Kujyukushima Island

Kujukushima is an area designated as part of Saikai National Park, featuring a 288.5 km coastline and a complex ria coastline stretching across about 25 km of sea from Sasebo Bay north toward Hirado. It is made up of not 99 but 208 islands, and the name “Kujukushima” has been used since the Edo period, with “kujuku” meaning “many” or “countless.” Most of the islands are uninhabited, and only four of the 208 islands have residents. It is known as the region with the highest density of islands in Japan. The area is home to many animals and marine creatures that live in the shade of forests of evergreen broadleaf trees, and its natural environment is exceptionally well protected. In 2018, it was recognized by a French NPO as one of the “Most Beautiful Bays in the World,” becoming the fifth location in Japan to receive this designation. Access to Kujukushima by public transportation is from “Sasebo Station-mae” on the JR Kyushu Sasebo Line or Matsuura Railway Nishi-Kyushu Line: take a local bus bound for “Pearl Sea Resort / Kujukushima Aquarium,” which takes about 25 minutes. By car, it is about 7 minutes after exiting at “Sasebo Chuo IC” on the Nishi-Kyushu Expressway.