A Nature Rich Island: Visiting Kozushima Island Via Google Street View

Kozushima, which is located near the center of the Izu Islands, is the westernmost inhabited island in Japan. Although located about 180 km away from Tokyo, this nature rich island is considered to be part of the capital city. Today, thanks to Google Street View , we'll go on a virtual tour of Kozushima and enjoy the mountains and sea views of this island.

Mt. Tenjo: See Varied Mountain Landscapes

Mt. Tenjo is a small mountain with an altitude of only 572 m, but this is the highest peak on Kozushima. It stands at the center of the island, and from here you can overlook both the sea and the village. Mt. Tenjo also has several faces to it, which means that the mountain itself seems to change depending on which climbing course you approach it from.

This is the view from the Hakushima Mountain Climbing approach. This area almost appears to be covered in a sea of trees; there are many beautiful trees and plants to enjoy while climbing along this course.

This is the Kuroshima Mountain Climbing Approach. It has a desert-like appearance, with sand spreading out as far as the eye can see in the above panel. This area suffered several eruptions in the past, which meant that trees and other vegetation weren't able to grow, while constant exposure to harsh sea winds took care of the rest of the landscape. This route is quite steep, but the views of the sea and island from here are fantastic.

The summit of the mountain almost seems to have been manufactured, rather than produced by nature - it is an incredible natural viewing platform. On days with exceptionally clear weather, you can even see as far away as Mt. Fuji from this summit. The feeling of the sun and the wind as it gusts around you here is sure to refresh and clear away any fatigue that the climb up may have caused.

Although at first glance there doesn't seem to be much here, when there are heavy rains and the water accumulates, this area becomes Fudoike, a cute heart-shaped pond. Just before the bridge is a small island where Ryujin, the dragon god, is enshrined.