The bus goes through the "Gotoban -san" distribution!Traveling on the route bus and ferry riding on the island of the gods <Part 2: Shimaezen>

☆In Oki and Dozen, the route bus situation is “3 islands and 3 people”!

According to the myth of the birth of the country in the Kojiki, the Oki Islands were the third islands to be born after Awaji Island and Shikoku. Take a leisurely trip around the Oki Islands by bus, ferry, or high-speed boat. In the previous article, we toured the Okinoshima towns of Dogo (Dogo Island), but in the second part, we will take the buses to Nakanoshima (Ama Town), Nishinoshima (Nishinoshima Town), and Chiburijima (Chibu Village) in Dozen. , ferries, and high-speed boats to visit various places.

Related articles

(1) Traveling around Oki by bus and ferry (Dōzen/Okinoshima Town Edition) → Click here

(2) Traveling around Oki by bus and ferry (Dozen/Okinoshima Town edition) This article

(3) Oki's Little-Known Gourmet + Trip to Make Full Use of Oki's Ingredients Coming Soon

* Article content such as price is as of February 2022, interview content is as of November 2021

The straight line distance from Honshu to the Oki Islands is about 70km, and the distance from Dogo to Dozen is about 30-40km. Ferry and high-speed boats are used to move around Dogo Dozen.

The Oki Kisen ferry and the high-speed boat "Rainbow Jet" that depart from Saigo both circle the islands of Dozen from Dogo and Saigo Ports. Most of the routes are Honshu side (Shichirui Port/Sakaiminato) → Saigo Port → Hishiura Port (Ama Town) → Beppu Port (Nishinoshima Town) → Kurii Port (Chibu Village) (Domae → Dogo is the opposite route). However, please be aware that some flights do not pass through Kurii Port, and there are also flights that go directly from Saigo Port to the Honshu side.

If you are flying into Oki from "Oki Global Geopark Airport", first take the Oki Airport shuttle bus to Saigo Port (in front of Port Plaza) (10 minutes, 520 yen) and transfer to the ferry.

The ferry "Douzen" and the high-speed boat "Isokaze" of Oki sightseeing support the movement of the three Dozen islands. The hull is much smaller than the Oki Kisen, and the guest rooms are as compact as a conference room. The fare is 300 yen (one adult) for both ferries and high-speed boats.

There are 1-2 departures and arrivals every hour between Nishinoshima-cho/Beppu Port and Ama-cho/Hishiura Port, which has the most flights. It's a feeling. However, it is recommended to check in advance as the boarding areas of each port are far from Oki Kisen (especially Nishinoshima and Beppu ports!).

The Oki Kisen, which travels between Dogo and Dozen, is quite busy with people visiting relatives and returning to the Oki hospital. Among them, middle school students from Ama-cho, who had gone on an expedition to Saigo, a club, stood up in the cabin, raised their hands, and sang and danced, "♪Kin-nyamo~nya~". (Apparently the results of the practice match were good.)

Saigo Port → Hishiura Port is about an hour or more, and mobile phones are out of range, so dancing in moderation may be an ant to clear your mind... But what is "Kin-nyamo-nya"? The mystery will soon be solved. Start your trip by bus and ferry on the three islands of Oki and Dozen from Ama Town and Hishiura Port.

☆Route bus connecting places related to Gotoba-in?

At Hishiura Port, the gateway to Ama Town, there is a ferry terminal for the Oki Steamship and a tourist facility, the Jokyu Kaido Kinnyamonya Center. At the entrance, you will be greeted by the dynamic “Kinnyamoña Statue”. The "Kinnyamonya Odori," which involves holding a rice scoop in both hands and dancing like this statue, originated in Ama-cho, and seems to be danced at every opportunity, just like the junior high school students on the ferry. Even so, this dance, for a folk song, has a fast tempo and a good vibe!

*Check out this article for souvenirs and restaurants at Kinnyamonya Center!

(Scheduled to be released in early March)

On the 2nd floor of this building is the Oki Kisen ferry terminal, on the 1st floor is the ferry ticket office, on the side of the building is the Oki sightseeing terminal, and at the entrance is the "Oki Ama Kotsu" route bus terminal and Ama town. It is the cornerstone of almost all transportation.

Let's get on one of the two bus routes that depart from here.

The Oki Ama Kotsu Toyota Line runs from Hishiura Port to the town hall and then through the Ama district of Ama Town from east to west across the island. When it comes to spots along the railway line that you definitely want to visit, it will definitely be "Oki Shrine".

