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.

Okayama

Kitagi Island

4.1 (76)IslandNatural FeatureEstablishment

Last updated Mar 12, 2026

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.

Overview

Address

Kitagi Island, Kitagishimacho, Kasaoka, Okayama 714-0301, Japan

Traveler reviews

It is the largest island in the Kasaoka Islands, which were designated a Japan Heritage site in 2019.[2] However, it is considered small among inhabited islands in Japan. The islands have the ports of Kanafuro and Toyoura on the north side and Oura on the east side, with settlements forming around the ports. The island's bedrock consists of granite from the Cretaceous period of the Mesozoic era, and the stone produced from the island is marketed under the brand name Kitagi Stone. The quarries, called "choba," are dug deep underground in search of high-quality stone, and when mining ceases, water accumulates in the quarries, creating the landscape of quarry lakes as shown in the photograph.

May 10, 2025

景色が綺麗なのに写真撮りに来たりしている人が少ないのが不思議な島。自分が行った時は曇りだった時もあったけど晴れならもっと綺麗に見えそう。地元の釣り人には人気のようで船に乗っている人は釣り人か地元の人のようでした。島の所々に採石場があり、砕石場跡が湖になっている丁場湖が特に綺麗でした。ドローンとかで上から見れたらもっと良さそう。年末年始はレンタサイクルが休みのようでした。今度は晴れた日にもう一度行きたい。

アーサー

Oct 1, 2019

I visited on a day trip organized by JR-affiliated Nippon Travel Agency. I'm not good with ferries, so I was initially feeling apprehensive, but thankfully it didn't rain and the waves were calm, so I was able to travel without getting seasick. There were many tourist attractions, and I enjoyed delicious food, including oysters and fresh fish. I also had a very positive experience interacting with the locals.

トヨナガユウジ

Jan 7, 2023

December 25, 2023 The ferry routes to Kitagishima Island are a bit complicated. Sumiyoshi Port, a 5-minute walk from Kasaoka Station, is served by Sanyo Kisen passenger ships, with services to Oura Port and Kusunoki Port on Kitagishima's east coast. Fushikoshi Port, another port in Kasaoka, is located beyond a tunnel and is about a 15-minute walk from the station. From Fushikoshi Port, ferries operate to Kitagishima's north coast, with services to Toyoura Port and Kanefuro Port. Many of the sights, such as the quarries, are located between Toyoura Port and Kanefuro Port, so you can simply change your arrival and departure ports when using the ferry. The island is large enough that it takes a full day to walk around it. I went on a day trip, arriving at Kanefuro at 2:10 PM and departing Toyoura at 4:26 PM. This is enough time to see the sights in the northern part of the island.

Onsen Hopper

Jan 3, 2024

As befits an island that prospered from stone, the quarry with an observation deck is still in operation today, with mining and quarrying taking place. Nearby, there is also a large pond resembling a lake, quietly filled with water, on the site of the former quarry, and everywhere you look, there are places that evoke the life and past of the island, centered around stone. In front of you, the Seto Inland Sea stretches out, its waters clear, and many people are enjoying fishing. It was an island where you could feel the long history and the leisurely flow of time.