Okinoshima Highs; Folding Screen Rock – Mt Daimanji – Lizard Rock

What?
Nomenclature for the Okinoshima Islands (隠岐の島) is difficult. This group of islands off the coast of Shimane Prefecture (島根県) consists out of 4 different islands. The smaller three (Nishinoshima (西ノ島), Nakanoshima (中ノ島) and Chiburijima (知夫里島)) are called the Dozen Islands (島前), the biggest of the 4 is called Okinoshima (隠岐の島) as well as Dogo Island (島後) . On such small and remote islands, the best thing to do is to adjust to the island pace of life, but of course there are some other attractions as well. Mount Daimanji or Daimanjiyama (大満寺山) is the highest peak on the island, reaching 608 meters. It is connected with other peaks such as Washigamine (鷲ヶ峰・560m) with its “folding screen rocks” and Tokage-iwa (トカゲ岩・550m) – literally meaning “lizard rock”. Rather than broad vistas, these peculiarly shaped rocks along with the lush and unspoiled nature are the charmers of this hike. One huge cedar tree in particular – the Chichi-sugi (乳房杉) – stands out.
Where?
Okinoshima can be reached from Sakaiminato (境港) in Tottori Prefecture (鳥取県) by ferry, but is part of neighboring Shimane Prefecture. Alternitavely and more easily, Okinoshima can also be reached by plane from the ironically named Osaka International Airport (大阪国際空港), the domestic airport known as Itami Airport (伊丹空港 - which is located not in Osaka but Hyogo). No bus stops at any of the trailheads. And while I counted 3 trailheads, only one – the furthest away from the peak of Daimanjiyama – has an actual parking lot. It’s not impossible though to park your car along the road at the other points, but the trailhead called “Shizen-Kaiki-no-Mori Natural Forest Entry” (自然回帰の森入口) is most likely the best choice. My recommendation is to do this hike in the same direction I did.
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Visit Oki Islands

I started out today with a visit to the cutely named Moo-moo Dome – with “moo” being the sound the cows make. It is in fact the place where bulls fight each other, but more on that in the next entry.

Today’s main goal was climbing Okinoshima’s highest point – Mount Daimanji or Daimanjiyama.
Several years ago, my wife bought me a magazine that she will forever regret: (Japanese outdoor gear giant) Mont Bell’s Island Top 100 Mountains. She couldn’t know back then, but now that I have visited all 47 prefectures of Japan, my more-or-less-next-goal is hopping on as many small islands I can possibly hop on. And her present helped a lot with that.
Because in that magazine there were two mountains prominent for Okinoshima: Mount Takada and Mount Daimanji. While Daimanjiyama is the highest peak of the island at 608 meters, Takadayama has the more sweeping views.
And that is why, after consultation with yesterday’s kayak guide, I chose to do Takadayama on the sunnier day, and Daimanjiyama on the slightly cloudy day.
The reason is very simple: Takadayama has some great views over the Dozen Islands, but when climbing Mount Daimanji, you will notice there are very few real vistas. The charm here lies in walking/hiking/climbing/grappling your way through unspoiled nature.

So I drove my car to the only trailhead with a real parking lot and I set my goal for today: reaching the highest peak of the island (Mount Daimanji), passing over the Washigamine Peak while having a great view of the Byobu-iwa (aka Folding Screen Rock), and returning along a huge cedar tree named Chichi-sugi. And if I had the power, I’d also climb up to the Tokage-iwa or lizard rock.

I was a bit afraid that driving the road to the trailhead on a Saturday might result in some serious driving skills that I don’t have (as the road is only broad enough to allow one car to pass at a time), but my kayak guide assured me: on Okinoshima, no one goes hiking.

And he was right.
I only met one person in 4 hours, a grandpa that took his car to the Chichi-cedar to say a prayer.
And when I got back to the parking lot I was surprised to see a car parked next to mine; but les surprised to see it was a rental car. Really, locals don’t walk – they only drive.

The dominant color of the hike was green.

The folding screen rock.

Many steep parts; don't hesitate to use the ropes.

The impressiveness of the chichi-sugi cedar does not translate on picture.

Anyway, I thoroughly enjoyed the hike. There is only one point with great views of the island, but hiking here is all about being in unspoiled nature. I was so surprised by the variety of vegetation. One moment you are surrounded by low growing ferns, the other huge cedars are towering above you. Rocks covered with moss, low tree lines of god knows which species, mushrooms, small salamanders, jumping frogs and many, many birds. And it was all to myself. It has been a while since I had had a thoroughly enjoyable hike without important vistas. Maybe Little Hira?
Whatever the case, when I came upon the split in the road to decide to either go back to my car or push on for the lizard rock, the choice was simple.
The route warns you: only proceed if you’re able to deal with steep, slippery rocks and only at your own risk. But really: yes, the road was steep, but it wasn’t technical or anything. Only the high point of Tokage-iwa was extremely exposed and in my eyes dangerous.
The thing is – one of the most enjoyable parts was the ridge hike between Washigamine and Mt Daimainji. A very pleasant breeze always blew over you – above the mountain or through the many rocks. Here at the Lizard Rock, you are totally exposed and the pleasant breeze turns into unpredictable strong gusts of wind. In the situation of the lizard rock, I normally wouldn’t become stressed quickly, but the strong winds quickly made me seek for shelter. Again, I fully understood what my kayak instructor was talking about when he said the wind “blows through the rocks”.
Whatever the case, after taking in the scenery of the enigmatic lizard rock (you really have to see it from close by – the viewing points on Washigamine don’t do it justice), I headed back to my car fully satisfied.

I decided to return to my hotel cruising along the island’s east side, stopping here and there to take in the view. But more on this in tomorrow’s entry.