Perhaps for most people, going to the coast usually conjures up images of long white sandy beaches, lush palm trees and miles upon miles of either deep blue or emerald green colored seas. While Jogashima may not be able to compete with the likes of Japan’s premier holiday destinations such as Okinawa, this tiny island really does reiterate the well-known phrase that “all good things come in small packages.” Although often over shadowed by some of Kanagawa’s more “popular” and easily accessible coastal areas like Zushi and Enoshima, Jogashima Island offers many worthwhile attractions for anyone willing enough to venture a little bit off the beaten track.
Situated at the southern tip of the Miura Peninsular in Kanagawa Prefecture, Jogashima Island is about 35 kilometers away from Yokohama City. Historically, this island is best known for having one of the largest fishing ports in Japan, where visitors from all over Kanagawa and beyond flock here to try some of its famed tuna which is said to be some of the best within the Kanto region. Although I can wholeheartedly agree with this sentiment, for me personally, the biggest reason for coming here was to experience this islands natural beauty while going along its scenic walking course where you can enjoy some impressive views of the Sagami bay and weather permitting, Mount Fuji.
Because Jogashima is only 1.8km in length and 0.6 in width (from north to south) this island can easily be walked within a few hours and is home to several scenic spots including Jogashima Park, where you can see many black kite and “Umanose-Domon,” or “Horseback Cave Mouth” a very distinctive arch shaped rock which is featured in numerous local tourist literature. Although I have not yet done this, for anyone willing to stick around until the evening, Jogashima’s Cape Nagatsuro is a great place to watch the sun setting over Sagami bay
Getting there
From Tokyo’s Shinagawa station, take the Keikyu line to Misakiguchi Station which should take a little over an hour or about 45 minutes if coming from Yokohama. From Misakiguchi Station, the island is about a 28 minute ride away via any Jogashima bound bus.
