An Adventure on Oita’s Himeshima! Rich in Ancient Legends and Volcanic Remains【Explore Oita Japan】
It’s been on my bucket list to visit a remote island in Japan My name is Katherine I’m a navigator for Explore Oita Japan Today, I’m heading to Himeshima Island an island, which is one of the 8 Geoparks in Kyushu and is famous for its ecotourism
Himeshima Island has a population of approximately 1600 people and is located 20 minutes by ferry from Imi Port in Kunisaki City [Explore Oita Japan] I just arrived at Himeshima Island I just got out of the ferry and let’s see what we have here We are here at the ferry port right now
And will go around this whole island We will need a vehicle so we will go to an EV car rental place Follow me We are already at the EV car rental place They have various types of cars This is a 1-seater, this is a 2-seater They also have some scooters and then 5-seater and 7-seater cars So if you come alone or with your friends they will meet your needs This one is so cool
This one looks like a robot but I can’t drive it because I don’t have a driver’s license If you don’t have a driver’s license maybe you can take a free shuttle bus to get around the island Now, I’m in an EV car This is a 5-seater and the view is quite good here So let’s enjoy the ride As you can see here there’s the Kunisaki coastline It’s very beautiful The weather is very nice today It’s not too hot because summer is almost ending and we are entering into autumn
So it’s very nice to visit Himeshima around this time These are aquaculture ports to raise Himeshima tiger prawns which are a highly sought after delicacy I’m excited to try it for the first time today but before that, let’s pass by one of the 7 wonders of Himeshima Island
Now I’m at Hyoshimizu Hot Spring and this is considered one of the 7 wonders of Himeshima According to legend when a princess clapped her hands spring water from the bottom emerged Now, we will see what it looks like Oh, the hot spring water is quite cold I think it’s around 77°F I’m curious Let’s see what it tastes like The hot spring water itself is drinkable Oh! The hot spring water is carbonated, actually and from what it tastes like the iron level is quite high
I think you can also see it from the stain on the rocks I think this must be really good for your body Either you can drink it or bathe in the hot spring in the building OK now, I want to show you a little magic here This is tea
And now I will mix this with the hot spring water to see what will happen I’m mixing it right now What will happen? Oh! It’s become black You can try this interesting experiment when you come here but please don’t drink it for health safety reasons We’ve already explored the whole island with the EV car and it’s already lunch time Now, we are in front of Kanoya This is one of the restaurants for serving kuruma ebi or tiger prawns Follow me inside the restaurant and have a good lunch In Himeshima Island tiger prawns are very popular Look how big it is See, it looks so delicious and crunchy They prepare it with several side dishes such as octopus pickles, steamed egg, miso soup and, of course, a bowl of warm rice Let’s try it It’s actually really good
It’s really crispy and the shrimp is really juicy and the more you chew the sweetness of the shrimp will spread in your mouth I really like this one We are now driving at the maximum speed to Amanohitotsune Geopark Exhibition Hall which showcases exhibitions about Geoparks, especially Himeshima Island
Himeshima is also the perfect place to watch chestnut tiger butterflies They come 2 times a year in early summer, May to June and in early autumn, in October As we can see here there are 8 Geoparks in Kyushu Oita Prefecture has 2 of them which are Oita Himeshima Geopark and Oita Bungoono Geopark
Do you know that in the same place where you rent your EV car you can also paint your own fox (kitsune) mask? Himeshima has the “Himeshima bon dance,” which has been passed down from ancient times Himeshima bon dance festival held every August from the 14th to 16th at night is recognized as a Nationally Selected Intangible Folk Cultural Heritage Various traditional dances are performed
And the kitsune odori or fox dance is the most popular one You can also see these dances in other festivals such as the Himeshima Fish Festival and Himeshima Tiger Shrimp Festival People will paint their faces for the festival but here as a tourist
You can experience it by drawing on a blank kitsune mask You can take home the mask you painted as a gift! Great! Thank you! Let’s do it OK, I just finished creating my mask and this one is the simplest pattern that you can create Even this one is quite difficult for me because I’m not really arty We’ve come to the end of the video It was a long day It was a wonderful journey here in Himeshima I tried the EV car went to the hot spring had a delicious lunch with tiger prawns or kuruma ebi and learned more about this whole island in the Geopark exhibition
Last but not least, I tried the kitsune mask painting workshop This place is really relaxing and offers a different experience from the hustling and busy city This is the perfect getaway I recommend you come here Now, I want to introduce my friend beside me
She’s been with me this whole trip and is still keeping her mask on until now If you guys want us to reveal her face like this video and subscribe to Explore Oita Japan Bye bye! [Explore Oita Japan]
*Subtitles are available in Japanese and English. Please enjoy the video with subtitles on.
