{"id":145871,"date":"2026-09-18T10:10:21","date_gmt":"2026-09-18T01:10:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/treasures-japan.com\/?p=145871"},"modified":"2026-09-17T14:59:44","modified_gmt":"2026-09-17T05:59:44","slug":"ikitsuki-island-embraced-by-nature-the-blue-sea-and-sky","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/treasures-japan.com\/en\/ikitsuki-island-embraced-by-nature-the-blue-sea-and-sky\/","title":{"rendered":"Ikitsuki Island \u2014 Embraced by Nature, the Blue Sea and Sky"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wpb-content-wrapper\"><p>[vc_row row_height_percent=&#8221;100&#8243; override_padding=&#8221;yes&#8221; h_padding=&#8221;2&#8243; top_padding=&#8221;5&#8243; bottom_padding=&#8221;5&#8243; back_color=&#8221;color-nhtu&#8221; back_image=&#8221;145867&#8243; back_image_auto=&#8221;yes&#8221; back_position=&#8221;center bottom&#8221; overlay_color=&#8221;color-jevc&#8221; overlay_alpha=&#8221;20&#8243; gutter_size=&#8221;3&#8243; column_width_percent=&#8221;100&#8243; 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width=&#8221;1\/1&#8243; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;718693&#8243;][vc_custom_heading auto_text=&#8221;yes&#8221; heading_semantic=&#8221;h1&#8243; text_font=&#8221;font-557908&#8243; text_size=&#8221;custom&#8221; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;191778&#8243; heading_custom_size=&#8221;38&#8243;]Automatic Heading Text[\/vc_custom_heading][vc_empty_space empty_h=&#8221;2&#8243;][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner column_width_percent=&#8221;100&#8243; position_horizontal=&#8221;right&#8221; align_horizontal=&#8221;align_right&#8221; gutter_size=&#8221;3&#8243; style=&#8221;dark&#8221; font_family=&#8221;font-557908&#8243; overlay_alpha=&#8221;50&#8243; shift_x=&#8221;0&#8243; shift_y=&#8221;0&#8243; shift_y_down=&#8221;0&#8243; z_index=&#8221;0&#8243; medium_width=&#8221;0&#8243; mobile_width=&#8221;0&#8243; width=&#8221;1\/1&#8243; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;119624&#8243;][uncode_info_box items=&#8221;Categories|do_not_display_prefix,Date&#8221; text_size=&#8221;h4&#8243; separator=&#8221;bullet&#8221;][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/1&#8243;][uncode_block id=&#8221;141824&#8243;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row unlock_row_content=&#8221;yes&#8221; row_height_percent=&#8221;60&#8243; override_padding=&#8221;yes&#8221; h_padding=&#8221;0&#8243; top_padding=&#8221;0&#8243; bottom_padding=&#8221;0&#8243; back_color=&#8221;color-lxmt&#8221; overlay_alpha=&#8221;50&#8243; equal_height=&#8221;yes&#8221; gutter_size=&#8221;0&#8243; column_width_percent=&#8221;100&#8243; shift_y=&#8221;0&#8243; z_index=&#8221;0&#8243; row_height_use_pixel=&#8221;&#8221; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;184174&#8243; back_color_type=&#8221;uncode-palette&#8221;][vc_column column_width_percent=&#8221;100&#8243; position_vertical=&#8221;middle&#8221; gutter_size=&#8221;3&#8243; override_padding=&#8221;yes&#8221; column_padding=&#8221;0&#8243; back_color=&#8221;color-wayh&#8221; overlay_alpha=&#8221;0&#8243; shift_x=&#8221;0&#8243; shift_y=&#8221;0&#8243; shift_y_down=&#8221;0&#8243; z_index=&#8221;0&#8243; medium_width=&#8221;0&#8243; mobile_width=&#8221;0&#8243; zoom_width=&#8221;0&#8243; zoom_height=&#8221;0&#8243; width=&#8221;1\/2&#8243; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;213103&#8243; back_color_type=&#8221;uncode-palette&#8221; mobile_height=&#8221;350&#8243;][vc_single_image media=&#8221;145869&#8243; media_width_percent=&#8221;100&#8243; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;370049&#8243;][\/vc_column][vc_column column_width_use_pixel=&#8221;yes&#8221; position_vertical=&#8221;middle&#8221; gutter_size=&#8221;3&#8243; override_padding=&#8221;yes&#8221; column_padding=&#8221;4&#8243; overlay_alpha=&#8221;50&#8243; shift_x=&#8221;0&#8243; shift_y=&#8221;0&#8243; shift_y_down=&#8221;0&#8243; z_index=&#8221;0&#8243; medium_width=&#8221;0&#8243; mobile_width=&#8221;0&#8243; zoom_width=&#8221;0&#8243; zoom_height=&#8221;0&#8243; width=&#8221;1\/2&#8243; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;400331&#8243; column_width_pixel=&#8221;450&#8243;][vc_column_text text_lead=&#8221;yes&#8221; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;131192&#8243;]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\u2014scenery that feels almost foreign.<\/p>\n<p>Along the rugged western coast stretches the \u201cShiodawara Cliffs,\u201d 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.<\/p>\n<p>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.<\/p>\n<p>At the island\u2019s northern tip, the white-walled \u014cbae Lighthouse gazes quietly out over the distant horizon, leaving visitors with a lasting sense of calm and wonder. Here, amid the island\u2019s wild nature and gentle flow of time, unforgettable views await.