【奄美群島フェリー旅②】奄美大島→徳之島 闘牛と長寿の島をバイクで巡る【全5回】

【奄美群島フェリー旅②】奄美大島→徳之島 闘牛と長寿の島をバイクで巡る【全5回】

From Amami Oshima to Tokunoshima. Bullfighting is popular on this island. And there are many long-lived islanders. It’s 4:30 a.m. on Amami Oshima. I check out of the hotel and head to Naze Port. It took 10 minutes to reach the port on foot. I’m about to board the ferry to Tokunoshima. First, let’s complete the boarding procedures. The ferry we’re boarding arrives at the port. Four ships operate on this route. This ship is the newest one. Built in 2021. Length: 145 meters. “Queen Coral Cross” The ship arrived on schedule at 5:00 a.m. I arrived at Naze Port yesterday morning on a different ship. The docking operation at the wharf are the same. I also like watching ships dock from the ferry terminal. The docking operation seems to be complete. The boarding bridge is connected to the ship’s hull. The port call time at Naze Port is 50 minutes. Passenger disembarkation has begun. This ferry route is an important means of transportation for the islanders. For $135, you can enjoy unlimited ferry rides on this route for two weeks. Only available in second-class shared cabins. However, private rooms and sleeping berths are available for an additional fee. Let’s take a look at the travel route. I’m currently traveling by ferry from Kagoshima to Naha. This video covers the journey from Amami Oshima to Tokunoshima. The bridge connects to the ship’s 3rd deck. You may use the elevator. Take the escalator to the 4th floor. Passenger areas are on the 4th and 5th floors. First, head to the restaurant on the 4th floor. Morning service is only available for 30 minutes while docked at Amami Oshima. I’ll have the Japanese set meal for $5. Let’s check out the shop next door. The shop also temporarily closes shortly after departure. From the 4th floor passageway to the external deck. External decks are also on the 4th and 5th floors. Departure is at 5:50 a.m. Cargo handling operations at the wharf appear nearly complete. Departure operations are about to begin. Retracting the vehicle ramp. Staff members proceed to their respective stations. Ropes are released from the bollards and into the sea. The voyage to Tokunoshima takes 3 hours and 20 minutes. Naze Port is a large harbor surrounded on three sides by land. The ship heads north from Naze Port for a while. I can also see the hotel where I stayed last night. The ship leaves Naze Port and heads into the East China Sea. Let’s head back inside the ship. I upgraded to a second-class berth for an extra $15. Some people are sleeping, so I’ll take a closer look later. The wind is strong and the ship is rocking a bit. Motion sickness medication is essential for those prone to seasickness. The restaurant is always open. Besides vending machines, there are also free tea dispensers. This is a relatively new ship built in 2021. The interior design is also excellent. There is no large bath; only showers are available. With some exceptions, shampoo and other toiletries are not provided. The restrooms are clean and functional. The sea is rough, and the wind is strong. After a while, the sky cleared up. Amami Oshima behind us, Tokunoshima ahead. Off Tokunoshima lies Tonbara Rock, a famous fishing spot. Let’s go check out the cabin now. Bunk beds are lined up. Air conditioning vents in the ceiling. Every four beds are separated by curtains. There’s luggage storage space under the beds. Thin mattress and towel-like sheets. This is what the inside of the berth looks like. Lighting and power outlet. An air vent is also installed at the head of the bed. You can adjust the airflow and direction. A very clean and functional cabin. Let’s also take a look at the large second-class cabin. This large room is wheelchair accessible. If it’s not crowded, the large room should be comfortable. This is a standard second-class large room. This part was filmed during a previous trip. This is a first-class cabin. It’s a private single room. Four ships operate on this route. This is the cabin I most recommend for solo travelers. For one person, it’s much better than the private room at Akebono last time. Now, the ship is approaching Tokunoshima. We’ll enter Kametoku Port in the southeastern part of the island. Boarding and disembarking will be via those stairs. Crew members are heading to the stern deck. The line to throw to the wharf is being prepared. Thin line connected to thick rope. Passing between breakwaters into Kametoku Port. The waves are somewhat high. The hammock was swaying along with the ship. He throws the line toward the wharf. Staff pull up the rope at the wharf. Hook the rope onto the bollard and reel it up on the ship. He gives instructions from the ship’s platform. Retrieve the thrown lines and bundle them back onto the ship. Deploy the vehicle ramp. The ship is loaded with many supplies for island life. Staff and forklifts enter the ship. Disembarking stairs are also deployed. The ship arrived on schedule at 9:10 