This shrine was founded in 1940 (Showa 15), which is relatively new. There was an residence (base on the island) of Emperor Gotoba (Emperor Gotoba and Cloistered Emperor Gotoba), who was exiled in the Rebellion. After spending 19 years in the Oki Islands, Gotoba-in passed away without ever returning to Kyoto.

Oki Shrine is a 15-minute bus ride from Hishiura Port, and since the area is flat, you can easily get there by renting a bicycle. Gotoba-in, who is famous as a poet and is involved in the selection of "Shin Kokin Wakashu", is said to have benefits for academics and arts, so I would like to receive a goshuin after visiting the shrine.

But the bus hits a rough spot after this. After passing Oki Shrine, the road becomes narrower, just barely wide enough for a route bus. The vintage medium-sized bus vehicle will gradually move forward with a body of 2.5m in width. Depending on the time of day, compact and small vehicles are often used, but the driver says, "This size (capacity) is difficult for high school students to travel to and from."

After that, the bus crosses a small pass and heads for Toyota, the last stop, overlooking the emerald blue sea of ​​Akiya Coast. Even so, the rice scoop-shaped wooden bus stop, which is associated with the "Kinnya Monnya Odori," stands out even from a distance.

Also, it's hard to imagine just looking at the island's bus route map, but the ``Amajima Line'' that circles around the south side of the island is quite an outrageous route over a mountain pass. The straight line distance from Hishiura Port is about 3 km, and you can't reach the villages of Saki and Minami without crossing a pass with a height difference of 250 m.

The view of the mountains from the pass is steep enough to make you think you are on a remote island. The driver said, "It freezes in winter, so if you don't have this (small bus), you can't go over the slope."

The Amacho/Saki district is also known as the place where Gotoba-in, who was exiled from Kyoto during the Jokyu War at the end of the Kamakura period, first drifted ashore on Oki. From here to Genpukuji Temple (currently Oki Shrine), where you will set up a visitor's office, you can get there by bus if you change from Amajima Line to Toyota Line in modern times, but what kind of route did you take at that time? Huh?

Have you sailed along the shoreline, or have you crawled up this terrifyingly tough pass...

And this Ama town is also known for its positive population increase due to the positive acceptance of I-turn immigrants, acceptance of overseas students from outside the island, and efforts to revitalize the region. With the only high school among the three islands of Dozen (Oki Dozen High School. Double the entrance exam!), the morning rush when ferries and high-speed boats arrive in quick succession is considerable.

Let's cross over to Nishinoshima on this ferry.

" title=" Buses travel the land of "Gotoban-san" distribution! Route bus and ferry on the island of the gods, Oki Ferry Ride Trip (Part 2: Island Part 1)" >

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Nishinoshima Town is by no means a large city, with a population of just under 3000, but it is connected to the Beppu Transportation Center (Beppu Minato) to Yura Bus Depot, it is guaranteed that there will be one bus every 1-2 hours.

And the ship's base is in Beppu Port near the eastern end of the island. However, it should be noted that Beppu Port is the only one of the three Dozen islands that is far from the Oki Kisen, Oki sightseeing high-speed boat, and ferry terminal.

In terms of the bus stop, it is divided as follows.

・Beppu Kotsu Center Bus Stop

Oki Sightseeing "Ferry Dozen" platform

・Oki Steamship (Beppu Port) Stop

Oki Kisen Ferry / High Speed ​​Boat "Rainbow Jet"

Isokaze, a high-speed boat for sightseeing in the Oki Islands

It's about 500m on foot, so it's easy to move, but you need to be careful just in case.

In 2013 (Heisei 25), the bypass of National Route 485 connecting the center of the island from east to west was opened, and movement within the island became smoother at once. However, the municipal bus route "Kansen" that runs on the same route frequently follows the old road without passing through the brand new road.

There were many passengers, such as Beppu Port where the ferry terminal is located, Mitajiri district where there are supermarkets and hospitals, and sections that are far from the bypass although there are old-fashioned villages. Even during the daytime on weekdays, there are generally more than 10 people on the bus, and the bus frequently slows down and continues to treat customers at every one or two bus stops.

In addition to this main line, there are also town buses bound for Uga near the island's Higashibashi bridge, bound for the coastline at the foot of Yake volcano, and the escape of Emperor Godaigo, who was exiled to Oki, and his arrival in Tokyo. There are several branch line systems, such as one for Akanoe, which is said to be the port of the river, and one for Mitabe, the westernmost end of Nishinoshima.

