Cats will welcome you! A relaxing island trip to Mushima Island , the southernmost Kasaoka Islands in Okayama

Mushima Island , part of the Kasaoka Islands, located at the southernmost tip of Okayama Prefecture , is a small island with a population of about 40 people. The Mushima Island Lighthouse, the island's symbol, stands atop a small hill, and the island is known as the "Island of the Lighthouse and Daffodils" because of the approximately 100,000 daffodils that bloom there from January to February. Why not spend some relaxing time on Mushima Island, surrounded by such soothing scenery, playing with the cats at the harbor, and enjoying a craft beer?

• Table of contents
• To a small island in the Seto Naikai- A trip from JR Kasaoka Station to Mushima Island
• Arrived at Maeura Port!
• The story of craft beer nurtured by islanders
• Hiking around Mushima Island Lighthouse with cats
• Mushima Island Lighthouse, the oldest in Okayama Prefecture
• The best time to see the daffodils is mid-January to mid-February
• Gorilla Rock (Red Stone)
• Sea glass as a memento of your trip
• Otori Shrine, known for its "Spinning Mikoshi"
• 360-degree panoramic view from Zhanjiang Observatory
• Lunch featuring fresh fish caught near Mushima Island
• The only accommodation on the island: Guesthouse Shimagoya
• A relaxing trip to Mushima Island

To a small island in the Seto Naikai- A trip from JR Kasaoka Station to Mushima Island

Sumiyoshi Port, a five-minute walk from JR Kasaoka Station, is the departure point for passenger ships bound for Mushima Island. When walking from the station, look for a sign that says "Passenger Ship Terminal."Kasaoka also has Fushigoe Port, so be careful not to get confused.

When you arrive at Sumiyoshi Port, a white building with a triangular roof will catch your eye. This is the Kasaoka Islands Exchange Center "Minatokobanashi," with the ticket office and waiting area on the first floor. You can enjoy the ocean view from the spacious waiting room. Passenger ships to Mushima Island operate four times a day, calling at Tobishima along the way. When the white passenger ship enters the port, your voyage will finally begin. During the approximately one-hour voyage, you can enjoy the views of the Kasaoka Islands and the islands of the Seto Naikai.

Timetable｜Sanyo Kisen

Arrived at Maeura Port!

Upon arriving at Maeura Port on Mushima Island, you will be greeted by the sea breeze as you disembark onto the island. In addition to Maeura Port, the island also has another port called Tataneko Port.

Cat buoy handmade by the islanders

As you cross the pier, you'll notice a row of adorable cat buoys. These were lovingly handmade by the islanders and can be seen all over the island. The white building you can see in the Oku is Kasaoka City Mushima Island Clinic, and the waiting room is fully equipped with pamphlets and restrooms.

A warm welcome from the island cats!

After a while, real cats will appear one after another. The friendly cats don't run away even when you point the camera at them, and you can spend a blissful moment playing with them for a while.

The story of craft beer nurtured by islanders

Our first destination is about a five-minute walk from Maeura Port. This is Mushima Island Brewery, run by Ryuhei Iseki, one of the islanders who guided us around Mushima Island . Iseki brews craft beer in this shop, which was renovated from a private home. The shop also occasionally operates as a cafe and bar. In front of the shop, there are many cat buoys, just like the ones that were in the port!

Originally from Osaka Prefecture, Iseki was an office worker until a few years ago. When he returned to Mushima Island, where his grandmother lives, he was touched by the warmth of the islanders and decided to start a business on the island. He moved there in 2016. While talking to the islanders, he learned that barley used to be grown on the island, which gave him the idea to make craft beer. In 2017, his first beer, "Mushima Island Mugi no Hajimari," was completed in the fall of the same year. He also hosts the beer festival " Mushima Island Oktoberfest" on Mushima Island , and now beer fans from all over the country visit Iseki.

Mushima Island Beer

The main labels include "The Origin of Mushima Island Barley," which was the first of its kind and was inspired by the wheat fields of Mushima Island ; " Mushima Island Drum Can Conference," which was inspired by the "drum can conferences" that islanders hold in winter, where they gather around a drum can fire to chat and make use of the umami of natural Mushima Island seaweed, a specialty of Kitagi Island; "Kitagi Island Oyster Stout," which has a mellow finish thanks to the minerals from oysters on Kasaoka City.

Some labels have won awards at domestic beer competitions.

[Mushima Island Brewery]

Address: 6153 Mushima Island , Kasaoka City, Okayama Prefecture

TEL: 090-8377-2897 *Please check the official website for store opening hours.

