Ganryu-jima Island

Ganryujima is a small uninhabited island floating in the Kanmon Strait, with a circumference of about 1.6 km and an area of roughly 103,000 m². Its official name is Funashima, but it is widely known as “Ganryujima” because it is famous as the site of the 1612 duel between Miyamoto Musashi and Sasaki Kojiro, and the name is said to come from Kojiro’s sword style. Highlights on Ganryujima include an illustration by painter Mitsuomi Furudate depicting Musashi and Kojiro, a boat-shaped monument called the “Ganryujima Literature Monument” engraved with a passage from “Sasaki Kojiro” by Motomi Murakami, and the “Musashi & Kojiro Statue” in the observation plaza. The island also has walking paths and an artificial beach designed to recreate the shoreline where the duel took place. Beyond these sights, it’s also a great place to enjoy the dramatic, ever-changing views of the Kanmon Strait, where ships of all sizes pass by. Access to Ganryujima: from the Kyushu side, get off at JR Kagoshima Main Line “Mojiko Station,” walk about 3 minutes to “Mojiko Pier,” then take the Kanmon ferry for about 10 minutes. From the Yamaguchi side, depart from “Shimonoseki Karato No.1 Pier” next to Shimonoseki Grand Hotel and take the Kanmon ferry for about 10 minutes.