Hachijojima

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Hachijojima (八丈島 Hachijō-jima; Hachijo Island) is a Japanese island in the Pacific Ocean, 300 km south of Tokyo. The chief town is Mitsune. Other villages are Nakanogo, Kashitate, and Ohkago. The island's population is 8,867.

Hachijojima, along with the other Izu Islands, is officially part of Tokyo. The islands form part of the Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park.

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[edit] Transportation

Hachijojima is accessible both by plane and by ferry. A pedestrian ferry leaves Tokyo once every day at 10 p.m., and arrives at Hachijo at 9:00 a.m. the following day. As of 2005, the ferry costs about US$140 round trip. Air travel takes only 45 minutes from Haneda Airport, and a round trip ticket is about US$200.

It is possible to hire cars and bicycles on the island.

[edit] Accommodation

Accommodation on Hachijojima is plentiful, and prices start around ¥4,000 per night. It also has a free campsite that is open year round; reservations are not required. The campsite has cold showers and cooking facilities. It becomes very crowded during Golden Week (Japan). There are many Japanese-style inns, and several larger hotels.

[edit] Activities

Hachijojima is popular with surfers, with three reef breaks and consistently warm water all year round. However, there are no sandy beaches apart from a small one next to the main harbour.

Hachijojima's dive points are many and varied. Nazumado is the best known of them, and is considered to be one of the top ten dive points in Japan. Hachijojima is also known for its natural onsen, hiking, waterfalls, and natural beauty.

Other activities for visitors include visiting the botanical gardens, exploring wartime tunnels and hiking to the top of Hachijo-fuji, the island's extinct volcano. Kihachijo silk cloth is woven on the island, and one of the workshops in Nakanogo is open to tourists. There is also a free geothermal power museum.

[edit] Food

Hachijojima is famous for its sushi. Local cooking also makes use of the ashitaba plant in dishes such as ashitaba soba and tempura.

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Shadow picture of Tokyo region Tokyo Metropolis
Wards: Adachi | Arakawa | Bunkyō | Chiyoda | Chūō | Edogawa | Itabashi | Katsushika | Kita | Kōtō | Meguro | Minato | Nakano | Nerima | Ōta | Setagaya | Shibuya | Shinagawa | Shinjuku | Suginami | Sumida | Toshima | Taitō
Cities: Akiruno | Akishima | Chōfu | Fuchū | Fussa | Hachiōji | Hamura | Higashikurume | Higashimurayama | Higashiyamato | Hino | Inagi | Kiyose | Kodaira | Koganei | Kokubunji | Komae | Kunitachi | Machida | Mitaka | Musashimurayama | Musashino | Nishi-Tōkyō | Ōme | Tachikawa | Tama
Districts and Subprefectures: Nishitama District | Hachijō Subprefecture | Miyake Subprefecture | Ogasawara Subprefecture | Ōshima Subprefecture


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