Isolation on Munakata Oshima Island

What?
Kyushu Olle (九州オルレ) is an organization that has put together around 20 walking courses in Kyushu (九州), based on a similar initiative on the Korean island of Jeju. While there are various degrees of difficulty, all the courses focus on nature and rural landscapes, making for a relaxed atmosphere. The Munakata Oshima walking course (宗像大島) crisscrosses Oshima Island. This island is associated with Okinoshima, a sacred island recognized as world heritage. Apart from several shrines, the route passes a windmill and an old battery site. The various points are connected to each other by mainly hill and forest paths.
Where?
Oshima is a small island that is part of Fukuoka Prefecture (福岡県). It’s located a 20 minute ferry ride away from Konominato Port (神湊港) on Kyushu (九州). The port can be reached by riding a local bus to the terminal, with the boarding point being right in front of Togo Station (東郷駅). Togo Station in its turn is a station on the JR Kagoshima Main Line (JR鹿児島本線) that can be easily reached from either Hakata (博多駅) or Kokura Stations (小倉駅).
URL
Kyushu Olle

After yesterday’s adventurous customized walking course, we chose to stick by the official path on our second day of walking in Kyushu. It should have resulted in a calming and charming hike.
But already before the hike that proved to be a utopia.
Despite the clear weather and seemingly calm sea, the ferry that took us to the island rocked so hard that both my fellow hiker and I got so nauseous that it was a miracle the boat got off without a scratch (or more correctly, puddle).
Remembering my boat trip along the Iwate coastline, I thought I was immune to seasickness, but apparently one is never too old to get to known himself.

Anyway, as quickly we got nauseated, so quickly we recovered and set on our way to walk the island. After 5 minutes walking on the small streets near the port, the hike immediately started out tough behind a strangely shaped torii (we’d encounter the same shape multiple times on the island). We were confronted with what felt like a million staircases to reach the top of the island’s highest point, namely Mount Mitake (topping at 224m). Once we conquered them, a sublime 360 degree panorama greeted us. We saw the windmill we were heading for; we saw the coastline of Fukuoka and Yamaguchi Prefectures and we saw the faint shape of far away Okinoshima. A highlight very soon in the course.

This strange torii marked the start of the course.

The endless stairs weren't without charm.

That's where we were heading...

...and this is when we were there.

After this, the descent was way gentler. Swaying through stretches of forest and a valley with neglected farmer’s fields, we really felt isolated from the world as the only living being we encountered was a barking dog.
The isolation ended when we arrived at the windmill on the north side of the island. Still, we only met three other people on this idyllic spot that encompasses an old-style windmill replica, an old army bunker and a horse farm. I absolutely loved this spot and thought it the highlight of the course. If only I could ride horses – if only it were a little cheaper. As it were, we continued our way because our pace was rather slow; a result of enjoying the surroundings along the way a little too much.

The remainder of the course would be less impressive, but still charming enough. Near the end a pretty beach with volleyball net encircled a picturesque shrine in the bay. Some cats were enjoying the warmth of the winter sun, but obviously the beach was bereft of other visitors.
Even though some locals were around and even though the ferry – both to as from the island – was quite crowded, we felt like we were on another planet for the whole course.
Again a Kyushu Olle gem. Highly recommended.