One Day Trip in Nishinoshima Town By Bus and Hiking (April–October)
A full one day trip in Nishinoshima Town without renting a car! This might be a perfect itinerary for you if you don’t want to drive and love hiking!
Are you ready for some hiking? Let’s enjoy Nishinoshima’s beautiful nature to its fullest! This one day trip without using any rental car will let you see Nishinoshima in detail as you explore and enjoy its breeze and breathtaking sea coasts.
Estimated time required：1 day
1 Stop by a local shop
For those who are coming from Dogō Island (Okinoshima Town), we recommend you buy some food and drinks on your way here as you might not have enough time to stop by a shop before going to Kuniga Coast once you arrive in Nishinoshima. After arrival, feel free to leave your luggage at the Tourism Association Center for a small fee.
For those who are staying on other Dōzen Islands (Nakanoshima or Chiburijima), you can arrive early to have some time to visit the shops around the port or stop by a local shop near your hotel before coming to Nishinoshima.
Get your snack and lunch ready as we are up for a long hike today! Later on, you can enjoy a little picnic along with the breathtaking view!
2 Take a 10:19 bus from Beppu Port to Kuniga Coast
If you walk past the Tourism Association Center, and use the exit at the end of the hallway, you will be able to locate the bus stop easily as it has shelters and a bus stop sign to help you locate it!
Enjoy your ride and don’t forget to enjoy the view on the way to Kuniga Coast!
3 Arrive at 10:53 at Kuniga Bay Car Park
The bus will stop at Kuniga Bay car park. Here is your last chance to get something to drink! A vending machine is located near the bathroom facility.
From here, hike down for about 10 minutes to see Tsūtenkyō Arch, one of the highlights of the Kuniga Coast.
“Tsūtenkyō,” which translates into “bridge to heaven,” at first was a cave not an arch or a “bridge,” but due to wind and sea erosion, the back part of the cave collapsed and turned into the arch that we now see today.
4 Hike up to Matengai Cliff
Kuniga Walking Trail is one of the most famous trails in the Oki Islands. It takes about 1-1.5 hours to hike up to the top of Matangai Cliff. It is the perfect time for you to enjoy the sea breeze, breathtaking coastline view, along with horses and cows grazing peacefully on the green pasture here! However, keep a safe distance from them as the animals might become aggressive if they feel irritated by human actions.
*Please be aware that this hiking trail is quite steep in some places, and might not be an easy trail to complete by beginners. We do not recommend climbing it right after or during rain, as there is a danger of slipping and falling.
5 13:15 Start to hike back down to Kuniga Coast Bay Car Park.
It is time to wave goodbye to the horses and cows, and Matengai Cliff, as you need to catch the bus at 14:41 at the same bus stop you first hopped off.
*Please note that the bus schedule can be very different, this bus operates from 15th April– 21st October. Check your bus schedule here.
6 14:41 Bus to Uragō area
How was the hike? Now sit back and relax, enjoy your short ride to Uragō Port.
7 14:52 Arrive at Uragō
Take some time to visit the Uragō area or stay onboard and return straight to Beppu Port by getting off at Oki Kisen (Ferry) bus stop, the bus should arrive at the ferry terminal at 15:15.
8 Spend time around Uragō area
Are you up for some cafe hopping? Visit Sailing Coffee. The shop offers baked goods along with delicious coffee and other drinks. Sit nearby the window to see the street and the liveliness of the town as the locals walk by. After that, visit the famous Yurahime Shrine! (see above picture)
Another option is to go on a Kuniga sightseeing boat! At 15:00–16:20 (During mid March– October 31st). The boat will take you from Uragō Port to Funabiki Canal, and to Kuniga Coast and back. If the weather permits you might even get a chance to go inside one of the caves while riding on the boat!
*Please arrive 10 minutes before scheduled departure time. You can buy the tickets from the “Nishinoshimacho Kankokoryu Center” and board the boat near the bus stop that you got off at.
9 Take a bus from Urago Port at 16:38 back to Beppu Port
If you are staying a night over on other islands or have left your luggage at the Tourism Association Center, take this bus to get back to Beppu Port. Meanwhile, if you are staying the night on Nishinoshima Island, make sure to let the accommodation know in advance that you need a pickup from the port.
10 The end of the trip!
We hope you enjoy one day of hiking and sightseeing on the bus ride! Don’t forget to take a good rest!
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