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"Churasan" Kohama Island Introduction
Made famous as the place where the Japanese TV Drama "Churasan" was filmed, Kohama has quickly been discovered as a favorite tourist destination. The circumference of the island is 16.6 kilometers and there is a total of 501 people living on the island. Kohama's main industries are sugar and tourism. The island is now home to two new resort hotels and many inns.
The ride by ferry to Kohama Island is about 25 minutes from Ishigaki. There are many boats leaving each day with the first departure at about 7am and the last at about 6pm. Tickets to Kohama Island can be purchased from the ANEI Kankou Ferry or from the Yaeyama Kankou Ferry. The roundtrip cost is 1960 yen per person. Upon getting to Kohama Island, you can then use rent a car, bicycle, or scooter, or the bus to explore. The Kohama Koutsu Company (0980-85-3830) offers rides from the port to the city for 150 yen and also offers one hour island tours for 1500 yen per person. Rental cars are about 1500 yen per an hour, bicycles are 250 yen per an hour, and scooters are 800 yen per an hour. The island is quite hilly so it would be best to rent a scooter. You can find a rental shop right across the street from the ferry terminal.
There are a few stores, a gas station, and also a post office on the island. You should be able to find everything that you need when in the town area. After venturing out into the sugar cane areas, you may find it hard to locate any kind of stores. Still, you may be able to find an occasional vending machine. The largest resort on the island is called Yamahari Resort Haimurubushi. It is designed for a long stay and is a full service resort hotel offering watersports, beachfront, spa, petting zoo, and a golf course.
Please remember that if you are staying at a minshuku, they may not provide you with a bath towel. You might have to bring our own so please check when making your reservations.
The most famous sight in Kohama Island is the "sugar road". This road was used during the filming of the show "Churasan". Sugar is still a very important aspect of Kohama's economy. Sugar in Kohama is all cut by hand. Some people come from all over mainland to work in the fields. They are provided with free lodging and no pay....still, this is enough to get people to come to the island. If you are interested in the "Sugar Cane Harvesting Experience" you can try to work as a volunteer at the Kohama Island Farm. The work period is from about 1-3 months and includes no pay. You will receive a place to stay as well as breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The field working hours are usually from 8am-6pm. Although a very tough volunteering job, it can be rewarding. Please call 090-5939-3418 or 090-7926-9055 for more information. Basic japanese ability is a requirement. Most sugar cane harvesting begins in December. You should also take the time to go to the Ufudaki lookout. From this lookout, you can see almost all of the island as well as Iriomote and Hateruma Island. Take some time and explore the beaches on the island. If you have time, you may also want to explore and take a short trip over to the neighboring Kayama Island. It was once inhabited by people who raised cattle. Now it is known as "Rabbit Island" for the 1000 rabbit that have multiplied on the island. The island is an excellent spot to do snorkeling from.
The Umubiraki (Opening of the Sea Ceremony) celebration marks the opening of the sea to swimmers. It is the first sea opening ceremony in all of Japan. The celebration also includes the Miss Yaeyama Pageant, contests, and an offshore fishing tournament. The location of this event rotates each year between Ishigaki's Kabira Bay and Kohama Island.
There are a few restaurants on Kohama Island. Restaurants can also be found at the two resorts that are found on the island. It may be best to speak with staff from where you staying to ask about what restaurants are good. Want to know more about Kohama Island? Here are some links... Hirata
Tourism Company - "Kohama" |
