Home > YAMAGUCHI 山口県 > Suo-Oshima 周防大島町

Most viewed - Suo-Oshima 周防大島町
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Suo-Oshima is the third largest island in the Seto Inland Sea and slightly smaller than the Hawaiian island of Lanai. Population is almost 20,000. The island looks like a goldfish and easily accessible by bus/taxi from the mainland via Ohashi Bridge.366 viewsClosest train station is Obatake Station not far from Iwakuni.
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Approaching Obatake Station. Suo-Oshima island is in sight from the train.259 views
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Bow from Battleship Mutsu.247 views
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Model of the Mutsu.244 views
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Photos of when Battleship Mutsu was salvaged during 1970-1978. About 75% of the ship was recovered.242 views
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Large pieces of the Battleship Mutsu were also displayed outside.241 views
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Propeller on the right.237 views
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Binoculars from Battleship Mutsu.232 views
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Sketch of what the Battleship Mutsu looked like on the sea bottom.229 views
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There is bus transportation from Obatake Station, but they run once an hour or so. If you want to visit the museum, you can take a nori-ai taxi (a small van) at Obatake Station costing 400 yen to the museum. The ride is maybe 10-15 min. or so.218 views
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Replica of bunk beds on the Battleship Mutsu.217 views
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Gun from the Battleship Mutsu.212 views
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Personal articles of the crew are included.202 views
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Porthole from Battleship Mutsu.202 views
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Suo-Oshima island, Yamaguchi manhole201 views
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JR Obatake Station platform.198 views
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The museum is a large, two-story, Japanese-style house donated in 1997 by the family of Fukumoto Choemon (1881-1970) who emigrated to California and became successful and rich enough to build this house after returning to Japan. The museum opened in 1999.194 views
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Many exhibits inside Mutsu Memorial Museum. When the Battleship Mutsu sank, 1,121 sailors died out of 1,474 crew. They hold a memorial service annually on June 8.194 views
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Crossing Oshima Ohashi Bridge.190 views
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Swords and pistols from Battleship Mutsu.186 views
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Crossing Oshima Ohashi Bridge.179 views
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Piece of the bow that is displayed. Other gun turrets and parts from the Mutsu are displayed at the Etajima Naval Academy in Hiroshima, Yamato Museum in Kure, and Yasukuni Museum in Tokyo.175 views
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The Museum of Japanese Emigration to Hawaii.174 views
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Museum Web site169 views
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Monument for Battleship Mutsu.165 views
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Bus schedule. Very few runs.164 views
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Suo-Oshima Town Hall was one of the stops of the nori-ai taxi.159 views
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He knew immediately that I was from Hawai'i. That made me feel good actually, to know that I still haven't lost my Hawaiian traits even after living in Japan for many years.159 views
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Crossing Oshima Ohashi Bridge.157 views
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To me, the most significant thing about Suo-Oshima is that about 3,900 island residents emigrated to Hawai'i during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.157 views
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The scrapbooks and other delicate materials should be digitized though, something which they haven't done yet.155 views
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Mutsu Memorial Museum first opened in 1972 in a previous location. The museum reopened here in 1994.155 views
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Go right for the front entrance.154 views
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People from Suo-Oshima were among the first boatload of Kan'yaku Imin immigrants to Hawai'i in 1885. They emigrated due to dire economic conditions on the island.154 views
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The museum is a spacious Japanese-style house.153 views
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Mutsu Memorial Museum exhibits articles recovered by Battleship Mutsu that mysteriously exploded on June 8, 1943 and sank 3 km off the coast of Suo-Oshima. 陸奥記念館152 views
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I enjoyed my day trip to Suo-Oshima. I want visit again and see their Hawaiian festival in summer and the southern coast. Suo-Oshima tourist Web site152 views
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The museum staff person there could immediately tell that I was from Hawai'i even though I had said little more than "Hello" in fluent Japanese.151 views
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About Battleship Mutsu151 views
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Old directory of all Japanese and Japanese-Americans living in Hawai'i. Never knew about this book.150 views
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Bus stop closest to the Museum of Japanese Emigration to Hawaii.148 views
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It also has this Museum of Japanese Emigration to Hawaii (日本ハワイ移民資料館) which was the main reason for my visit. 148 views
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Area where Battleship Mutsu sank.148 views
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Oar from the Hokule'a signed by Nainoa Thompson when they visited Suo-Oshima in May 2007. That was a big event for the island and the Hawaiian community in Japan. I saw the Hokule'a only when they arrived at Yokohama.147 viewsThe Hokule'a is a traditional canoe where they use only the stars, wave motions, and bird observations for navigation like they did in ancient times. Nainoa was a pioneer in resurrecting and mastering this ancient form of navigation. You can read about their adventures on Suo-Oshima here, from May 20:
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The museum also has two rooms full of Japanese school stuff. One room is full of books, scrapbooks, etc., donated by Ichisaburo Nakamura. He was a member of the Hawaii Kyoiku-kai (education council) which developed and published Japanese school textbooks.144 viewsOne of his scrapbooks had group photos of the Hawaii Kyoiku-kai who met every summer. I could recognize some of the faces. They were mainly Japanese school principals/teachers in Hawai'i. I spent a good amount of time in that room alone. Another room displayed old Japanese school textbooks including those published in Japan. I remember some of them from Japanese school and UH Manoa. Amazing to see all of them in one room.