Mushima Island Brewery Official Website

Hiking around Mushima Island Lighthouse with cats

From near the brewery, you can climb a gentle slope that leads to Mushima Island Lighthouse. Along the way, there are signposts made of cat buoys to guide tourists.

As I was walking down a peaceful road that reminded me of a Ghibli anime, I suddenly felt a presence behind me... It was a cat following me.

There is also a fun spot along the way, known to locals as "Totoro's Road," where you can walk under a large reed with the cat.

Mushima Island Lighthouse, the oldest in Okayama Prefecture

Mushima Island Lighthouse is the oldest lighthouse in Okayama Prefecture, built in 1922. It was installed to ensure the safety of the main sea route where many large ships pass.

From the lighthouse, you can enjoy a magnificent view of Ehime Prefecture and the Shikoku Mountains in the distance. The island cat that guided us here is also taking a rest on a bench.

The best time to see the daffodils is mid-January to mid-February

When talking about Mushima Island, the first thing that comes to mind is the daffodils. From mid-January to mid-February, the daffodils carefully planted by the islanders bloom all over the island at once. The area around the lighthouse in particular is known as a spectacular spot.

This year, due to damage caused by wild boars, there may be fewer flowers than usual, but on the day we visited, cute daffodil buds were peeking out.

*The photo shows the daffodils in bloom last year.

Gorilla Rock (Red Stone)

The waters around the island have fast currents, so you'll see lots of rugged rocks as you walk along the coast. The rock in the Chuo right of the photo is what the islanders call "Gorilla Rock." If you look closely, it looks just like the back of a gorilla's head! It's also known as "Red Stone" because of its reddish color. It's located along the coastline northeast of Maeura Port, so try to find it.

Sea glass as a memento of your trip

Beautiful sea glass was scattered on the sand. After a little searching, we found three pieces. Apparently, many tourists take them home as a souvenir of the island.

Otori Shrine, known for its "Spinning Mikoshi"

We also stopped by Otori Shrine, which enshrines the island's guardian deity. There are two torii gates, one on the ocean side and one in front of the main hall, and the shrine is known for its autumn festival in mid-October, where a unique "makimikoshi" portable shrine is spun around in the sea.

Recently, the island's population has been declining, and there are not enough people to carry the mikoshi (portable shrine) during festivals, and they are having trouble raising funds. "Next year will mark the 333rd anniversary of the shrine's founding, so we want to keep it going somehow," they said.

360-degree panoramic view from Zhanjiang Observatory

Tatae Observatory. You can get a 360-degree view of the island and its surroundings. The sunset is beautiful, so it's also recommended as a photo spot.

Lunch featuring fresh fish caught near Mushima Island

We had lunch at Guesthouse Shimagoya, located near the Tan'e Observatory and Otori Shrine. The main dish for the day was boiled sea bream. It was so fresh and plump! It came with a small side dish and was reasonably priced at 1,100 yen.

*Meals must be reserved 2-3 days in advance. Set meals start from 1,100 yen and are prepared to fit your budget. Simple dishes such as curry and rice bowls are also available.

The only accommodation on the island: Guesthouse Shimagoya

This cafe and accommodation facility opened in 2016 with the theme of "a place where everyone can gather and interact." It was created as part of a university student internship program run by the Mushima Island Town Planning Council. When the daffodils are in bloom, many customers come just for lunch or to use the cafe (reservations required). On the day we visited, a group of anglers were planning to stay overnight.

[Guesthouse Shimagoya]

Address: 7572 Mushima Island , Kasaoka City, Okayama Prefecture

TEL: 090-3377-6328

Rooms only from 4,200 yen (reservations required, Self-catering also possible) Meals only available (reservations required)

Learn more

A relaxing trip to Mushima Island

On the way back, we boarded a boat from Tatane Port, another port on Mushima Island. Starting with a welcome from the island cats, we were able to enjoy the beauty of the archipelago and the tranquil island scenery from the Mushima Island Lighthouse and observation deck, as well as Mushima Island beer and fish dishes. The warm personalities of the islanders are also charming, and some people have become friends with them and visit the island frequently. We recommend visiting Mushima Island even outside of daffodil season.

Learn more

Mushima Island

714-0038 Mutsushima, Kasaoka City, Okayama Prefecture

It is the southernmost island of the Kasaoka Islands, approximately 40km from Kasaoka Port, and is also the southernmost island of Okayama Prefecture. The first lighthouse built in Okayama Prefecture, standing on a cape, is the symbol of the island. It is said that 100,000 daffodils grow naturally around the Mutsuto Lighthouse on the south side of the island. From January to February, the pretty white and yellow flowers carry a sweet scent in the sea breeze.