Minamijima“南島” is one of a island, which is located in the pacific ocean, 1,000km far from Tokyo.
This island is registered as a world natural heritage “Ogasawara Islands" along with Chichijima“父島”, Hahajima“母島”, Aniijima“兄島”and other small islands in 2010.
The only way to get to the Ogasawara Islands is by ferry. No planes or jet boats are sailing, so you have to ride the ferry from Tokyo for 25 hours to get to the Ogasawara Islands.
I visited Ogasawara Islands in march, 2014 for survey of a military facilities constructed during the Asia-Pacific War and an ecological survey of the Ogasawara fruit bats.
On the last day of my stay, I took a half day landing tour to Minamijima“南島”. Landing tours to Minamijima“南島” cost around 7,000 yen per person.
You can’t land to Minamijima“南島” without the accompanying Tokyo Metropolitan Nature Guide, who wears an armband that complies with the Minamijima“南島” usage rules.
The maximum number of users that one Tokyo Nature Guide can handle is set at 15, and the maximum number of users per day is 100. In addition, the maximum stay is limited to 2 hours, and from autumn to winter each year, there is a three-month restriction period for entering the island.
The reason why there are restrictions on entering the island is that it is necessary to protect the natural environment of the Minamijima“南島” , which is an irreplaceable heritage for all humanity, and pass it on to future generations.
In order to prevent the planaria and its eggs, which live in Chichijima“父島”, which is a natural enemy of land snails such as snails living on the Minamijima“南島”, from getting caught in the soil of the soles and landing, you must wash your shoes with seawater when you land.
After landing, you have to walk along the designated route with the people of Tokyo Nature Guide. You can admire the scenery that cannot be imagined in Japan, such as the sharp rocky Lapier, the Ougiike pond“扇池” formed by the erosion of seawater, the Inyoike pond“陰陽池” where aquatic plants float, and the large number of fossils of Mandarina Iuhauna”ヒロベソカタマイマイ” scattered on the white sandy beach.
I think this island is the most beautiful uninhabited island in Japan.
It’s been 5 years since I last visited Minamijima“南島”, but I want to visit again before I die to see the beautiful landscape and nature.
