Tomogashima

photo by Hiroaki Kaneko · CC BY-SA 3.0

photo by Sakumata · CC0

Forts from 1889 covered in ivy: a real-life setting of the anime Summer Time Rendering.

The four uninhabited islands of the Kii Strait (Okinoshima, Torajima, Kamishima, Jinoshima) housed the Yura Fortress from the Meiji period, built to defend Ōsaka Bay against a naval invasion that never came: the red-brick batteries, now covered in ivy and trees, have become a natural set for photographers and cosplayers, famous also as the model for the imaginary island ‘Hitsujijima’ in the anime Summer Time Rendering. The 135° East meridian, Japan's standard time, also passes through Okinoshima: a square marks it with a dedicated panel.

The islands belong administratively to the municipality of Wakayama and are part of Seto Inland Sea National Park, although they lie outside the Inland Sea in the strict sense, in the Kii Strait towards Awaji.

ℹ️ Ferry only, from Kada (Tomogashima Kisen): about 20 minutes, 2,800 yen return for adults, 1,250 for children. Regular service March–December, reduced timetable January–February, closed on Wednesdays (except public holidays and high season). Camping and barbecues by booking; paths sometimes closed by landslides, check before setting out.

Sources: ja.wikipedia.org · tomogashimakisen.com · city.wakayama.wakayama.jp

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