What to know
Aoshima Island (青島, Aoshima) is a small, beautiful island just off the coast of the resort beaches south of Miyazaki City. Connected to the mainland by a bridge, it is encircled by white sand beaches and a subtropical jungle at its core.
A 1.5-kilometer walk around the island's beaches passes canvas stalls selling souvenirs. At the center lies Aoshima Jinja, a colorful shrine nestled in the jungle, believed to bring good fortune to married couples.
Don't miss the short path to the right of the main shrine building, which leads through the jungle to a smaller outlying shrine. The scenery and silence along the way are mesmerizing. At the small shrine, you can buy clay disks to throw at a target for luck.
The shallow waters around the island feature a geological wonder called Oni no Sentakuita, or "devil's washboard." Visible at low tide, these perfectly straight rows of basalt rock look man-made but are natural formations, also found farther south along the Nichinan Coast.
Note: This Aoshima Island is not the same as the identically named island in Ehime Prefecture, famous for its cats.
Take a local or rapid train on the JR Nichinan Line from Miyazaki Station to Aoshima Station. The trip takes 30 minutes and costs 450 yen (fully covered by the Japan Rail Pass). The island is about a five-minute walk from the station.
Visitor information
Practical details to check before planning this stop.
- Hours
- Always open
- Closed
- No closing days
- Admission
- Free
- English name
- Original name
- Aoshima Island
Verify details before visiting. Currency conversion is indicative and may vary over time.