27 May 2024

Exploring Tokyo’s ‘treasure island’ Izu Oshima

Our day started as Heritage Adventurer sailed towards ‘Tokyo’s Treasure Island’ Izu Oshima, where we were met with a functional art installation of concrete triangles acting as a breakwater and arrived at the volcanic stone beach.

We enjoyed a red-carpet treatment with a surprise welcome from celebrity politician and Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike! The famous Tokyo leader who has held the position since 2016, warmly welcomed us to the remote Tokyo island offering gifts of books and postcards of the geopark.

We made our way to Mount Mihara, at 758 meters tall it's known by the less than 7,000 locals as Oshima Fuji. Despite being an active volcano, which last erupted in 1986, our guide reassured us that with today’s level remaining at 1, we were perfectly safe.

Travelling up the perfectly maintained roads, we were flanked by lush vegetation and passed a family of self-liberated Taiwanese Macaques now making the island their home. As our buses climbed higher, we entered a mist which would accompany our hikes, but not dampen our adventurous spirit. Hiking up to the lookout we passed lava flows, chunks and ghostly jagged geo-rock garden outlines through the mist. Exploring this otherworldly landscape, we marvelled at the ‘miracle shrine’ which narrowly survived destruction with the lava flow stopping just under the shrine’s ornate eaves.

Making our way down the crater it was time to don our rain jackets, but it wasn’t long until we were back on board our buses bound for the natural wonder of the Great Road Cut Geological site. We then explored the 700-metre-long, towering cliffs and their undulating layers of volcanic stratum which has earned it the nickname Baumkuchen due to its resemblance to the famous layered cake.

Returning to the comfort of our home away from home, we enjoyed a delicious late lunch as we set off for Ishinomaki.

Images © E Bell, Heritage Expeditions