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row row_height_percent=&#8221;0&#8243; overlay_alpha=&#8221;50&#8243; gutter_size=&#8221;3&#8243; column_width_percent=&#8221;100&#8243; shift_y=&#8221;0&#8243; z_index=&#8221;0&#8243; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;701455&#8243;][vc_column column_width_percent=&#8221;100&#8243; gutter_size=&#8221;3&#8243; overlay_alpha=&#8221;50&#8243; shift_x=&#8221;0&#8243; shift_y=&#8221;0&#8243; shift_y_down=&#8221;0&#8243; z_index=&#8221;0&#8243; medium_width=&#8221;0&#8243; mobile_width=&#8221;0&#8243; width=&#8221;1\/2&#8243; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;180614&#8243;][vc_column_text text_lead=&#8221;yes&#8221; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;579770&#8243;]Getting there: About a 25-minute drive from Hirado Bridge.<br \/>\nPhotographed: Late July 2025, 11:00 AM \u2013 3:00 PM<br \/>\nTemperature: 30 \u00b0C (86 \u00b0F)[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/2&#8243;][vc_raw_html]JTNDaWZyYW1lJTIwc3JjJTNEJTIyaHR0cHMlM0ElMkYlMkZ3d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbSUyRm1hcHMlMkZlbWJlZCUzRnBiJTNEJTIxMW0xOCUyMTFtMTIlMjExbTMlMjExZDMzMzEuMzM0NDU3ODU0NTI4JTIxMmQxMjkuNDExMjM3NTc2MTQ1NDIlMjEzZDMzLjM4ODQzNzQ3MzQxNDA4JTIxMm0zJTIxMWYwJTIxMmYwJTIxM2YwJTIxM20yJTIxMWkxMDI0JTIxMmk3NjglMjE0ZjEzLjElMjEzbTMlMjExbTIlMjExczB4MzU2YWZhOWViZDNiN2Y3MSUyNTNBMHg2YjBhNmY4MTIxMzY3YTUwJTIxMno2WlczNWJTTzU1eU01Ym16NW9pNDViaUNJRGxEVVRjck9VYyUyMTVlMCUyMTNtMiUyMTFzamElMjEyc2pwJTIxNHYxNzg5NjI0NzcwMjI2JTIxNW0yJTIxMXNqYSUyMTJzanAlMjIlMjB3aWR0aCUzRCUyMjYwMCUyMiUyMGhlaWdodCUzRCUyMjQ1MCUyMiUyMHN0eWxlJTNEJTIyYm9yZGVyJTNBMCUzQiUyMiUyMGFsbG93ZnVsbHNjcmVlbiUzRCUyMiUyMiUyMGxvYWRpbmclM0QlMjJsYXp5JTIyJTIwcmVmZXJyZXJwb2xpY3klM0QlMjJzdHJpY3Qtb3JpZ2luLXdoZW4tY3Jvc3Mtb3JpZ2luJTIyJTNFJTNDJTJGaWZyYW1lJTNF[\/vc_raw_html][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column column_width_percent=&#8221;100&#8243; position_horizontal=&#8221;left&#8221; align_horizontal=&#8221;align_right&#8221; gutter_size=&#8221;3&#8243; overlay_alpha=&#8221;50&#8243; shift_x=&#8221;0&#8243; shift_y=&#8221;0&#8243; shift_y_down=&#8221;0&#8243; z_index=&#8221;0&#8243; medium_width=&#8221;0&#8243; mobile_width=&#8221;0&#8243; width=&#8221;1\/1&#8243; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;949484&#8243;][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;184677&#8243;]Text\/Kenji Sakamoto<br \/>\nPhoto\/Kenji Sakamoto[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>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\u2014scenery that feels almost foreign.<\/p>\n<p>Along the rugged western coast stretches the \u201cShiodawara Cliffs,\u201d 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.<\/p>\n<p>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.<\/p>\n<p>At the island\u2019s northern tip, the white-walled \u014cbae Lighthouse gazes quietly out over the distant horizon, leaving visitors with a lasting sense of calm and wonder. Here, amid the island\u2019s wild nature and gentle flow of time, unforgettable views await.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":145867,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_locale":"en_GB","_original_post":"https:\/\/treasures-japan.com\/?p=145866","footnotes":""},"categories":[78],"tags":[178],"class_list":["post-145871","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nature","tag-42-en-nagasaki","en-GB"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/treasures-japan.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/145871","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/treasures-japan.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/treasures-japan.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/treasures-japan.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/treasures-japan.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=145871"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/treasures-japan.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/145871\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":145876,"href":"https:\/\/treasures-japan.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/145871\/revisions\/145876"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/treasures-japan.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/145867"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/treasures-japan.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=145871"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/treasures-japan.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=145871"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/treasures-japan.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=145871"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}