Nishio Sakushima Island

Geography

• Sakushima is located in the middle of Mikawa Bay, surrounded by the Chita and Atsumi Peninsula.
• Together with Himakajima and Shinojima islands, it forms the Aichi Archipelago.
• An island that is shaped like a crab, measuring 11.5km around and 2km from one side to the other.
• The island has a coastline of 11 kilometers, lined with many low cliffs.
• It is a volcanic rock formation protruding from the seabed.
• The topsoil was blown over by the wind from the mainland (Honshu). The sand on the island’s beaches was brought over for tourism.
• There are four hills from 30 to 35 meters high.
• Seasonal flowers and cats are one of the main attractions of the island. Most of the island is covered by forest. There are bamboo forests, bushes of camellias, plum tree groves and Japanese radish flowers.
• There is no source of water on the island. In the past, people collected rainwater in cisterns. However, now it comes over through pipeline from the mainland.
• There are 12 kilometers of walking paths on the island.
• There is Shirahama beach near the west port, and there is also Ishigaki and Tenjin-no-hama beach. Oura beach has set bathing facilities, so it is recommended for swimming.

History

• Shell mounds were found dating back to the Yayoi period some 3000 years ago. People came here to fish and gather shells, but it is likely that they didn’t settle here.
• About 1400 years ago, people made ‘kofun’ or burial mounds using the island’s sea-stones called ‘saku-ishi.
• The oldest building was the Soun-ji temple, which was built during the Kamakura period, 1300 years ago. The current temple is not old but has been built in the same location.
• Sakushima prospered in the Edo period, some 300 years ago, when it became a safe harbor and trading hub for merchant ships crossing Mikawa Bay. It was called ‘kaze machi minato,’ ‘the wind-waiting harbor,’ because when the wind died down, ships had to wait at anchor.
• The population at its largest was about 1500 people. Today, there are about 250 people.
• There is a small island museum in Benten Salon. (restrooms available).

Life on Sakushima

• Local people live on fishing or tourism. The main attractions of the island are its nature, art, and seafood, in particular octopus, big clams as well as salted sea cucumber entrails (konowata) are local specialties.
• Of the 250 residents, most are elderly living in two towns, with the east village Tsutsuis and the west village Takahashis.
• There are no traffic signals, gas stations, or convenience stores – everything is brought over by ferry from the mainland.
• Shiosai School goes up to junior high school level and has 22 students.
• The traditional houses were named ‘kurokabe’ because their walls were painted with coal tar to protect the wood from the salty sea breeze. Today, black paint is used.
• The houses were built close together, with many narrow winding streets to block the wind and to discourage pirates from entering the village.
• There is a limited number of public restrooms on the island – they are located at the east and west ports and there are some along the coast.
• You can fish along the island’s coast for free.
• Festivals – there is a taiko festival in October. On January 8th, a festival that dates back to the Edo period called Yokako is held at Hakken Shrine. A kite painted with the Chinese character for ‘demon’ (鬼, oni) is raised up toward the sky. On August 14th a Bon festival dance called ‘Yatose’ is held at Soun-ji temple near the west port.

Enjoy!art!

Nature and 22 featured artworks welcome you on Sakushima, an isolated island in Mikawa Bay.
Walk around while viewing artwork, seeing and smelling flowers of the season and listening to singing birds.
Why not spend your time relaxing while never once seeing a traffic signal?
Enjoy visiting fashionable cafes and trying the island’s seafood specialties.

• ①Benten Salon

  
  You can get all information about Sakushima here. It has restrooms, a small gallery and a museum. There are a number of artworks too.

  Click here for details

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  Hours	9:00～17:00
  Closed	December 29～ January 3, Monday

• ②Black wall village

  
  The traditional houses are called “kurokabe” because their walls were painted with coal tar to protect the wood from the salty sea breeze.

