Ai Nishimura
Administrator of the blog "My Diary," which began in 2004. A writer who has traveled to all 47 prefectures and loves local culture and history.
Author of Shimane's "Geography, Place Names, and Maps" Mysteries (Jitsugyo no Nihonsha), My Town is the "Number One in Japan" Dictionary (PHP Institute), and Prefectures Explained in Neko Neko Japanese History (Jitsugyo no Nihonsha). Official blogger for Suntory Gourmet Guide, official top user for Retty, and official platinum blogger for Excite.
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Go see the magnificent scenery created by the miracle of nature on the Candle Island sightseeing boat.
The Candle Island sightseeing boat ride is likely to be the main event for anyone visiting Oki Island.
Oki Islands were uplifted by volcanic eruptions and are made of igneous rocks formed from solidified magma. When magma cools and solidifies, it can take on a columnar shape, known as columnar jointing. It is said that these rocks were washed and worn down by the waves, resulting in the candle shape we see today. With a wide end like a Japanese candle and a wick-like shape visible at the top, these are truly strange rock formations in the Sea of Japan.
When the sun is aligned here, it looks like a lit candle, so the Candle Island sightseeing boat departs at this time every day (between April and October), with departure times varying depending on the time of sunset. Reservations for the sightseeing boat must be made by the day before. There are two docks, and the boat will depart from whichever dock you choose on the day, so please inquire with the Okinoshima Town Tourism Association.
We went to see Candle Island, a strange rock formation that stands in the middle of the sea. When the sun sets, the island lights up like this.
There are two boarding points for the Candle Island sightseeing boat. On this day, the boat departed from Akasaki Pier.
It was a very beautiful boat. The waves were high that day, but the large boat was safe. We were joined by a group of tourists and the boat was full.
Departure. The boat is steered so that you can see Candle Island no matter which side you sit on. It's fun to have an explanation of the surrounding area until we go out to the open sea and arrive at Candle Island.
The Oki Islands seen from the sea are also beautiful. The vertical lines are columnar joints created by volcanic eruptions. Candle Island was also formed from part of these.
There are also many caves, which are the result of natural art formed by collapse and erosion by waves.
We arrived at Candle Island! It was unbelievably shaped like a candle. We waited while looking around the area until the setting sun was perfectly on the wick.
The sun was hidden by clouds on this day, so here is a photo of Candle Island with the setting sun overlapping it, taken by me last summer in 2017. It's worth going just to see the natural art of candles sticking out into the sea.
Inomoto is a homely guesthouse located very close to the Candle Island sightseeing boat and Fukuura Port.
When we returned from the Candle Island tour at dusk, we checked into the guesthouse Iimoto in Fukuura. I realized after arriving on the island that I had stayed at this guesthouse about 20 years ago when I first went to Oki Island. I remembered being surprised by the amazing fish dinner. It felt like we were staying at the Fukuura family's home. All the fish used in the lavish dishes were caught by Fukuura himself.
While we were eating, my mother asked me, "Do you want to go see the fireflies?" We headed for about 5 minutes from the inn, to the mountainside where clear water flows in the distance. There were no lights from the houses, so we walked in pitch black darkness, relying only on the light from our smartphones. Then we came to a place where fireflies were flying around (sorry for the lack of photos).
I've seen them on the edges of rice paddies, but this was my first time seeing them twinkling high up in the trees in the forest. The Oki fireflies flicker on the tree branches like Christmas lights.
It was a very moving time.
The place to stay that night was Minshuku Inomoto, a lodging located next to a quiet fishing port.
The dinner I was looking forward to was absolutely gorgeous!
Fish caught by the owner of Minshuku Imoto. Beautiful sashimi. Flying fish, a fish representative of Shimane, and bouncy yellowtail.
Speaking of Oki, you can't help but feel like you've come to Oki if you don't try the turban shell.
The first time I ate "Tsuzuri" (fish with head and tail still attached), it had elegant white meat. It is a high-class fish found in the deep sea.
The stew is red vodka. It is thick and full of collagen. The seasoning is also delicious. The moderate sweetness makes you want to eat rice.
It goes without saying that the fish is delicious, but at Inomoto, where the mother is known for being a good cook, the home-cooked dishes such as gratin and croquettes are also popular. On this day, the croquettes made with onions grown at home were really, really delicious.
The soup is Kamenote. Some people may not have seen Kamenote, which makes you go "Roar!". It's a type of shellfish that sticks to rocks and is a little grotesque. You don't eat the part that looks like a claw, but you peel off the part you're holding with your fingers and eat it. It has a strong smell of the seashore.
It's great to have a view of the ocean from your room.
On the way home from watching fireflies. Living in the city, it's hard to get used to the darkness... Nights in Oki are pitch black, which makes the fireflies even more beautiful.
Morning stroll around Fukuura Port. Horse mackerel fishing experience from the quay
When I woke up in the morning, the blue sky after the rain was visible on the Fukuura coast. Although the sea of Oki does not have white sand beaches, the water is quite clear.
Oki Island is known as a "holy land for anglers" and has many anglers. So I asked Minshuku Iinomoto to let me try fishing. I tried to catch horse mackerel, but... well... it seems impossible for an amateur like me. But I could see the horse mackerel from above, so I thought it would be easy to catch them (lol).
The port of Fukuura was very quiet from the morning. Cute cats were also relaxing there.
The village of Fukuura. The roads leading to the port are all narrow and atmospheric.
