Japan (Lonely Planet, 11th Edition) - Chris Rowthorn [168]
Onsen are Ō-shima’s other main attraction. Motomachi Hama-no-yu (; 2-2870; admission ¥400; 1-7pm, from 11am Jul & Aug), 10 minutes’ walk north of the port, is a fine outdoor onsen with great ocean views. It’s mixed bathing, so swimsuits are mandatory, and it can be crowded in summer. The more institutional, glitzy place next door is Gojinka Onsen (; 2-0909; admission ¥1000; 9am-9pm), which has baths, a swimming pool and relaxation areas.
The southeastern end of the island has the charmingly nostalgic port of Habu (), full of old buildings like the venerable Ryokan Minato-ya (; admission free; 9am-4pm), now a museum with mannequins in period attire.
Sleeping & Eating
Tōshiki Camp-jō (; camp sites free) Very close to the Minami-kōkō-mae stop, this camp site has a nice location right near the sea, as well as showers and a communal cooking area.
Ryokan Kifune (; 2-1171; fax 2-2853; r per person incl 2 meals ¥7350) They call it a ryokan, but it’s actually a collection of small, retro cabins with a communal dining area. It’s midway between Motomachi and Okadakō. Call in Japanese and the owners will pick you up at the pier.
Hotel Shiraiwa (; 2-2571; fax 2-1864; www.h-shiraiwa.com, in Japanese; s from ¥9600; ) Retro is the watchword at this large hotel above Motomachi port. It seems stuck in the 1960s, but the Japanese- and Western-style rooms are still comfortable, some with harbour views. Large common baths are a plus.
Otomodachi (; 2-0026; mains ¥650-2000; lunch & dinner, closed irregularly) This simple shokudō located 50m north of the Motomachi pier serves set meals like jōsashimi teishoku (special sashimi set; ¥1200). Look for the red shingles and large white signboard out front.
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NII-JIMA
04992
Nii-jima competes with neighbouring Shikine-jima as the most appealing island in the Izu-shotō. It’s got a ripping white-sand beach, two fine onsen and an easy laid-back vibe that’ll make you think they hauled a bit of Okinawa right to the doorstep of Tokyo. And there’s a great camping ground within walking distance of the beach!
Information
The Nii-jima Tourist Association (; 5-0001; 8am-4pm) is about 200m south of the pier.
Sights & Activities
The best beach anywhere near Tokyo is Nii-jima’s fantastic Habushi-ura, a blazing 6.5km stretch of white sand that runs over half the length of the island. Although it’s really just a beach break, it attracts surfers from all over Kantō. Careful, though, because the waves and tide are very strong here. On the port side of the island, Mae-hama stretches 4km and is a good alternative.
The island’s other main attraction is one of Japan’s most whimsical onsen: Yunohama Onsen (; admission free; 24hr). This onsen consists of several outdoor tubs built into the rocks overlooking the Pacific Ocean with a few Parthenon-inspired columns. It’s a lot of fun and it’s only five minutes’ walk south of the Tourist Association. Bathing suits are required. About five minutes’ walk south, Mamashita Onsen (; 5-0240; regular/sand bath ¥300/700; 10am-9.30pm Thu-Tue) has a good indoor bath and a sand bath – you’re buried in hot sand and you lie there sweating and feeling like you’re being crushed. Sounds awful, but we felt good when it was over!
Nii-jima’s other attractions include the Niijima Modern Glass Art Museum (; 5-1840; www.niijimaglass.com; admission ¥300; 9am-4.30pm), 1km south of the port. There’s some fine work made from naturally magnetic Koga stone (which is found only on Nii-jima and in Sicily). You can often see glassblowers in action.
Sleeping & Eating
Habushi-ura Camp-jo (; camp sites free; ) With a stunning mountain backdrop and spacious grassy sites, this camp site is a winner, and it’s only about 10 minutes’ walk to the beach. There are showers, a cooking area and fresh water.
Nii-jima Grand Hotel (; 5-1661; fax 5-1668; www15.ocn.ne.jp/~nghotel, in Japanese; r per person incl 2 meals from ¥6800; ) The island’s only proper hotel, only 15 minutes’ walk from Habushi-ura, has pleasant,