What is Kitagi Island famous for?

Kitagi Island produces Kitagi Granite, used in Osaka Castle, the Bank of Japan headquarters, and Meiji Shrine's Jingu Bridge. It was designated a Japan Heritage Site in 2019.

How much does the observation deck cost?

Ishikiri no Tani Observation Deck admission is ¥1,000 for adults and ¥500 for elementary school children. The deck is 60 meters high and overlooks an active quarry 40 meters deep.

Can I rent a bicycle on Kitagi Island?

Bicycle rentals are available at Toyoura Port and Kitagi Port. The island's circumference is 10 kilometers, making cycling the standard way to explore.

Is there accommodation on Kitagi Island?

The island has minshuku (guesthouses) and small lodgings, primarily in the Toyoura and Oura areas. Advance reservations are recommended due to limited capacity.

Kitagi Island

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Kitagi Island is the largest island in the Kasaoka Islands archipelago, located in the Seto Inland Sea approximately 26 kilometers from Kasaoka Port in Okayama Prefecture. With a population of around 960 residents, this island has earned recognition as a historic center of stone production and was designated a Japan Heritage Site in 2019 under the title "Stone Islands."

The island's history revolves around Kitagi Granite, one of the three most prestigious stone types from the Seto Inland Sea region alongside Aji Stone and Oshima Stone. During the early Edo period, large quantities of Kitagi stone were transported to build the stone walls of Osaka Castle. Following the Meiji era, industrial-scale quarrying expanded, and the stone was used in landmark structures including the Bank of Japan headquarters, the Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi department store, Meiji Shrine's Jingu Bridge, and the torii gate at Yasukuni Shrine.

Visitors can tour active quarries from the Ishikiri no Tani Observation Deck, positioned at 60 meters height and offering views of ongoing stone extraction (admission fee applies). The dramatic landscape features exposed mountain faces in the Toyoura and Kanafuro districts, remnants of centuries of quarrying.

At Toyoura Port, K's LABO houses a stone museum and café with views across the harbor, providing context on the island's granite legacy through exhibits and local cuisine. Contemporary stone artworks are scattered across the island, including the Möbius Strip monument at Toyoura Port and the naturally formed "Kitagi Guilin," where rainwater has created a landscape resembling China's Guilin region among quarry ruins.

Transportation to Kitagi Island operates from two departure points in Kasaoka City. Ferries from Fushigoe Port carry vehicles and passengers to Toyoura Port and Kanafuro Port on the island's west side. Passenger vessels from Sumiyoshi Port serve Kitagi Port (Oura Port) and Kusunoki Port on the east side. Travel time is approximately one hour by ferry. No transportation connects the east and west ports, so passengers must carefully select the correct vessel for their intended destination.

What other travelers are saying about Kitagi Island

It is the largest island in the Kasaoka Islands[2], which were designated a Japan Heritage Site in 2019. However, it is one of the smallest inhabited islands in Japan. The ports of Kanafuro and Toyoura are located on the north side of the island, and Oura on the east, with settlements formed around the ports. The island's bedrock is composed of granite from the Cretaceous period of the Mesozoic era, and the stone produced on the island is sold under the brand name Kitaki Stone. Quarries called 'toba' (quarries) are dug deep underground in search of high-quality stone, and when mining is no longer in operation, water accumulates in the quarries, creating the beautiful landscape of 'toba lake', as seen in the photo.

Hiroyuki K

May 10, 2025

I visited on a day trip tour with JR Nippon Travel. I'm not a fan of ferries, so I was a bit daunted at first, but thanks to the rain and calm waves, I was able to travel without getting seasick. There were plenty of tourist attractions, and the food was delicious, including oysters and other delicious fish. I also had a good impression of interacting with the local people.

It's strange that despite the beautiful scenery, there are so few people there to take photos. When I went it was sometimes cloudy, but it seems like it would be even more beautiful on a sunny day. It seems popular with local anglers, and the people on the boats seemed to be either fishermen or locals. There are quarries in various places on the island, and Lake Toba, which was created from the remains of a quarry, was particularly beautiful. It would be even better if you could see it from above using a drone or something. It seems that bicycle rentals are closed over the New Year holidays. I'd like to go again on a sunny day.

An island where you can feel the warmth and good old-fashioned connections between people. An island that once prospered through stone quarrying. The island where Chidori's Daigo was born.

December 25, 2023 The route to Kitagishima Island is a bit complicated. Sanyo Kisen passenger ships operate from Sumiyoshi Port, a five-minute walk from Kasaoka Station, with service to Oura Port and Kusunoki Port on Kitagishima Island's east coast. Kasaoka's other port, Fushigoe Port, is located just past the tunnel and is a short 15-minute walk from the station. Ferries from Fushigoe Port operate to Kitagishima Island's north coast, serving Toyoura Port and Kanafuro Port. Many of the scenic spots, such as the stone quarries, are located between Toyoura Port and Kanafuro Port, so you can simply change your arrival and departure ports by taking the ferry. The island is large enough that it would take a full day to walk around the entire island. I took a day trip, arriving at Kanafuro at 2:10 PM and departing from Toyoura at 4:26 PM. It's easy enough to see the sights in the northern part of the island.

Kitagi Island

The area

What other travelers are saying about Kitagi Island

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