Kujyukushima Pearl Sea Resort

Kujukushima Pearl Sea Resort is a multi-purpose resort complex that also serves as a gateway to Kujukushima. Kujukushima is part of Saikai National Park, with 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, rich in wildlife and marine life that thrive around 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. Kujukushima Pearl Sea Resort is where you can enjoy the charms of Kujukushima to the fullest. It is the departure point for cruises such as the “Kujukushima Sightseeing Boat,” and at “Kujukushima Aquarium Umi Kirara,” you can observe creatures that live around Kujukushima. At the “Kujukushima Visitor Center,” you can join nature observation and hands-on experience programs. Dining and shopping are also fulfilling, with seafood restaurants that use plenty of freshly landed local seafood, as well as local specialties like ramen with flying fish dashi soup. It is a spot where you can spend a full and satisfying day. Access to Kujukushima Pearl Sea Resort by public transportation is from “Sasebo Station-mae” on the JR Kyushu Sasebo Line or Matsuura Railway Nishi-Kyushu Line: take the bus bound for “Pearl Sea Resort / Kujukushima Aquarium,” which takes about 25 minutes, and get off at the final stop right in front. By car, it is about 7 minutes after exiting at “Sasebo Chuo IC” on the Nishi-Kyushu Expressway. A free shuttle car runs from Kujukushima Pearl Sea Resort (Umi Kirara & sightseeing boats) to Mori Kirara.