My favorite experience in Japan so far and I've traveled extensively throughout Japan.
I am glad there are still a few places in Japan not full of tourists, especially those from Xiaohongshu. As a result of it therefore being quiet, Ikeshima's scenery, cats, people, and the overall atmosphere, left a deep impression on me.
As others noted, it's a great place for people interested in Japanese post-WW2 history and exploring ruins in a non-kitschy way. There is a tour offered by a former Ikeshima miner who is still a resident; the tour is only in Japanese and you're able to explore parts of the island that are otherwise off-limits to visitors.
There are many, many cats on the island. Please, if you come here, have a heart and bring a bag of dry cat food with you. The cats were quite hungry - I know because I fed almost every cat I encountered.
I feel very fortunate to have been able to visit Ikeshima because who knows if the Japanese government will continue the already limited ferry service once the remaining residents pass away.
While I explored the island and encountered the residents, I wondered what they felt and thought living in a place that's somewhat in ruins and is a shell of what it used to be.
The place is beautiful in its own way and I wish there were oral history testimonies collected from the remaining residents and those who have left Ikeshima. It's a time capsule of sorts and was a wonderful experience. I'm thankful above all.
Amazing. #1 tourist spot in Japan. Better than Kyoto.
There pay parking lot is across the street and a little north of the ferry terminal. You don't need to park in that lot. Plenty of free street parking across the street from the pay parking lot. Park near the water. Just find a spot out of the way. Should be fine.
There is one small shop that sells snacks and stuff, near the ferry terminal, but don't count on it. Have food and water ready, before you go to the island.
You want to catch the 7am or 9am ferry.
The tickets are sold in the ferry terminal, but they don't announce when the ferry has arrived. You need to pay attention. You want to get the 2:17pm ferry back to seto port.
There is no food or anything on the island. If it's summer, there are a million wasps and HUGE spiders in the old buildings. Some buildings have people living in them, so don't be too crazy.
Don't miss the ferry back. They don't announce when it's arrived. Tickets are 450 yen each way.
What a place! Dystopian wonderland. Make sure to go around to the back part of the island with the old apartment blocks. There's also a ton of cats!
I went there in November 2025 on the 10:30 AM ferry (470 yen one way) from Konoura Port. I had planned to take my time exploring and return on the 4 PM Shin'ei Maru, but instead took the 1:17 PM ferry. I ate the bento lunch I brought with me on the return ferry, but unless you're a real enthusiast, I think you'll have too much time to waste if you stay until 4 PM. Upon arriving on the island, I immediately hopped on the local bus (100 yen) waiting at the port, took it to the furthest point (about 10 minutes), and then walked back to the port.
I heard that Gunkanjima is only accessible by tour, and that landing is dependent on the weather that day, and even if you do land, the walking distance is limited. So I chose Ikeshima, which can be visited independently, can be roamed freely, and is still inhabited.
The island, full of ruins and likely to become uninhabited in a few years, was quite moving. I would ask anyone planning to visit in the future to be respectful of the residents when touring the island. It was a very valuable experience.
There are no shops on the island, so you will need to bring your own food.
Ferry tickets, including the stub, will be collected when you board. I wanted to keep the stub as a souvenir, so I asked to keep it, but was met with a displeased look.
Landing Date: November 24, 2024
It was an amazing experience. It was my first time on the island, and when I was talking about the ruins with someone who had been there before, the expression "officially staying at the ruins" came up, and it really suited me.
Leaving my lodging, the Central Hall, and walking south for a few minutes, I found the remains of the miners' housing complex. Walking west, I found the remains of the elementary school and the iconic eight-story reinforced concrete apartment buildings. There's nothing more wonderful than being able to pop in and take photos whenever I wanted, whether it was day or night.
I was lucky enough to be able to book the morning, lunch, afternoon, and optional tours all in one day, so I planned to use the first day as a tour day and the second day as a free day for exploring... but in order to see as many different aspects as possible, I decided to stay at Jisco Nishiumi in front of Seto Port on the first day and take the first morning flight at 7:05 AM. This allowed me to see the rainbow that descended over Nishiumi, bathed in the morning sun, and Ikeshima Port. I'm grateful to the people at Ikeshima Central Hall who helped me store my luggage early in the morning, and to the friendly people at the port. I was able to easily tour the island in the three hours before the tour, which I think was a good reconnaissance.
Because the bicycle rental service was closed on the weekend I arrived, I had to walk the entire route (except for the tour), but as long as I had a place to stay, it shouldn't have been a big problem. However, the journey to and from the public bath near the port is quite far, so I'm likely to catch a chill in my stomach, so I think it would have been better to have access to transportation.
There was much more to see than I could have done in just one night, and it's now on my list of places I want to visit again before I die.
At this point, the jib crane had been dismantled. It's a shame, as it was such a dynamic structure, but I think its value in seeing its appearance at each year and month is precisely because it's on the verge of disappearing. The best time to go is when you find out about it and want to see it.
