
More Than 99 Islands
nature
99島より多い
While Kujukushima translates literally as “99 islands,” in Japanese this number is often used to mean “many.” According to a 2001 survey made by the Kujukushima Survey Society during the highest tide.
Kujukushima means '99 islands,' but a 2001 survey counted 208 islands that rise above the high-tide line and support plant life. Spread across Saikai National Park near Sasebo, the islands range from broad forested landmasses to tiny dots of rock and green. The best way to see them is from one of the observatories in Sasebo, where the islands extend across the horizon in every direction. On clear days you can make out the Goto Islands to the west. Boat tours from Sasebo also pass close to the islands, and the protected waters make for calm, easy viewing. The variety of shapes carved by geology and sea over time is striking.
Want to visit More Than 99 Islands?
Build a trip to Nagasaki