(upbeat music)
- Far removed from mainland society,
over 50 kilometers away, to be exact,
the Oki Islands are a group of 180 islands
that lie in the sea of Japan,
on the coast of Shimane Prefecture.
Only four of the islands are inhabited,
with a total population of around 20,000 people
divided amongst them.
Some people might think that
living so far away from the mainland is inconvenient,
but for the residents of this island,
they have everything they need.
Today, I'm visiting the island to meet with some locals,
to learn about the special bonds they have with the islands.
Hey guys, how's it going?
It's Mikayla, and I have just arrived in Ama-cho
on the Oki Islands off of Shimane Prefecture,
and to get here, it took about,
maybe seven and a half hours.
So over the next few days,
we're gonna be exploring the Oki Islands,
here off of Shimane Prefecture, especially here, Ama-cho,
and I'm really excited.
But first, it's been a long day,
I need to check into my hotel and eat something.
So, I'm gonna go do that.
I checked into Nakamura Inn,
one of the most famous bed and breakfast spots in Ama-cho.
This type of stay is definitely geared towards
people who want to connect with locals.
It feels like you're having a fun sleepover
at a friend's house.
Oh, and your friend is an amazing chef.
These are self-sustaining islands.
There's an abundance of seafood
in the pristine waters surrounding the island.
And they can grow their own beef too, called Oki beef.
Normally, in remote island communities, they rely on
infrequent shipments from the mainland for groceries.
But here, the servings are very generous
and utilize the vast array of seafood available.
Look at this oyster, because this oyster is huge.
It's bigger than my hand.
Well, I'm so hungry
and we are having dinner at Nakamura Yukon
which is known for their excellent energy and hospitality.
And you have to see what they're wearing.
I had read reviews that stated that the Nakamura's
were extremely welcoming towards their guests,
but I really didn't expect what happened next.
(band playing rendition of "O Canada")
- Two, three, four...
- ♪ O Canada! ♪
♪ Our home and native land! ♪
The enthusiasm for my culture was profoundly touching.
A tradition that began a few years back,
when Micronesian ambassadors visited the island
and stayed here at the Nakamura Inn.
After experiencing the same warm hospitality in Ama-cho,
it was later decided that Ama-cho would become
Micronesia's official host town in Japan
during the Summer Games.
And the two would work on building
strong Japan, Micronesia relations together.
(laughter) (cheering)
Thank you!
(acoustic guitar music)
Good morning, everyone.
So, I just got on the ferry.
I'm heading over to Nishino Shimo,
which is an island just beyond,
and we're gonna look at some incredible scenery today.
We're so lucky with the weather.
It's beautiful this morning.
Absolutely beautiful, warm.
And I brought my drone,
and I don't get a lot of opportunities to fly the drone,
so I'm really looking forward to getting out there
as soon as possible, catching this brilliant morning light
and seeing the islands from a different angle.
Boy!
It's so translucent.
Beautiful, clean water.
(speaking Japanese)
Today is a full day of sightseeing around the islands,
but we're hoping we can get some interviews
with a few of the locals about the kind of lifestyle
they have here, while we're at it.
It's gonna be a busy day, but these views make up for it.
We can't get into the parking lot,
'cause there's too many horses.
Oh no.
(laughter)
He's looking right at us!
(speaking Japanese)
(laughter)
- Kobayashi-san showed us around Nishinoshima,
including the gorgeous and fairly new
seaside community library, Ikaaya,
which is island slang for "Ikouyo", or "Let's go".
This spacious library is flooded with natural light
and filled with resources for children and adults alike.
Complete with a comfortable coworking space
for remote work and study as well.
The library is also currently holding
a Micronesian photo exhibition.
Further celebrating the relationship between Micronesia
and the Oki Islands.
With so much natural beauty,
it's no surprise that the islands have been registered
as a UNESCO World Heritage Geopark.
Even though these islands are far from
the typical tourist routes,
everything feels extremely well-maintained
and cared for by the locals.
There's also a large community
of younger residents on the island,
which not only brings fresh energy and ideas
to the island community,
but also helps breathe new life into old traditions.
(speaking Japanese)
They're live-streaming their trip,
so that viewers at home can travel
without leaving the house.
(chuckles)
- The island work experience program
currently has around 20 young workers
between the ages of 20 and 24,
visiting the island on short-term work contracts.
Compared to office work in larger cities,
participants can experience working rewarding jobs
that make a direct impact on their community.
- Thank you!
Bye.
Okay guys, we have just arrived back Ama-cho's court,
and we're going to go ahead and take lunch,
which is great timing,
because I am very, very hungry.
I always try to be a little bit more adventurous
when eating somewhere new.
And knowing that the seafood on this island
is fresh and plentiful,
I decided to try the Kanshimame Zukeron.
A unique combination of marinated squid, raw egg
and a mixture of ginger and onion over rice.
The squid is fresh and sweet
and the flavor combination is...
Well, unlike anything I've ever tried before.
For what it's worth though, I would eat this again.
(calm music)
It truly feels like something out of Jurassic Park,
with all these cliffs.
There's so much going on here.
As the sun was setting,
we hit one more scenic spot on the island.
The Akiya Kaigan Coast features gorgeous, bright blue waters
and jagged, red rock cliffs.
But that's not all,
this area is known as a romantic power spot for couples.
See if you can guess why.
(speaking Japanese)
After meeting with the Mayor of Ama-cho,
I headed back to Nakamura Inn,
to find that one of Amo's barbecues
was happening right before my eyes.
With fresh fish, squid and shellfish from the ocean,
the Nakamuras were cooking up a storm
and it wasn't just for me.
Students living on the island were also invited to drop by
and help themselves to some free food, as well.
I couldn't help but think that
this sense of community is one of
the most precious things here on the island.
(speaking Japanese)
In the early morning, I checked out from the Nakamura Inn
and said my goodbyes, and then headed down to the port
to catch the early ferry back to mainland Japan,
before returning to Fukuoka.
Locals were gathered, preparing colorful ribbons,
but, at this point, I wasn't really sure what they were for.
I said goodbye to the locals who have been so good to me
during our three-day trip,
and then dashed onto the ferry where I found,
you guessed it, the ribbons.
It's an island tradition to send off
close friends and family with colorful ribbons like these,
allowing you to hold hands with your friends and family
for just a little while longer.
This tradition is beautiful
and I was really touched that they made some ribbons for me.
(speaking Japanese)
- So, for those of you wondering
if the paper falls in the water,
they make sure it doesn't.
And they're cleaning it up on the other side, too.
- [Cameraman] Please do not cry!
(mimics sobbing)
(speaking Japanese)
- I had so much fun during my stay here
and I learned so much about a place
that I didn't even really know existed before.
I can't wait to come back.
I want to come back in the Summer, when it's nice and warm
and I want to jump in this gorgeous, blue water.
And now that I've made a bunch of friends,
I can't wait to see them again.
Bye bye!
This has been one of those trips where I leave
thinking that I'm definitely coming back someday.
Preferably in the Summer, because I want to swim
in that beautiful, blue water.
Thanks so much for watching,
and I hope that this has inspired you to visit
the Oki Islands off of Shimane Prefecture someday as well.
It's definitely worth the long trip.
Check out my other videos to see more videos
from around Japan.
Bye.