Charming Himeshima

Oita’s Bucolic “Island of Princesses”

In my journeys across Japan, I have come across two distinct types of places. On the one hand, there are hidden gems like Kanazawa or Atami that are very popular with Japanese tourists but have yet to establish much notoriety overseas. On the other hand, you have many places that are simply off the radar all together, even for many Japanese. Today, we’ll be taking a look at just such a location. Known as Himeshima (lit. “Princess Island”), this tiny isle off the coast of Oita Prefecture’s Kunisaki Peninsula is about as far off the beaten path as one can get. Still, what this seven kilometer long island lacks in urban development and infrastructure, it makes up in authenticity. If you’re looking to experience what a real Japanese fishing village feels like, I cannot more highly recommend that you spend a night on Himeshima.

Now, just like the transformer Optimus Prime, Himeshima is a lot more than meets the eye. Despite the island’s meager stature, it is very important historically. In fact, the very first accounts of Himeshima can be found in the Kojiki, Japan’s first written record of ancient myth and history. Originally published as far back as the eighth century, this text recounts how the primordial Japanese gods Izanagi-no-Mikoto and Izanami-no-Mikoto came together to create the islands of Japan. According to the…