うさぎの島にも寄港する大三島・大久野島・忠海フェリールート：大山祇神社、ラビットアイランド観光にいかがでしょうか？

Hello everyone. This time I will report on boarding the Omishima Ferry, which connects Sakari Port at the northern tip of Omishima, which is said to be the island of the gods, and Tadanoumi Port in Takehara City. Along the way, this route also calls at Okunoshima, which has once again become famous as Rabbit Island, and is the main route for many tourists visiting Okunoshima from the Hiroshima Prefecture side. Omishima is the largest island on the Shimanami Kaido, and is the island of the gods where Oyamazumi Shrine, the guardian deity of Japan, is enshrined. A large camphor tree, a sacred tree that is approximately 2,600 years old, is enshrined in the center of the shrine grounds, and the group of camphor trees within the shrine was designated as a national natural monument in 1952 as part of Japan's oldest virgin forest shrine complex. I am. To go from this island to Takehara City, I think many people will use the Shimanami Kaido, an overland route that is famous for cycling. In terms of distance, it's a fairly long detour as it goes around Onomichi. However, the ferry route from Sakari Port to Tadanoumi Port not only significantly shortens the distance, but also allows you to leisurely enjoy the beauty of the Seto Inland Sea's archipelago, while visiting Rabbit Island, Okunoshima on the way. It is also a route where you can stop by. Few people choose to board the ship by car because the time is the same no matter which route you take, but I think it would be fun to choose it as a drive route on a short holiday. Okunoshima, famous for its rabbits, is located about 15 minutes by boat from Tadanoumi Port in Takehara City. This small island, which has a circumference of approximately 4 km, was once known as the ``island erased from the map'' because there was once a poison gas factory there. After Japan's defeat in the war, much of the evidence of poison gas weapon production was destroyed by the Japanese military, but the Okunoshima Poison Gas Museum was built in 1988 to remember this history. The island still has the negative legacies of the war, such as the ruins of artillery batteries, power plants, and poison gas storage facilities, but it is now designated as a national park and is known to be home to about 500 to 600 rabbits. Many tourists from both Japan and abroad visit here in search of healing. Even if you don't go to Okunoshima, you should definitely stop by Tadanoumi Port. Tadanoumi, like Takehara, is a port town in Setouchi that has flourished since ancient times. The name comes from the name of Taira no Tadamori (Taira no Kiyomori's father). Taira no Tadamori (Kiyomori's father) was credited with capturing pirates off the coast of Tadanoumi in the Seto Inland Sea in the Seto Inland Sea, which was a trade route in 1135. Tadanoumi Port also has a group of night lights that served as a landmark for Kitamae ships entering the port. The Tadanoumi Port Night Light, a port of call for Kitamaebune ships, has also been designated as a valuable Japanese heritage site. The passenger terminal for going to Rabbit Island has been given a stylish makeover. It's full of highlights for taking photos and looking for souvenirs! Tadanoumi Port is about a 5-minute walk from Tadanoumi Station. Even if you don't go to Okunoshima, Tadanoumi Port is a must-see spot, so be sure to check it out! I am a Japanese doctor living in Qatar, and I occasionally return to Japan to share the charms of Japan with not only Japanese people but also foreigners. Japan is truly a country full of great places! I think about it again.