Ikitsuki Island — Embraced by Nature, the Blue Sea and Sky

This is Ikitsuki Island, part of Hirado City in Nagasaki Prefecture. Reached by crossing the Ikitsuki Bridge, the island unfolds with landscapes shaped by sea and wind—scenery that feels almost foreign.

Along the rugged western coast stretches the “Shiodawara Cliffs,” massive formations of basalt carved by relentless waves, rising some 20 meters (about 65 feet) high and extending 500 meters (about 0.31 miles) from north to south. Just above them, you may spot grazing cattle, roaming freely against the backdrop of the sea.

On a bright afternoon, driving along the Ikitsuki Sunset Way brings you face to face with a boundless blue sky, a clear, glimmering sea, and roadside grasses and trees whispering in the wind. The feeling is as if you have left Japan entirely and set off on a journey through a faraway land.

At the island’s northern tip, the white-walled Ōbae Lighthouse gazes quietly out over the distant horizon, leaving visitors with a lasting sense of calm and wonder. Here, amid the island’s wild nature and gentle flow of time, unforgettable views await.