a.m. The 4th floor lobby was bustling with disembarking passengers. Port call time is only 30 minutes. Boarding passes are collected upon disembarking. Tokunoshima, like Amami Oshima, has many endemic species. Descend directly from the stairs to the wharf. I start to feel like I’ve truly landed on the island. Queen Coral Cross. It’s a good ship. This is where we part ways with this ship. Let’s enter the ferry terminal. There’s also a waiting area on the 2nd floor. The island’s tourism office is also on this floor. Let’s head out to the observation terrace. The ship is about to set sail. The next port of call is Okinoerabu Island. I’ll be boarding from here tomorrow too. The ship departed as scheduled at 9:40 a.m. The ship’s whistle signals departure. Slowly moving backward. Making a 90-degree turn while moving backward. And then heading out of the harbor. 1 hour 50 minutes to Okinoerabu Island. Now, let’s explore Tokunoshima. There is a bus stop in front of the ferry terminal. The number of buses is very limited. The recommended ways to tour the island are by rental car or rental motorcycle. Let’s walk a little from the port. Bullfighting is popular on Tokunoshima. Performing arts shows are also held regularly. This island is the birthplace of Japan’s largest hospital group. It’s a 10-minute walk from the port to the motorcycle shop. I rent a 125cc scooter. The rental fee is $22 for 24 hours. Tokunoshima has a population of 21,000 and an area of 248 square kilometers. This is the Bullfighting Shrine along the road. It was established by islanders who love bullfighting. Bullfighting-related materials are stored here. The passion for bullfighting was palpable. That is “Gorilla Rock.” It certainly looked like a gorilla’s profile. This is the most important facility on Tokunoshima. It is the largest bullring on the island. There is one fighting bull. It’s a massive body weighing over one ton. You can freely tour the interior of the bullfighting arena. Bullfighting is held even on rainy days. Over 20 bullfighting events are held here annually. The entrance to the spectator seating is here. Tokunoshima’s bullfighting has a 400-year history. Approximately 400 fighting bulls are raised on the island. Massive bodies collide. The match is decided when an opponent loses the will to fight. Raising a “Yokozuna” is a great honor. The bulls are raised solely for bullfighting. The sound of the bulls’ bellowing echoes. Tokunoshima is the Island of Bullfighting. And it is the Island of Longevity. He is Shigechiyo Izumi, who passed away at 120 years old in 1986. Guinness World Records recognized him as the world’s oldest man at the time. He reportedly worked on a farm until age 105. The woman who was once the world’s oldest person also hailed from this island. Tokunoshima also has Japan’s highest birth rate at 2.25. The island’s environment and diet must be good for health. The 300-year-old banyan tree evokes the ruins of Angkor. I stopped by the nearby shrine. The island festival is held here. It’s said spirits dwell within the banyan tree. It’s also popular as a power spot. I’ve arrived at the “Sea Within the Land.” It’s a sunken limestone cave. This area is surrounded by sugarcane fields. It connects underground to the sea 400 meters away. It forms a unique ecosystem where seawater and groundwater mix. Numerous holes made by the giant crabs inhabiting this area. Wild boars also breed on Tokunoshima. They are sometimes exterminated because they damage sugarcane fields. This is an Italian restaurant called Tokunoshima Shokudo. You can enjoy pasta and pizza made with ingredients from the island. Pancetta and tomato Pasta is $7. I bought late-night meal at the supermarket. Today’s hotel: Sunset Resort Tokunoshima Cottage-style rooms are lined up. $50 per night, room only. It’s a good room for solo use. The hotel also has a dining hall. I filmed the large bath before opening hours. Several bathtubs and an open-air bath. You can also use the sauna. You can look down on the sea from the spacious garden. True to the hotel’s name, it’s famous for its sunsets. It’s about a 5-minute walk to the beach. It’s a public bathing beach. Unfortunately, the sunset was obscured by clouds. A triathlon is held here every year. It’s a coastline full of atmosphere. Even when I rang the bell, I was alone… The beach is deserted since it’s off-season. It was a truly luxurious time. I’ll have seared chicken and sea bream sashimi I bought earlier for $6. I bought these for a late-night meal, but I’m hungry now. At the dinning hall, I had a late-night meal. Okinawan Noodles and fried pork trotters for $12. That’s all for this Tokunoshima chapter. The journey continues in the Okinoerabu episode. Thank you for watching!

奄美群島フェリー旅全5回の2回目は、奄美大島から徳之島までです。
奄美大島を早朝に出航し、徳之島に到着。
「クイーンコーラルクロス」の2等寝台を利用しました。
徳之島は闘牛と健康長寿で知られる島。
島内をレンタルバイクで巡りました。
詳細をぜひ動画でご覧ください！

0:00　オープニング
0:28　乗船
5:29　出航
13:09　到着
18:24　徳之島
26:28　本日の宿

#フェリー
#徳之島
#奄美
#鹿児島
#沖縄
#沖永良部
#与論島
#フェリー旅
#日本
#船旅
#島旅