Camping in Shikinejima, Izu islands
Trip Start
Feb 07, 2009
1
40
Trip End
Ongoing
Shikinejima, Tōkyō, Japan
Sunday, September 25, 2011
We chose this small, 14k island because of its relative isolation and rumored peaceful ambience. The island was beautiful and I can see how a nature lover would love this place, given more favorable weather conditions. Nearly all of the island's charms are outdoors and include hiking trails to scenic viewpoints, several tropical white-sand beaches, snorkeling and scuba diving, and 3 open-air onsens. All of the island’s attractions can be reached via bicycle or even on foot. There are a few restaurants and inns on the island, but to our dismay most restaurants and shops were closed on the rainy Monday we spent there, so don’t count on eating out that day.
There are two campgrounds on the island, Oura and Kamanoshita. From what I’ve read online, Kamanoshita seems to be the more picturesque of the two, but is only open during low season. The exact opening dates of each campground are slightly ambiguous and seem to depend on weather patterns and the whims of the tourism masters. For the most part it appears that Oura is open during Golden week and July – September, and Kamanoshita is open the rest of the year.
In terms of accessibility, Oura is nice because it provides quick access to the hiking trails, which are all located on one side of the island, and getting to the most photographed half-moon shaped beach, Tamieri, is fairly quick. Another beach with a good reputation for snorkeling is also just next to Oura. Most campsites offer a view of the sea and there is a communal barbecue area with supplies that everyone can use, including grill racks, tongs, and even sponges and washing up liquid! This is a covered spot so it also provides a good shelter in case of inclement weather. The camping master there is super friendly and loves to socialize with guests (in Japanese of course) and spends most of the day cooking up ocean delights. He is generous with his food and continually offered some of his fresh catch to the campers. The camping community was incredibly friendly and helpful towards each other.
Kamonoshita, though we didn’t actually visit the site, is closer to the onsens and the largest beach on the island, which also could be convenient. By bicycle it took about 15 minutes to reach the first onsen from Oura. We visited all three hot springs in a day, as it’s easy to walk from one to another. I really liked the Jinata spring because of its seclusion and raw quality, but you must be willing to bear the sight of some funny troglodyte bugs and murky sulfuric water with moss and other particles floating around. Me, I like it authentic! The sea view provides a scenic background and though the springs are literally boiling, you can find a few unique spots to recline where the sea water mixes with the hot spring flow, giving an interesting mix of temperatures as the water washes over your body.
The Matsugashita Miyabino-yu hot spring was also quite nice and picturesque. There were changing rooms here and bathrooms just down the path to the second hot spring, Ashitsuki. This spring was the smallest of the three but has clear water, which draws more people than Jinata.
As for transportation, Shikinejima is full of hills so best be careful when choosing your wheels. Shinya convenience store is the most popular spot for renting since it is close the port, but their bike selection is scant and outdated. Lugging heavy squeaky mamachurris up the hills is near impossible on these machines. One day rentals cost 1200 yen at Shinya, but if you’re willing to walk a bit further into town, you can get bikes for less, even 900 yen. The other places’ bikes also seemed in better condition. However, walking around the island would also be perfectly fine, as you honestly will be walking up many of those hills even with a bike. This could save you a few hundred or thousand yen too.
Overall we thought the island had great potential and would like to try visiting again when the sun is shining.
