Nakajima Island - Hokkaido

Nakajima Island (中島) is a tiny volcanic island in Hokkaido, Japan, located in the heart of Lake Toya. Its western side is under the jurisdiction of the town of Toyako while its eastern side is part of the town of Sobetsu.

Nakajima Island 

Nakajima Island details


Nakajima Island has a radius of roughly 3.6 kilometers and is densely forested. It was produced by volcanic activity around 7,000 years ago. Because of its magnificent environment and natural hot springs, the island is a popular tourist attraction.

中島
Nakajima Island - Toyako and Sobetsu

On the island, various hiking routes lead to observation platforms with breathtaking views of Lake Toya and the neighboring mountains. Tourists may also explore the island's woodlands, where they can witness a variety of plant and wildlife species, such as deer and rabbits.

Lake Toya Cruise




Nakajima Island Pier
Nakajima Island Pier


The Nakajima Mizuminomori Museum is also located on the island. It is a natural history museum that houses several displays about the ecology of the lake and the island.

Welcome to Nakajima Island

Toya-Usu UNESCO Global Geopark Map

One of the walking trails going deep into Nakajima Island

The Shinto shrine on the island

Can you guess what those balls are?

Inside the balls are images of Buddha



Nakajima Mizuminomori Museum
Nakajima Mizuminomori Museum




Nakajima Mizuminomori Museum


Omikuji (Sacred Lot) in Nakajima Island

Lake Toya as seen from Nakajima Island

Nakajima Island

My family and I visited Nakajima Island last August 21, 2022, which was the 3rd day of our “From Osaka with Love” Road Trip with our Japanese family. The ferry ride to Nakajima Island was one for the books. We enjoyed feeding the seagulls (and even a crow) which follow the ferry to and from the island.

Team Nicerio visits Nakajima Island




Eight Views of Lake Toya - Nakajima Island



On Nakajima Island, we only stayed in the area near the Nakajima Mizuminomori Museum. I wanted to go on a trek but considering that we had children with us and we were also pressed for time, then it would of course be an unwise thing to do. Given the chance, I would want to revisit Nakajima Island and spend a day or two to fully explore it.

Nakajima Island Admission Fee

It’s FREE to explore Nakajima Island but to get there, you need to ride a ferry.

Regular fare: ¥1420 adults ¥710 children
For groups of 15 or more: ¥1280 adults, ¥640 children 
Extra ¥200 for fireworks viewing tour

Lake Toya Cruise Schedule

Since you can only visit Nakajima Island visa Lake Toya Cruise, here's the schedule to help you plan your trip.

Lake Toya Cruise schedule

Why visit Nakajima Island?

Nakajima Island offers tourists a unique island hiking experience. There are several hiking routes around the island which lead to observation decks that provides an amazing view of the lake and parts of the town of Toyako and Sobetsu.

Getting to Nakajima Island

 

From Sapporo Station, walk to Sapporo Station Square (札幌駅前) bus stop and board the Higashimachi Sun Palace (via Gonohara/each stop) bus of the Donan Bus Co., Ltd. Board down at Sakuramachi (さくらまち) bus stop in Toyako. 

Travel Time: 2 hours 44 minutes
Fare: 2,830 yen

Once in Sakuramachi, walk to Toyako Gurutto Sculpture Park. Board a ferry there going to Nakajima Island. It takes around 15 minutes to reach the island. The ferry runs from April to November.

The ferry departs from the harbor every 30 minutes. The last boat from the island of Nakanoshima departs at 3 PM.

Ratings:


Crowd

Cleanliness

Overall rating


Location: Nakajima Island, Nakanoshima, Sobetsu, Usu District, Hokkaido 052-0100, Japan

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