Throughout our journey in Kyoto and on the Kumano Kodo, people were always surprised when we told them we were ending our trip in Wakayama City. As soon as we told them it was so we could hike on Tomogashima Island, their eyes lit up! The locals would say “I’ve always wanted to go there.” Which begs the question — why haven’t they visited yet?
Getting to Tomogashima Island
Getting there might be one of the reasons few tourists journey here. From Wakayama City, it takes 45min and 2 trains to reach the beach town of Kada, where you then walk .7mi (1.2km) to catch the Tomogashima Kisen ferry. You have to get to the ferry early to buy tickets, as you can’t purchase them in advance. We arrived at the ferry 45min early and there were already people waiting in line.
- Trains: JR Kisei Line and Nankai-Kada Line (about $8 roundtrip per person)
- Ferry: 1hr roundtrip ($15 per person)
We loved the train ride to Kada, it offered glimpses of the sea and we passed through several interesting coastal towns that I would have liked to explore. The bigger challenge with visiting Tomogashima is weather. It’s quite common for the ferry to not run, due to high winds. This presents a problem for tourists with limited travel days. I had been watching the ferry schedule 5 days leading up to our visit and they cancelled all flights the 4 days before. We were LUCKY the boats ran on our last day in Japan!
Tomogashima for Anime Fans
We were on the ferry with quite a few anime fans, specifically fans of the series Summer Time Rendering which features Tomogashima in its story line. I didn’t know this until someone from Oku Japan told me about it. Anime enthusiasts also believe that Studio Ghibli’s Castle in the Sky was inspired by the island.
I was here for the coastal hiking trails and abandoned military bunkers.
Military Ruins on Tomogashima
Tomogashima is actually a set of 4 islands within the Seto Inland Sea but everyone just calls the main island Tomogashima. The military ruins are from Japan’s Meiji era (1860s-1912) and it was used as a secret military base during WWII.
The abandoned buildings and creepy tunnels are truly what steal the show here.
Besides the military bunkers, there were bizarre sculptures, such as this mushroom-shaped bench which was near a campground covered in signs saying “beware venomous snakes!”
Fun Fact: There are peacocks on Tomogashima, imported to help control the venomous snake population. We never saw them, but we also never saw any snakes.
Just before arriving back at the ferry dock, this fish sculpture by artist Yuriko Okazaki caught our eye.
With all these fascinating things to see, I can’t forget the beautiful coastal views surrounding us throughout most of the hiking. Not to mention a lighthouse.
Tomogashima Island was the first place in Japan that we saw significant trash on the ground, most of which looked like it was storm debris from a previous tsunami. This added to the appeal, leaving a true sense of abandonment. It’s a magical place.
Making Friends in Kada
Once back on the mainland, we stopped for lunch at Ojiba in Kada. This tucked away store is a gem, I would travel to Kada just to visit it! The front is an antiques/gift shop, with a cafe in the back.
We were greeted by two women, and using Google Translate we were able to communicate that we wanted lunch. Eric ordered white bait and I ordered some kind of rice with colorful seeds and spices. Listening to Ella Fitzgerald, we dined in a home that felt like it was straight out of the 1940s. Eric and I agree, that was our favorite lunch of the entire trip. Every single dish on our tray was delicious and I kept saying “oh this is really good. Oh, this is even better. Oh, this is my favorite!”
I would love to know the story of Ojiba’s owner. We met her daughter, who had the most bubbly personality and gave us hugs and candy. With that kind of warm hospitality and the fascinating collection of American music albums, I’m quite certain I would equally love the mother.
The following morning, as I was taking notes at the airport and reflecting on our trip, I told Eric this was the first time I didn’t dread the travel day back home. I usually hate travel days as they are exhausting and physically uncomfortable for me. But transportation was part of the highlight of Japan, even the return journey seemed fun and exciting. Traveling to Japan rewired my brain in a way that other places seldom do. Or maybe it just added another layer to what I’ve already learned by visiting other countries. Either way, I returned home feeling refreshed and emboldened. That’s the power of transformational travel!