In general, there are 3-4 round trips a day, but we definitely recommend taking the bus to visit Akanoe, where old-fashioned stone walls and wells still remain in the residential area, and Sando, where you'll be amazed at the enormous size of the decaying boathouse in front of the bus stop. I would like to visit in

And since you've come to Nishinoshima, you'll also want to stop by Kuniga Beach, a scenic spot. At the end of the road in the northwestern part of the island, you can see a number of rough cliffs and rocks that can be said to be the beauty of nature.

Maten Cliff, which towers 257 meters above the sea surface, the stick-shaped towering Kanabo Rock, Oniga Castle, Ryugu Castle, and Otohime Goten. Each one has a name, and an hour or two will go by in a blink of an eye.

To visit Kuniga Coast, Oki Kanko's regular sightseeing bus is convenient. This bus, which departs from Urago Port in the center of the island and takes a break for about an hour, was in operation from April to November in 2021.

In addition to the spectacular view of the Kuniga Coast, we also stop by famous places such as "Ikayosehama" (rarely enough squid wash up even if you don't catch them). You can also listen to announcements (search for details on your own. It seems that the squid was a little rude to the princess a long time ago.)

In addition to the regular sightseeing bus, there is also a municipal bus that runs from April to October. However, on this road, cows are sleeping along the way, kites rush in, and above all, the road is wide enough for even a small bus to run...

But the driver of the town bus said, "You'll normally go with this (medium-sized bus vehicle)?"Come to think of it, the direction display on the driver's seat also has "Kuniga" on it. I would like to go on another bus during the period when the route bus is running.

☆ A cow swimming in the ocean with thinning hair? 〈Bus Trip in Dozen: Chibu Village Edition〉

Chibu Village, which has the smallest area among the three municipalities of Dozen, is an elongated island with a narrow width of just over 1km, and boats arrive and depart. In addition to Kurii Port, there are several villages such as Furuumi and Nibu, but if you are physically fit, you can walk.

However, a village bus runs here as well, connecting one end of the island to the other, centering on the port of Rai.

However, the bus is a compact wagon. There is no announcement in the car, no button to get off, and there is not even a pole at the bus stop. It's an analog style where you tell your destination verbally and get off, and you check the timetable on the wall of a nearby building before boarding.

Among them, the hidden spot that can be reached by bus is not the "Usuge" bus stop in the largest village on the west side of the island, but the uninhabited island Shimazu Island in front of it. Because the grass on this sunny island does not dry up even in winter, it used to be the place where the cattle from Chiburijima were moved to Shimazushima by swimming and returned to Chiburijima in the spring. was known as

Nowadays, there is a footbridge connecting the two islands, so we rarely see swimming cows. Amazing transparency. It would be nice to visit in autumn or winter when the sea water is beautiful.

And thanks to this pedestrian bridge, it takes less than an hour to get off the “Usuge” bus stop and go to the edge of Shimadzu Island and back. The community bus in Chibu Village has an interval of about 1 hour or 2 hours including the demand (buses that require reservations), so it will be a perfect sightseeing spot and a short walking course until the next bus comes. Is it not?

In addition, although the bus does not pass, it is also a good idea to take a taxi to Mt. Akahage, the highest point in the village. There is an observatory on the top with an altitude of 325m, and you can look out over mountains such as the Honshu/Shimane Prefecture side and Hoki Daisen. And when you look down on the slopes of the mountain, you can see dairy cows, which are as numerous as the population in this village.

We saw nearly 100 cows on the day of our visit alone, but they just shipped them the day before, so it just happened to be a few days. no, that's enough...

Also, if you look at the Oki Islands side from the observatory of Mt. Akahage, you can see that the islands are arranged so that they surround the sea. In fact, the Oki Islands were active as a submarine volcano 5 million years ago, and the remaining island was the somma surrounding the crater. From this observatory, you can see three islands surrounding the Oki Inland Sea, and you can clearly see that this area used to be a caldera.

And the sea of ​​Oki, surrounded by islands, has become a paradise for many fish as a natural fish tank. Oki beef grows healthily in the mountains, and the vegetables grown in the volcanic land have a rich flavor.

※

This is the end of the Oki Islands bus and ferry trip. I am preparing another article to enjoy the food of Oki.

From the dining out situation and local gourmet situation of each island, we have prepared contents that make full use of the vegetables and seasonings you bought back for everyday rice. (Scheduled to be released in early March) If you don't mind, go ahead.

④ Traveling around Oki by bus and ferry (Dōzen/Okinoshima Town Edition) Click here

⑤ Traveling around Oki by Bus and Ferry (Dozen and Oki Island Town) This article

⑥Oki's unknown gourmet food + trip to make full use of Oki's ingredients→Coming soon