Tsushima

Tsushima sits 50 kilometres off the Korean coast and 130 kilometres from Fukuoka — closer to Busan than to mainland Japan. The two main islands cover 700 square kilometres of mountain and coastline, joined by a single bridge across the Manzeki canal, and they have spent 1,500 years as Japan's diplomatic, commercial, and military buffer with the Korean Peninsula. Today around 30,000 residents live mostly in Izuhara on the southern island; the rest of Tsushima is forest, wildlife, and ferry-only fishing villages. Plan a two-night minimum.

When to Visit

Spring and autumn give the most reliable ferry weather; summer typhoons cancel Jetfoils for days at a time.

What to Do in Tsushima

Eight named sights spread across both islands — Izuhara to Kamiagata is two hours by car.

+ Trip

Watatsumi Shrine

Five vermilion torii gates marching from a coastal shrine out into the sea — Tsushima's most photographed sight

The sea-torii shrine

+ Trip

Izuhara Historic District

Stone-walled samurai-era streets in the old castle town — the only place on Tsushima that feels urban

Samurai-era historic district

Hidden Gem

+ Trip

Komodahama Beach

Unmarked beach where 900 Mongol ships landed in 1274 — geography carries the history, no information boards

Mongol-invasion beach

Hidden Gem

+ Trip

Kamiagata Viewpoint

Northern Tsushima overlook — on a clear day you can see the lights of Busan across the strait

Korea-view overlook

Hidden Gem

+ Trip

Kaneda Castle Ruins

Seventh-century stone fortress on Mount Joyama — rebuilt by the Yamato court against mainland invasions

Ancient mountain fortress

Hidden Gem

+ Trip

Tsushima Wildlife Center

The only place to reliably see the Tsushima yamaneko — Japan's last wild leopard cat, ~100 individuals left

Endemic wildcat sanctuary

+ Trip

Mt Shiratake

519-metre conical peak in central Tsushima — a steep four-hour climb with views over both islands

Central Tsushima hike

+ Trip

Manzeki Bridge

Single bridge connecting Tsushima's two main islands across the man-made Manzeki canal cut in 1672

The island-link bridge

Skip the Crowds

• Tsushima has no crowds — except one route. The Watatsumi Shrine parking lot fills with Korean tour buses on summer weekends between 10:00 and 14:00. Go at sunrise or after 15:30 and the sea-torii is yours.
• The north is empty. Once you cross the Manzeki bridge to Kamiagata island, you almost never see another foreign visitor. Two-night itineraries that overnight on the north side get the rawest version of Tsushima.
• Korean Golden Week (early May). The only week of the year Tsushima fills up — South Korean visitors take the Busan ferry. Avoid those eight days if you want quiet.
• Skip the package tours. Most Japanese mainland tours run a single-day Hakata-to-Tsushima loop. Self-drive for two nights beats every guided alternative.

Food & Drink

Izuhara's dining clusters along Hatchobaru Street and around the port. Three regional staples are worth seeking out: aji-su sushi — vinegar-marinated horse mackerel served on hand-pressed rice, a dish unique to Tsushima — local ishiyaki seafood cooked tableside on volcanic stone slabs, and the dark forest Tsushima honey from the Japanese honey bee, drizzled on toast and pancakes at island cafés.

For specific addresses the Tsushima Tourism Office near the Izuhara port keeps an updated list of currently-open counters — many close on Wednesdays or irregularly, and Google Maps does not always reflect island hours. Outside Izuhara, the northern coast has only a handful of seasonal restaurants; pack snacks for the day-drive loop to Kamiagata. Cash matters more than usual outside the main town.

Where to Stay

Sparse but functional — Izuhara holds the main cluster of hotels, with a few sea-view minshuku scattered along the coast.

★ Author's Pick$$

hotel

Tsushima Grand Hotel

Mid-range hotel with on-site hot spring, airport shuttle, and the largest banquet hall on the island

IzuharaCheck availability →

$$

hotel

Hotel Belleforet

Compact Izuhara hotel three minutes' walk from the Tsushima Folk History Museum and Kaneishi Castle Ruins

IzuharaCheck availability →

$

ryokan

Hinokisanso Tsushima

Family-run sea-view guesthouse in Izuhara — terrace overlooking the bay, free private parking, full-kitchen units

Izuhara — NamuroCheck availability →

Day Trips

From Tsushima you can build a Kyushu island-hopping loop — Iki, then back to Fukuoka.

+ Trip

Iki Island

Sister island en route back to Fukuoka — sake breweries, dive sites, and Yayoi-period ruins

Sister island, calmer than Tsushima

• Yayoi-era archaeological park
• Sake brewery tours
• Dive sites off Tatsunoshima

+ Trip

Fukuoka — Hakata

Mainland gateway with the original Hakata ramen and Canal City

Kyushu's mainland gateway

• Hakata ramen at Ichiran honten
• Canal City complex
• Tenjin nightlife

+ Trip

Nagasaki City

Prefecture capital with Dejima, Glover Garden, and the atomic-bomb memorial sites

Prefecture capital with Dejima

• Dejima trading post
• Atomic Bomb Museum
• Glover Garden

How to Get There

Tips for Visiting

• Rent a car. Public transport is thin. Toyota Rent-a-Car at Izuhara Port runs ~¥6,000–¥8,000/day — verify current pricing. International driving permit required.
• Book the Jetfoil both ways before you fly to Fukuoka. Summer rides sell out and the backup is the 5-hour car ferry. Jetfoil tickets via Kkday avoid the Japanese-only booking flow.
• Typhoons cancel Jetfoils for days. Build a buffer day on either side of your visit between July and September.
• Mobile reception thins out north of Mitsushima. Download offline maps before leaving Izuhara. Convenience stores are sparse — bring snacks and cash.
• Two nights minimum. One night covers Izuhara plus Watatsumi; the second night gives you Kamiagata and Komodahama on day two. Anything shorter and the ferry/flight eats the trip.
• Skip Ghost-of-Tsushima reenactments. Locals do not market the game and most "Ghost"-themed tours bundle paid stops with little historic substance. The Mongol-invasion sites — Komodahama, Kaneda Castle — are free and self-guided.
• Tsushima yamaneko sightings. The Wildlife Center in Sago has near-guaranteed sightings; in the wild your best window is dawn or dusk on remote forest roads in winter.

FAQ