Japan is made up of about 7000 islands that make up an archipelago. The four largest islands, Hokkaido, Shikoku, Honshu, and Kyushu, are well-known, but there are many more beautiful islands to find.
These faraway islands show a more laid-back side of Japan. They don't have neon lights or crowded roads. It's the kind of place where reading a book first thing in the morning seems to take away all your worries.
This article tells you about the top 5 most beautiful islands in Japan so that you don't miss out on the views the next time you go to Japan.
1. Nokonoshima Island
The Nokonoshima Island Park is a large, well-kept floral paradise with flowers that bloom all year, turning the island into a kaleidoscope of light and colour. From July to August, you can see fields of sunflowers, from March to May, you can see fields of daisies, and from late March to early April, you can see fields of sakura.
The island is small, so getting around on foot is easy. Beach barbecues are great on the coasts in the summer season. It's the kind of place you'd want to go with your friends on a sunny, warm day.
2. Sado Island
Sado Island is worth a weekend trip because it is two hours by ferry from the nearest city. There are onsens here, and you can also get a sake that has won awards straight from the brewery. The best thing to do, though, is to take a bathing boat trip. Let locals dressed in historical clothes take you on a tour of the clean waterways in a traditional wooden tub-boat.
3. Shodoshima Island
It's best to go to Shodoshima during the Setouchi Triennale, a three-year-long art exhibition that encompasses 12 islands and two major ports. Don't worry if you can't go during that time. All over the island, there are permanent art displays, and there is a lot more to see and do.
You can also walk with your sweetheart over the mysterious Angel Road sandbar, which many people think will give them love that will never end. You can also try soft-serve ice cream with an olive flavour, which is a unique local treat.
4. Ikishima Island
It's easy to see why so many people go to Ikishima: the water is so clear and beautiful. This island has some of the most beautiful white-sand beaches in Japan. At Tsutsukihama Beach, you can swim, and at Kiyoshihama Beach or Ohama Beach, you can surf. Then, to end the day, you can relax in the famous mud-colored water of the Yunamoto Hot Spring village retreat.
5. Miyajima Island
Stop for the night on Miyajima Island to slow down your trip and see the beautiful floating Torii gate in the Seto Inland Sea. It is one of the most well-known places in the country. It gets a lot of tourists, especially in the fall when the island, which doesn't have cars, is covered with leaves that look like a sunset. Even when it's full of people, Miyajima is a peaceful island that will make you forget all about how tired you are from travelling.
Conclusion
If you want to see Japan's beauty, the five islands above are the best places to go. They give you a way to get away from the busy and crowded city life in the urban part of Japan and into the subtropical islands, where nature and relaxation take over.
If you want to go to Japan and see its beautiful islands, you should really think about taking a semester of Japanese language and culture classes. If you can read and speak Japanese, it will be easier to get around and talk to people there.
