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5 Adventurous Activities to Enjoy on Hachijojima, the “Hawaii of Japan”
Far (but not too far) from Tokyo, Hachijojima is the perfect weekend getaway
A visit to Hachijojima, an island nearly 300 kilometers south of Tokyo, is the perfect weekend getaway. It’s far enough from the big city to truly escape into nature yet close enough to enjoy over a three-day weekend. In this article, I’ll explain how to reach the island, introduce the top five activities to do there, and share a sample itinerary.
How to Reach Hachijojima
Catching a one-hour ANA flight from Tokyo’s Haneda Airport is the fastest and most flexible way to travel to and from Hachijojima. For the full island adventure experience, however, I recommend using the Tokai Kisen shipping company that operates daily ferry voyages to the island.
The ferry (Tachibana-Maru) is a 10-hour voyage, but the ship is loaded with amenities, including various classes of cabins for sleeping. Tokyo departures are always at night, so you won’t waste any time starting off on your adventure.
The return trip is during the day, but that makes for a spectacular opportunity to enjoy the sights, sounds, and fresh air of the high seas, culminating with breathtaking sunset views of Mt. Fuji. Learn more about traveling by ship-especially details regarding the Tachibana-Maru’s accommodations-by visiting Tokai Kisen’s official website.
