Okinawa and the Ryukyu Islands. Robert Walker
and its larger neighbor Sukomobanarejima. And, finally, due south and visible from almost anywhere along Kakeroma’s southern shore, you’ll see two rather large islets, Ukeshima and Yoroshima. They, in turn, have several neighbors, which we’ll also describe.
Altogether, not including the few isolated rocks sprinkled about this mix, we’re looking at eight small islands, the two largest of which are inhabited. Although all of these islets are only a few miles offshore, there’s no ferry service from Kakeroma. We’ll have to drive back to either Ikenma or Seso Port and return to Koniya on the Amami-Ōshima mainland.
You’ll be passing through Koniya Ferry Terminal if you’re visiting the neighboring islands below Amami-Ōshima.
From there, ferries run to the two inhabited islands, Ukeshima and Yoroshima. If you wish to visit the others, you’ll have to arrange your own boat. There are plenty of fishermen around, so, in fact, this is not so difficult as long as your Japanese is good or you can make yourself understood. Or wave money around. I’ve found this sometimes helps.
Kakeromajima’s Pension “Marine Blue.”
A view from Kakeromajima’s far northwestern coast of Saneku Beach (left) and the uninhabited Eniyabanarejima (right).
ENIYABANAREJIMA (江仁屋離島; Eniya-banaré-jima). You’ll find this uninhabited islet, approximately 2,300 feet (700 meters) northwest off the northwestern-most point of Kakeroma Island, just beyond Saneku Beach. It’s a small island. No matter which way you measure it, Eniyabanare never gets larger than about 2,300 feet (700 meters) across in any one direction. It’s generally square-shaped with white sandy beaches on three of its four sides. As is the case with most of the Amami Islands, it’s hilly and covered in dense vegetation.
SUKOMOBANAREJIMA (須古茂離島; Sukomo-banaré-jima). About 4 miles (6.4 kilometers) due south of Eniyabanare, and around 3.5miles (5.6 kilometers) southwest of the village of Sukomo (須古茂; Sukomo), on western Kakeroma, lie the twin uninhabited islets of Sukomobanare and Yubanare. Sukomobanare Isle is the larger of the two. It’s more or less rectangular in shape, a little over a mile (2 kilometers) long and anywhere from 1,315 to 2,300 feet (400 to 700 meters) wide.
YUBANARESHIMA (夕離島; Yū-banaréshima). A little more than three-quarters of a mile (1 kilometer) to the northwest of Sukomobanare is its little twin brother, Yubanare. This tiny islet is generally oval-shaped except for a minor protrusion at its northeastern end. The island is about 1,150 feet (350 meters) wide by 1,725 feet (525 meters long). Its little protruding extension adds another 500 feet (150 meters) to its northeast coast.
UKESHIMA (請島; Uké-shima). Ferry service is not frequent to Ukeshima (or its next door neighbor, Yoro), but when the ship sails, it’s the Setonami Ferry (フェリーせと なみ; Ferie-Sétonami). It begins at Koniya, the port of Setouchi town at the southern end of Amami-Ōshima. From there, it exits the Ōshima Strait east, sails around the eastern end of Kakeroma, then south and west to Ukeamuro (請阿室; Uké-amuro), some 14 miles (22 kilometers) sailing distance, and the first stop on Ukeshima. If you could fly a straight path from Koniya to Ukeamuro over Kakeroma, it would be 9 miles (15 kilometers), about due south. In any case, it takes less than an hour by ship. The ferry’s stop here is brief. Ten or fifteen minutes later, the ship sails approximately 2.5 miles (4 kilometers) in 10 minutes around a small cape to Uke Island’s second port, Ikeji (池地; Iké-ji).
Once again, the ship briefly docks, then sails a bit less than 6 miles (10 kilometers) in about 20 minutes to its final destination, Yoro Port (与路港; Yoro-kō) on Yoro Island (与路島; Yoro-shima). After a brief pause, the ferry reverses its course, returning to Uke’s twin ports, then home to Koniya port, all in one day.
