Oki Islands

Remote archipelago in the Sea of Japan, about 60 kilometers off the coast of Shimane Prefecture, designated as a UNESCO Global Geopark for their remarkable geological formations and unique ecology. The four inhabited islands feature dramatic sea cliffs, caves carved by millennia of wave action, and rare flora that includes both subarctic and subtropical species coexisting due to unique ocean current patterns. Historically, the islands served as a place of exile for emperors and nobles, lending them a melancholic literary heritage. Traditional bull sumo (ushizumo) is still practiced in the autumn months. Ferry and high-speed boat services connect the islands to Sakai Minato and Shichirui ports on the mainland.