Tokyo Stroll Supplement: Mikurajima Mura

This page is for locations in the Village of Mikurajima Mura on the island of Mikurajima in the Miyake Subprefecture of Tokyo. This island is not part of my book Tokyo Stroll.

For information on Tokyo Stroll and this web supplement see Tokyo Stroll Supplement home page

For users of the Organic Maps, Maps.Me and Google Maps apps the items below have bookmarks you can import into those apps to make navigation easier.
Instructions and links are on the Viewing Locations in Organic Maps, Maps.Me, Google Maps, or Google Earth page.

Some entries on this page may include a note that says "Description to be added soon ." These entries are for items I felt should be listed even if the description is not ready to assist those who wish to plan a trip. When possible I included a link to an official web page, I suggest also doing web searchs for more information.

Mikurajima Mura (御蔵島村)

Official pages for each of the towns and villages of Tokyo will have sections of interest to visitors. These will likely be labeled as dealing with culture, tourism, or events.
Mikurajima Mura official site: https://www.vill.mikurasima.tokyo.jp
NOTE: Given the difficulty of adding many specific location bookmarks to my bookmark files some places on the island may not be listed. Check the local website for more information.

ACCESS:
From Tokyo Takeshiba Pier:
Large passenger ships via Miyakejima Island, these depart at night for a voyage of about about seven and a half hours.
From Tokyo Haneda Airport: to Hachijojima for a flight of about fifty minutes, then transfer to helicopter for a flight of about twenty five minutes.
From Chofu Airport: to Miyakejima for a flight of about fifty minutes, then transfer to helicopter for a flight of about ten minutes.

This island is a rough circle of some 16 km, 5.5 km at the most. Oyama, the highest volcanic peak on the island has been inactive for some 6.000 years. Most of the island is bordered by tall cliffs and the rest of the island is somewhat steep. Almost all of the island is covered by trees, the island has extensive old growth forests, it also has been designated an Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International and includes the world's largest breeding colony of streaked shearwaters. All of the island is part of the Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park.
People have lived on the island for thousand of years, however written records only go back to the Edo Period (1600-1868). Also during the Edo Period the island was a place of exile and many are descendants of such exiles. All of the inhabitants live in a small area at the north end of the island. The present village of Mikurajima Mura was founded in 1923. There are only a few shops, one combined cafe bar, an izakaya and accommodations require a reservation. You will need cash as credit cards are apparently not widely accepted at the shops and lodgings, there is a post office which may have an ATM machine.
Tourism is the main industry, owing to the islands status as a national park you cannot hike on most of the island, or swim with the dolphins, without a certified guide, hiking tours are from March to October. All guides have first aid training. Biking is not allowed on the island, also camping is prohibited so visitors have to stay in one of the small inns. Bottlenose dolphins come to the area between April and November. The main attraction is dolphin tours, some of the tours start from nearby Miyakejima. For safety BBQs and fires are prohibited as the island is prone to wind.
Besides tourism the island economy includes fishing and exports Japanese boxwood, ashitaba, and Calanthe orchids.
POPULATION: The population in 2020 was 323.
DISTANCE FROM TOKYO: Located 200 km south of Tokyo center, and 18 km south of Miyakejima Island in the Izu Islands.

Fukumaru (ふくまる商店)

Mikura Island Tourist Information Center (御蔵島観光協会みくらしま観光案内所)

Description to be added soon