Overview
Forty minutes from Chofu airport or nine hours by ferry or three hours by jetfoil from Takeshiba Pier, Niijima Island is the surfing centre for the Izu Islands. Filled with beautiful beaches and outdoor hot springs, the island is also famous for its glass crafts and stunning views. Dotted with moyai sculptures fashioned out of the local koga stone, the island also features shrines like Jusansha Shrine and its culturally recognised assets, the Niijima Water Park and its Greek-styled aqueducts, Niijima Village Museum and the world famous Niijima Glass Art Centre.
Jusansha Shrine
A Shinto shrine at the base of Mt. Miyatsuka, Jusansha Shrine was established in the Edo period. Surrounded by lush greenery, the shrine is most famous for being the location of kagura music and the shishi kiyari sacred dance. Performed each year in early December, the song and dance are registered as Intangible Cultural Assets of Tokyo.
Ten minutes by car from Niijima Airport.
Niijima Water Park
Surrounded by tropical flora, the extraordinarily scenic Niijima Water Park makes great use of the island's versatile local koga stone. Sculptured in the manner of an ancient Greek setting, the park's aqueduct offers gorgeous photo opportunities and its structures give the area a decidedly fantastical feel about it.
Six minutes by car from Niijima Airport or twenty-five minute walk.
Niijima Village Museum
With its visually appealing pyramid structure, Niijima Village Museum documents the history of the island from its ancient Jomon past to its modern surfing culture. The museum is also home to a life-sized traditional Edo period fishing boat and home as well looking at the island's role as a destination for those exiled here during the Tokugawa Shogunate.
Ten minutes by car from Niijima Airport or a thirty-five minute walk.
Niijima Glass Art Centre
Opened in 1987, the world renowned Niijima Glass Art Centre takes full advantage of the island's natural quartz to offer workshops and exhibitions of glass art and the process of making it. Each year in autumn the centre hosts the International Glass Art Festival, one of the major events in the world of glass art.
Ten minutes by car from Niijima Airport or a forty minute walk.