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Anchor from Battleship Mutsu which was world's most powerful battleship when it was built in 1921. The museum is open 9 am to 4:30 pm. Admission 420 yen.144 views
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View from Oshima Ohashi Bridge.143 views
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The museum is full of panel exhibits, mementos, artifacts, old books, and scrapbooks. It had a lot more than I had expected. 142 views
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Cross the bridge over the river.140 views
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All the books in the museum are in open stacks where you can pull it out and read freely. Great for AJA researchers. 140 views
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Area where Battleship Mutsu sank.140 views
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Bus schedule. Buses don't run that often.139 views
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From the bus stop, cross this bridge over a river.138 views
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Museum up ahead.137 views
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View of Suo-Oshima from the 2nd floor of the museum. The island is quite well populated with houses and fishing ports in many locations.137 views
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Oshima Ohashi Bridge134 views
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Bus fares.134 views
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The sign points the way.133 views
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Mutsu Memorial Museum dedicated to Battleship Mutsu. Museum Web site here132 views
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I took the bus back to Obatake Station in Yanai. It was about 25 miles.132 views
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I saw a few small whirlpools.131 views
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After seeing the nikkei museum, I tried to catch the taxi van to the bus terminal, but missed it. The museum staff kindly asked his friend to drive me to the bus terminal. Souvenir shop near Ohashi Bridge.130 views
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On the island, I also visited the town of Kuka where there is a Hawaiian restaurant called Aloha Orange (unfortunately closed when I was there).130 views
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Didn't have time to see the Nagisa Aquarium adjacent to the Mutsu Memorial Museum.129 views
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Then turn left as the sign says.128 views
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Intersection at the end of Ohashi Bridge.128 views
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We couldn't enter the plane, probably because it was off-season.127 views
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Also see my list of other Japanese-American and nikkei museums in Japan here..126 views
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Kuka Folk History Museum 126 views
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Because of this, the island has a sister-city relationship with Kauai and holds an annual Hawaiian festival in the summer.124 views
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Crossing Oshima Ohashi Bridge.122 views
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Bus terminal in central Oshima near Ohashi Bridge. Kind of run-down, former souvenir shop on the 2nd floor.122 views
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Another place I got off the bus was here at Mutsu Park and beach. This is at the top tip of the gold fish tail if you look at a map of the island.120 views
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Nagisa Park is also a camping ground.120 views
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Bus stop117 views
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Approaching Towa117 views
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Oshima Ohashi Bridge. Across the bridge is Yanai.114 views
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From the bus terminal, I took a bus running along Suo-Oshima's northern coast. Turned out to be quite scenic.114 views
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Nagisa Park had this retired sea plane from the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force.114 views
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And a few white-sand beaches.113 views
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Kuka also has this history museum called the Kuka Folk History Museum (久賀歴史民俗資料館). Open 9 am to 4:30 pm (enter by 4 pm). Closed Mon. Admission 400 yen.111 views
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The main road runs along the northern coast for the most part. Just wanted to see what the island looked like.110 views
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Hachiman Continuing Education Village has a folk history museum, meeting rooms, hall, cultural facilities, and a small cafe. 八幡生涯学習のむら110 views
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Kuka Folk History Museum is part of the learning village.110 views
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Got off here at Suo-Hachiman stop in Kuka.109 views
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Nishi Ihota bus stop109 views
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Centipede108 views
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The Kuka Folk History Museum included this small exhibit on the island's emigrants to Hawai'i. It shows some of the stuff the emigrants brought back with them when they returned to Japan.108 views
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Towa Sogo Center, a community center in Towa.107 views
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Map of the Hachiman Continuing Education Village. It's basically a community/cultural center. They even hold hula and ukulele classes here. 八幡生涯学習のむら106 views
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The museum has exhibits of local fishing and farming.103 views
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There are a few small islands near Suo-Oshima, uninhabited.102 views
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Snow coats.102 views
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Suo-Oshima is famous for mikan tangerines. You see them often on the island.99 views
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About the Hachiman Continuing Education Village in Japanese. Web site here98 views
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Old stone bath, Important Cultural Property.97 views
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Jizo statues97 views
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Once in a while, we saw a white-sand beach.95 views
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Fishing nets.95 views
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Old stone bath93 views
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Kansha (thank you)92 views
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Here are two of the Kannon statues near the stone bath.92 views
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The island has many small fishing ports and towns.92 views
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Back on the bus to ride further east on the northern coast.91 views
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Sazanseto Towa tourist souvenir shop.91 views
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The stone bath is the oldest in western Japan, built in the 12th century.90 views
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Small beach at Mutsu Park.90 views
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Next to Mutsu Park was Nagisa Park.90 views
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Rural bus stop89 views
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Pillows89 views
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Water to extend your life.89 views
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Many of the immigrants returned to Japan after their 3-year labor contract expired. They brought back all kinds of stuff even this heavy baking oven.87 views
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Around this area are 33 Kannon statues. 87 views
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Jizo statues on Suo-Oshima island, Yamaguchi.86 views
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Japan-America goodwill baseball games.84 views
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Certificate of Appreciation from 1927. 82 views
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