  Click here for details

• ③Obatei

  
  This traditional Japanese house named Obatei is over 100 years old. It has been renovated 6 times using traditional Japanese plastering methods making the whole house into a piece of art.

  Click here for details

• ④Ohirune House

  
  This cube measures 3 meters each side and is divided into 9 individual rooms; it’s an art piece where you can experience the sound of waves and wind, while taking in a square cutout view of the landscape.

  Click here for details

• ⑤Seagull Parking Lot

  
  Very popular! Magnificent view with seagulls always on the lookout!
  We can utilize this “kazamidori” (weathervane) that shows us the direction of the wind, through this artwork we can see the invisible wind.

  Click here for details

• ⑥Kaijin-sama

  
  A somewhat humorous “Kaijin-sama” with a fish on its head. It is an imaginary fishing god created by Toru Matsuoka.

  Click here for details

• ⑦East House

  
  Since it is a house in the eastern district, it is called “East House.” It consists of two different arbors built in the north and south and a long bench of 60 meters connecting them.

  Click here for details

• ⑧Benten-dori

  

• ⑨Avatar of Kaijin-sama

  

• ⑩Secret Base Apollo

  
  This is an architectural piece that appears on a cliff overlooking the Atsumi Peninsula through a tunnel of trees. The title of the piece is taken from the Apollo 11 lunar module “Eagle.”

  Click here for details

• ⑪Purple sand beach

  

Sakushima Island Cuisine

Enjoy a Sakushima Island lunch in a restaurant or café.
Lunch services are available at some inns if you make a reservation.

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  Ōasari-don (Large Clams on Rice)

  A well-known Sakushima Island dish that uses purple butter clams (uchimurasaki). Deep-fried large clams with a salty-sweet soy sauce-based flavor bound with egg.
  The flavor of this dish differs at each shop so please try tasting and comparing them.

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  Ebi-don (Bowl of Deep-Fried Shrimp on Rice)

  Fresh and plump deep-fried shrimp with a salty-sweet soy sauce-based flavor bound with egg.

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  Kaki-age-don (Bowl of Mixed Seafood and Vegetable Tempura on Rice)

  Mixed seafood and vegetable tempura with a salty-sweet soy sauce-based flavor bound with egg.

• Fugu-don (Bowl of Fried Pufferfish on Rice) (only available in winter)

  Fried pufferfish (fugu) dubbed “the king of winter flavors”, cooked in a salty-sweet soy sauce-base bound with egg. A dish of indulgent flavor.

• Tairagi-don (Bowl of Fan Mussels on Rice) (only available in summer)

  Fried fan mussels with umami and texture, seasoned with a salty-sweet soy sauce-base bound with egg.

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  Fish Simmered with Soy Sauce (and Sugar) Set Meal

  A main dish of warm and deliciously simmered seasonal fish such as rockfish, fat greenling, or spotty belly greenling. Usually served with miso soup, rice, a small side dish, and pickled vegetables.
  The profound flavor of the rockfish from around the island will amaze you.

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  Sashimi Set Meal

  A main dish of exceptionally fresh rockfish sashimi (bite-sized pieces of raw fish.)
  Usually served with miso soup, rice, a small side dish, and pickled vegetables.
  You can’t eat whitefish sashimi this fresh unless you come to the island.
  *Nezakana known as rockfish in English, live on the seabed amongst the reefs and seaweed and don’t migrate far from the island; some of the most common being Japanese rockfish, marbled rockfish, fat greenling, and spotty belly greenling.

• Grilled Fish Set Meal

  A main dish of fluffy well-grilled seasonal fish such as rockfish, fat greenling, or spotty belly greenling.
  Usually served with miso soup, rice, a small side dish, and pickled vegetables.
  The profound flavor of the rockfish from around the island will amaze you.

• Fried Set Meal

  A main dish of piping hot crispy fried seasonal rockfish, oysters, shrimp, and vegetables.
  Usually served with miso soup, rice, a small side dish, and pickled vegetables.