In this video, we’ll introduce Himeshima, an island off the coast of northeastern Oita Prefecture. The entirety of Himeshima is a Geopark, one of eight in Kyushu, and it abounds with rich nature and ample sightseeing!
【Contents】
0:55 Himeshima Eco Tourism
2:11 Hyoshimizu Hot Spring
3:40 Kanoya
4:44 Amanohitotsune Geopark
5:16 Mask Painting Workshop
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This time, our host visited Himeshima Village in northeastern Oita Prefecture. Himeshima itself can be reached in just a 20-minute ferry ride from Imi Port on Kunisaki Peninsula. As “Oita Himeshima Geopark,” themed around “a mysterious island formed by volcanoes,” it was registered as a Japanese Geopark in 2013. It is full of nature and history, appearing in the “Kuniumi,” a story from the ancient Kojiki chronicle detailing the birth of the Japanese archipelago, and is the subject of many legends involving princesses and more.
First up, she headed for Himeshima Eco Tourism, which serves as a tourist information center as well as a base for promoting the island. It is just a two-minute walk from the ferry terminal, and it has a cafe where you can rest up, and offers Himeshima sightseeing tours and experiences.
Here you can rent eco-friendly cars (ultra small mobility vehicles), making for a fun and convenient way to get around Himeshima.
In their eco-friendly car, our host visited Hyoshimizu Hot Spring. It uses natural hydrogen carbonate hot spring saline water from the island, called “Hyoshimizu” water, which is considered one of the Seven Wonders of Himeshima, passed down since ancient times. Our host decided to take a quick dip – will she feel its potent effects?
After enjoying Hyoshimizu Hot Spring, it was time to try tiger prawns, a specialty of Himeshima said to be one of the greatest pleasures of visiting the island. For this, our host stopped at Kanoya for lunch, which boasts a hefty menu of dishes using tiger prawns as well as a bunch of other ingredients from the seas of Himeshima. You can choose from voluminous set meals, rice bowls, and more packed with seafood.
Next, she went to the Amanohitotsune Geopark exhibition hall, which showcases how the island of Himeshima was formed, as well as its history and ecosystems.
Finally, our host returned to Himeshima Eco Tourism, and joined a mask-painting workshop, whose masks are designed to resemble the animals featured in Himeshima’s bon festival dances, like the “fox dance” and “raccoon dance.” Himeshima’s bon festival is famous for these dances, with the adorable makeup and humorous choreography of the fox dance, a particular highlight. Its many traditional dances and new creative dances draw in big crowds each year. So, what kind of mask will our host make?
Whether you stay the night or just visit for a day trip, the profuse natural bliss of Himeshima makes it a fantastic destination sure to create wonderful memories.
*This video was filmed in September 2023.
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Himeshima Village Official Website▶︎https://www.himeshima.jp
Hyoshimizu Hot Spring▶︎https://www.himeshima.jp/kankou/inn/hyoushimizu-onsen/
Oita Himeshima Geopark▶︎https://geopark.jp/geopark/oita-himeshima/
大分県観光情報公式サイト / Discover Oita▶︎https://bit.ly/37fTNKx
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