7:30 or 8:30AM, the ships depart Nazé and head southwest along Amami’s west coast, then turn east through the Ōshima Strait that divides Amami from Kakeromajima, and arrive in the southern Amami port of Koniya (古仁屋; Koniya). Altogether, it’s about 45 miles (72 kilometers) and takes two and a quarter hours. The ships arrive at approximately 9:45 or 10:45AM, respectively.
Fifteen