There are many houses with tiled roofs on Oki Island. There are many houses with red roof tiles mixed in with the black ones, which is very Shimane-like and makes me happy.
Morning at Fukuura. The water was very clear despite the rain the day before.
With the water being this clear, you can even see the fish swimming.
The boarding point for the Candle Island sightseeing boat is in Fukuura. There are toilets and a rest area here.
Because it is a bay, there are no waves and it is quiet. All I can hear is the sound of boats going out for morning fishing and the birds singing. It is a perfect morning. The island on the right is "Benten Island". On this day, there was a festival at the shrine on this island.
I happened to meet my dad who was fishing for black porgy, aiming for a big one.
If you ask at Minshuku Ii no Hon, you can rent a fishing rod with bait included.
>Island cats relaxing, perhaps as brothers. Yesterday they were fighting with crows over fish.
There is the old Fukuura Tunnel in Fukuura. It used to be possible to go through it, but it is now closed due to the risk of collapse. The hand-carved tunnel has lighting along the way and is made using the natural terrain. It was in common use until the new Fukuura Tunnel was built in 1988.
The guesthouse is run by a sumo family. We will also introduce Mizuwakasu Shrine, where Oki classical sumo wrestling is held and the roof is re-thatched once every 20 years.
Minshuku Iihon has two large pillars on its roof.
This is a pillar of honor that is only awarded to those who win the "Oki Classic Sumo" tournament held in Okinoshima Town.
Sumo tournaments are held every time the island celebrates an event, with matches continuing through the night. Fierce battles unfold, with everyone involved aiming for the coveted highest rank of "Ozeki." Thus, sumo has been popular on Oki since childhood. Even today, Oki is famous for being the place where the sumo world's Hakkaku stable holds its summer training camp, and every year photos of wrestlers packed into a small plane are widely featured on social media.
A large pillar is displayed under the eaves of the house where the winner is an ozeki, and the winner becomes a figure of great respect from those around them.
The morning I finished reading the Minshuku Ii book. Breakfast was delicious too.
Arame seaweed. This is also typical of Oki. I eat this many times when I come to Oki.
There are two large pillars under the eaves of the entrance to Minshuku Iihon. This is proof that he was an Ozeki, the highest rank in "Oki Classical Sumo." This is a family that has produced Ozeki for two generations.
The shrine where this Oki classical sumo tournament takes place is Mizuwakasu Shrine.
The sumo ring inside Mizuwakasu Shrine. There are sumo rings all over the island, and sumo is very popular.
It is held when the roof of Mizuwakasu Shrine is replaced or whenever there is a commemorative event on the island, and 300 bouts are held throughout the night. Wrestlers are selected from each region on the island, so it is a serious bout that represents the region.
Although it's a serious fight, it's also a festival-like pastime for the islanders. I'd like to go and watch it once. And I'd like to sit in the sand-covered seats and have salt sprinkled on me (it's famous for the large amount of salt that is sprinkled before the match).
The main hall of Mizuwakasu Shrine. Like Tamawakasu Shrine, it has a thick roof made in the Oki style. You can get pretty close to the main hall and take a good look at it.
Oki gourmet near Mizuwakasu Shrine. Oki soba and bomb rice balls at Goka Soseikan's "Kissa Kokage" cafe
We had the Oki Soba Set Meal at Cafe Kokage, located just behind Mizuwakasu Shrine.
Oki soba is one of the Oki gourmet foods. It is served with a broth made from grilled mackerel and topped with bukkake. The soba is thick and black, similar to Izumo soba. Since it is made from 100% buckwheat flour, the finished product is cut into short pieces.
The Bomb Rice Ball is a rice ball made with rock seaweed dipped in soy sauce. The lunch set includes two of these large rice balls, two types of side dishes, and local pickles.
This is one of the shops you should visit together with Mizuwakasu Shrine.
We would like to introduce you to Goka Souseikan and Kissa Kokage, where you can enjoy Oki gourmet food. It is located very close to Mizuwakasu Shrine.
A facility where you can learn about Okinoshima Town's festivals and culture through panels and videos.
The dining area is spacious and the ceilings are high, which is nice.
The "Goshima Gourmet Stamp Rally" is currently being held on the four Oki Islands. If you collect stamps in the booklet, you will be entered into a lottery to win some great prizes. This is one of the stores that are eligible. You can win gourmet food from the island, including turban shells and abalone! However, I wasn't able to collect them all...
Oki soba. This restaurant serves it in the "kamaage style," which means it comes with soba soup. I love it, but it might be a food that divides people's tastes.
The soup stock is made from grilled mackerel, so when you find the shredded mackerel, it feels amazing. The 100% buckwheat soba noodles are cut into short pieces without any binding, and are described as being like "ochazuke (rice with tea)."
Bomb rice ball. It's huge. It's a rice ball made with rock seaweed and soy sauce. The filling is usually pickled plum or other usual fillings, but this time it had kelp in it, so it was seaweed both inside and out. This was also simple and delicious.
Two side dishes and one pickle. The pickles were "Dossari-zuke" made in the neighborhood and not available commercially. They contained 10 kinds of vegetables. Again, the pickles were "arame". They are seasoned like hijiki, but they are more versatile and chewy than hijiki.
Arame is also sold at Kyomiya Branch, and is sold at just about any shop in Oki.
The contents published are accurate at the time of publication and are subject to change.