It would appear that almost none of the Amami Islands are very regular in shape. All seem to have the most convoluted profiles. Very loosely, it might be said that Ukeshima has a semi-rectangular shape, although arguably it’s also a sideways figure eight, except that its bottom half (eastern side) has a couple of extra bumps. It’s probably easier, and more accurate, to look at a map. At its longest extremity, east–west, it’s almost 4 miles (6 kilometers). Measuring from north to south, it’s about 2 miles (3.5 kilometers) at its widest, and three-quarters of a mile (1 kilometer) at its more narrow sections. However you measure it, it’s a small island.
Ukeshima is quite mountainous and almost all of it is uninhabited. Except for one 2.25-mile (3.6-kilometer)-long, very winding road between the two villages, there are no other main roads on the island. There are several minor roads from both villages south through the valleys behind them, where there is some agriculture, but both sets of these local routes are cul-de-sacs. There are some jeep paths to other sections of the island and there are completely isolated beaches all around the island, but you’ll have to find someone to take you, or let you use their car, because there are no auto rental agencies.
A headland cape on Ukeshima.
Offloading the Koniya ferry.
Ikeji is the larger of the two towns. It has around 100 inhabitants, a post office and an elementary and junior high school. After that, children have to go to Koniya on Ōshima for high school. They usually board there, going home on weekends. Ukeamuro is smaller. It has maybe 50 or 60 residents and no school. There are no tourist services on the island.
KIYAMASHIMA (木山島; Ki-yama-shima). Less than 985 feet (300 meters) immediately to Uke’s east is this uninhabited islet whose name means “Wood Mountain.” A postage stamp-sized islet, it can be reached by a several mile long jeep track from Ukeamuro town on Uke Island. Once you reach the beach, you can swim if you wish. The islet is about 2,950 feet (900 meters) long by 1,475 feet (450 meters) wide.
JANARESHIMA (シヤナレ島; Janaréshima). Only about 660 feet (200 meters) offshore from the southeasternmost end of Ukeshima lies this tiny rugged islet. It’s a triangle in shape, about 900 feet (275 meters) north to south and 1,475 feet (450 meters) east to west across the longest points of its southern base. A jeep can get you to Uke’s southeast end, but from there it’s a swim or a boat, if you have one.
YOROSHIMA (与路島; Yoro-shima). At their closest points, it’s only about 2 miles (3 kilometers) due west from Ukeshima to Yoro Island, although sailing from Uke’s Ikeji Port to Yoro Port (与路港; Yoro-kō) it’s closer to 6 miles (10 kilometers). In any case, it’s not far. Somewhat like Uke, Yoro is also somewhat of a rectangle although a better formed one. It’s a little island, about 4 miles (6.4 kilometers) from end to end, north to south, and in most places about 1.25 miles (2 kilometers) wide from east to west. Also like Uke Island, it’s mountainous and virtually uninhabited. The only settlement is Yoro town, which has a population of about 150. There’s a post office, an elementary and a junior high school. No other services are available.
Interestingly, like Ukeshima, the island is criss-crossed with unpaved jeep tracks, so getting around, at least with the right type of vehicle, is possible. The whole island is ringed by beautiful but very remote beaches. This is particularly so on Yoro’s western side. Less than 1.25 miles (2 kilometers) east of Yoro town and only 2,460 feet/750 meters) from Yoro’s closest point is the tiny islet of Hanmyashima. We’ll look at it next.
HANMYASHIMA (ハンミャ島; Hanmyashima). Another miniscule, uninhabited, islet, this one is just off the east coast of Yoroshima. Alternatively, it could be reached in less than 1.25 miles (2 kilometers) from the western shore of Ukeshima. Of course, if you did go there, from either island, what’s there? Not much. Hanmya Islet is mostly rock and a bit of sand, with just a touch of vegetation. It’s oblong