• Tempura Set Meal

  A main dish of piping hot seasonal rockfish, oysters, shrimp and vegetable tempura.
  Usually served with miso soup, rice, a small side dish, and pickled vegetables.

À La Carte

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  Saké-steamed Clams

  Sakushima Islands’ clams are renowned for their deliciousness.
  You can’t get any better than saké-steamed clams if you want to enjoy their plump texture and rich flavor.

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  Sashimi platter

  The sashimi platter is the best way to enjoy the various flavors of raw seasonal rockfish and shellfish.

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  Grilled Oysters

  Plump oysters grilled over an open fire and seasoned with soy sauce. A savory and juicy dish.

Fried Southern Rough Shrimp

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  Grilled Horned Turban Shells

  Horned turban shells grilled over an open fire and seasoned with soy sauce. Their seaside aroma, rich flavor, and chewy crunchy texture are irresistible.

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  Grilled Large Clams

  Large clams grilled over an open fire and seasoned with soy sauce; a well-known Sakushima Island specialty. They have a delicate subtle flavor while being large and satisfying.
  The flavor of the sea bursts in your mouth.

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  Two Tone Bowl, Whitebait and Small Shrimp on Rice

  A delicious bowl of rice topped half and half with whitebait and small shrimp that have been caught in the adjacent waters of Sakushima Island.

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  Octopus Rice

  A soy sauce-flavored rice cooked with generous amounts of delicious Sakushima Island caught.

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  Whole Boiled Octopus

  A well-known dish of the Mikawa Bay area; cut with scissors and enjoy.
  You can’t beat the salty umami and texture.

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  Large Clam Pasta

  One of Sakushima Islands’ well-known dishes, a soy sauce and seaweed-based pasta with large clams.

Dinner

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  Chilled octopus

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  Sashimi boat (funamori)

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  Fugu Hot Pot (pufferfish hot pot served with ponzu dipping sauce)

  AThe pufferfish represents the flavor of winter in Mikawa Bay, enjoy it piping hot in a nabe (hot pot.) Its sophisticated umami is addictive. It is well-know that you can make a delicious rice soup (zosui) using the remaining broth (fugu stock) at the end.

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  Seafood Hot Pot

  A warming hot pot of oysters, rockfish, and Mikawa Bay seafood generously packed together with vegetables. The perfect flavor of the sea.

Cafe in Sakushima

Monpemaruke

cafe OLEGALE

cafe Hyakuichi

Cafe&BAR Joyell

Saku Cafe Aohana

Access to Sakushima Island

• Take the bus (Nishio Issiki Line) at Meitetsu Nishio Station, and get off at the bus stop “Isshiki Sakana Hiroba, Ferry Terminal for Sakushima.” (About 30 minutes) Go to Sakushima West Port or East Port.

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  *For the ferry schedule and Sakushima event information, please check the Sakushima official website.
  *The ferry departing at the times marked with ● offers Meitetau bus connections.
  *The ferry service may be cancelled or the schedule may be changed due to bad weather.
  ☆In autumn, the ferry departs from Kiramiyazaki Port as an event.

• Regular Schedule (7 round trips per day)
  To Sakushima	To Isshiki
  Leaving isshki Port	Leasing East Port	Leaving Viest Port
  06:30	07:00	07:07
  07:40	●08:30	●08:37
  ●09:30	●10:10	●10:17
  ●11:30	●12:30	●12:37
  ●13:40	●14:50	●14:57
  ●15:50	17:15	17:22
  17:50	18:20	18:27

• For moving around, rental bicycles are convenient!

  Rent a bicycle at a shop near West Port or East Port (for a fee).
  (Limited number of bicycles, first-come-first-served basis)
  

• About 20 minutes by ferry from Isshiki Port

  For more details, please check here.
  Sakushima Official Site
  

• Sakushima accommodation information

  Click here for accommodation information
  Sakushima Stay
  

Fishing Boat Cruise and Art Tour in Sakushima