Japan (Lonely Planet, 11th Edition) - Chris Rowthorn [173]
Getting There & Away
The Ogasawara-maru sails about once a week between Tokyo’s Takeshiba Pier (10 minutes from Hamamatsu-chō Station) and Chichi-jima (2nd class from ¥28,000 in July and August, from ¥22,000 September to June, 25 hours). Contact Ogasawara Kaiun (; 03-3451-5171; www.ogasawarakaiun.co.jp, in Japanese).
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HAHA-JIMA
04998
Haha-jima is a quieter, less developed version of Chichi-jima, with some fine beaches on its west side and good hiking along its spine. Certain bays along the east coast are particularly good for dolphin-watching. If you really want to get away from it all, this is the place.
Information
Haha-jima Tourist Association (;3-2300;8am-5pm) is in the passenger waiting room at the pier.
Sights & Activities
A road runs south from the village to the start of the Minami-zaki Yūhodō (), a hiking course that continues all the way to the Minami-zaki (; literally, ‘southern point’). Along the way you’ll find Hōraine-kaigan (), a narrow beach with a decent offshore coral garden, Wai Beach, the best beach on the island, with a drop-off that sometimes attracts eagle rays, and finally, Minami-zaki itself, which has a rocky, coral-strewn beach with ripping views of smaller islands to the south. Above Minami-zaki you’ll find Kofuji (), an 86m-high mini Mt Fuji with fantastic views in all directions. Scooter is the best way to get around the island (from ¥3000 per day).
Sleeping & Eating
Camping is not permitted on the island.
Anna Beach Haha-jima Youth Hostel (; 3-2468; fax 3-2371; www.k4.dion.ne.jp/~annayh, in Japanese; dm members/nonmembers incl 2 meals ¥5320/5920) A young family runs this tidy, cheery youth hostel in a cosy Canadian-style house overlooking the fishing port.
Minshuku Nanpū (; 3-2462; fax 3-2458; r per person incl 2 meals ¥8400) This clean, new minshuku is about 500m northeast of the pier, with friendly owners, good food, five rooms with large beds, and a nice jet bath.
Club Noah Haha-jima (; 3-2442; http://noah88.web.fc2.com, in Japanese; snacks from ¥500; lunch) Dive shop Club Noah runs jungle-trekking and marine-life ecotours. The menu includes light meals like shima-zakana no soboro-don (grated fish on rice set; ¥900). It’s in a white building on the far side of the fishing port.
Getting There & Away
The Hahajima-maru sails about five times a week between Chichi-jima and Haha-jima (¥3780, two hours). Contact Ogasawara Kaiun (; 03-3451-5171; www.ogasawarakaiun.co.jp, in Japanese). Other operators run day cruises from Chichi-jima.
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Central Honshū
* * *
NAGOYA
HISTORY
ORIENTATION
INFORMATION
SIGHTS
FESTIVALS & EVENTS
SLEEPING
EATING
DRINKING
ENTERTAINMENT
SHOPPING
GETTING THERE & AWAY
GETTING AROUND
AROUND NAGOYA
TOKONAME
INUYAMA
AROUND INUYAMA
GIFU
GUJŌ-HACHIMAN
HIDA DISTRICT
TAKAYAMA
HIDA-FURUKAWA
SHIRAKAWA-GŌ & GOKAYAMA
JAPAN ALPS NATIONAL PARK
KAMIKŌCHI
SHIRAHONE ONSEN
HIRAYU ONSEN
FUKUCHI ONSEN
SHIN-HOTAKA ONSEN
NAGANO-KEN
NAGANO
TOGAKUSHI
OBUSE
YUDANAKA
SHIGA KŌGEN
NOZAWA ONSEN
HAKUBA
BESSHO ONSEN
MATSUMOTO
HOTAKA
KISO VALLEY REGION
TOYAMA-KEN
TOYAMA
TATEYAMA-KUROBE ALPEN ROUTE
ISHIKAWA-KEN
KANAZAWA
NOTO-HANTŌ
HAKUSAN NATIONAL PARK
FUKUI-KEN
FUKUI
EIHEI-JI
TŌJINBŌ
TSURUGA
OBAMA
* * *
Japan’s heartland in both geography and attitude, Central Honshū stretches between the two great megalopolises of Kantō (Greater Tokyo) and Kansai (Osaka, Kyoto and Kōbe), between the Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Japan. This region is filled with modern commercial centres and traditional towns, the majestic Japan Alps and the rugged northern coastline.
In Central Honshū’s southern prefectures, called ‘Chūbu’ in Japanese, hiking