Mt. Oyama, in the heart of the island, is an active volcano ranked A, and even as recently as the twentieth century, erupted four times; namely 1940, 1962, 1983 and 2000. With this in mind, a big lava stone is placed at the entrance to the airport.

The circumference of Miyake Island is 32km. It is roughly similar in size to the circular Yamanote line and takes about one hour to circumnavigate by car. It is home to around 2700 islanders. Although the village does operate a bus, given the very limited number of services, those wishing to go sightseeing with more freedom should rent a car or a motor scooter. The photo shows a hill shaped from a kind of volcanic rock (scoria); deep black in color.

The so-called glasses rocks (Megane Iwa) are shaped from volcanic rock, formed by an explosion during the Edo Period, and pierced with holes after the waves ate away the rock. Its name came about because there were originally two arches, but now there is only one hole. The topography of the island varies, with hills and cliffs formed by eruptions.

Miyake Island is also famous for fishing and diving. Sanbondake, visible from the island, was used as a target by the U.S. armed forces post-war for bombing training, but currently functions as a dream bombed point for fishermen. You can order a fishing boat to take you there but it is just a solitary island, far out to sea, with nothing to protect you against a storm, so the take-up rate seems pretty low.

The "Ako District", the southwest area which accommodated the pyroclastic flows during the eruption in 2000, brings home the damage caused by the eruption in no uncertain terms. In the "volcano experience promenade", you can walk about an area covered in lava for about 30 minutes. The ruins in the photo are the former Ako Elementary School and the former Ako Junior High School; both of which were swallowed up in an eruption. They have been preserved unchanged since that time. Both sides of the promenade are packed with lava.

The third floor of the former Ako Elementary School as viewed from the sidelines of the volcano experience promenade. The first and second floors were swallowed up in the eruption, while the third floor windows were crushed.

The northern part of the island is home to a "Torii of Shiitori Shrine" buried under volcanic ash. The torii gate, formerly 2m high, was buried in ash, all except the top portion. When I heard 'volcanic ash', I thought it would be no more than a sprinkling - I had no idea of the vast amount here. I experienced the ferocity of volcanos island-wide.

Noriben from the Tsuchiya supermarket. I tried going with no expectations, and thinking "they say it's great, but it's only simple noriben after all" - and found myself pleasantly surprised! What they put to cover the rice is not the so-called black sheet laver but deep-green inori rock laver. As soon as I opened the vinyl, the coastal smell that had been sealed away was unleashed. So aromatic and delicious! A wonderful array of ocean bounty.

If you're talking IzuIslands specialty, it has to be Kusaya. I bought a bottled Kusaya at 1100 yen. Grilled and torn Kusaya is bottled - I tried some when I got back to where I was staying. Once in your mouth, it smells like cattle on a farm. I think it's something you love or hate, but I found it strangely growing on me... Best enjoyed eaten bit by bit as relish.

In the miso soup served at the minshuku, Yukei in the evening of the second day, was a strange object. I heard it's a kind of shell called a "stalked barnacle" which lives by attaching itself to the reef. Peeling the scaly part, etc. reveals a red fruit. It may look less than appealing visually, but that salty strong taste of the clam isn't bad at all!

The evening spread from the Yukei Inn had countless items and can only be described as a lavish treat. An overwhelming volume of locally grown island vegetables and meals packed with fish. Because as well as what you see in the picture here, they also dish out tempura, miso soup, sweets etc. to boot! I was completely stuffed, I could have died happy at that point...

In the local Miyake Island museum, I counted about 20 kinds of local song and dance, all of which were performed by local islanders. Sometimes at someone's home, other times at the local gym - amid a sense of something overwhelmingly real - the grandmas and grandpas sing and dance.

Well, if you enjoy Miyake Island, I suppose the thing to do is buy a souvenir before you go home! As souvenir shops go, my go-to recommendation would be the "Yamada Shell Shop".

They make original accessories and figurines from shells collected on Miyake Island. I decided on my souvenir - a hand-made shell accessory!