The Journey Is Part of the Destination

A 36-Hour Voyage to Japan's Remote Ogasawara Islands

A Journey Unlike Anywhere Else in Japan

The Ogasawara Islands are among the most remote places in Japan.

Located nearly 1,000 kilometers south of central Tokyo, Chichijima is not only distant—it is also remarkably difficult to reach.
There is no airport, and regular access is limited to an ocean liner that takes approximately 24 hours each way.

Until 2023, however, there was another way to experience these islands. A small number of cruise tours offered a slower voyage across the Pacific, allowing travelers to spend four nights and five days at sea. This collection documents one of those journeys aboard Pacific Venus, a cruise ship that is no longer in service.

Their remoteness has helped preserve both the islands' natural beauty and their unique atmosphere.
During the Pacific War, Ogasawara was heavily fortified as part of Japan's coastal defense, and traces of that history still remain quietly scattered throughout the forests today.

Although administratively part of Tokyo, these islands possess a history and character unlike anywhere else in Japan.

The photographs in this collection were taken in 2013, shortly after the Ogasawara Islands were recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and began attracting renewed attention from travelers around the world.

36 Hours Across the Pacific

Most of the thirty-six-hour voyage unfolds on an endless stretch of open ocean, where nothing interrupts the horizon.

That is precisely why the occasional sight of land becomes unforgettable.

Before sunrise, Hachijojima slowly appears in the fading darkness, offering a rare opportunity to watch the sun rise directly behind the island.
Nearly ten hours later, the distinctive silhouette of Torishima, followed by the tiny volcanic spire of Sofu Gan, breaks the monotony of the Pacific.

On a voyage like this, even the smallest change along the horizon becomes an event.

With no mobile phone signal and nothing demanding your attention, time begins to move differently.
The crossing offers a rare reminder of how travel once felt—when the journey itself was enough.

First Sight of Chichijima

After more than a full day at sea, Chichijima finally appears.

Its quiet harbor welcomes arriving passengers with an ordinary island morning.
From the cruise ship, visitors transfer to small local boats before stepping ashore, entering a community where daily life follows the rhythm of the sun and the sea.

The island feels both familiar and unfamiliar.

Tropical plants grow beside quiet streets. A local shrine stands not far from the harbor.
There is a co-op supermarket, and the cars still carry Tokyo license plates.

Despite its remote location, Chichijima is unmistakably part of Japan.

And yet, only seventy years ago, this island presented an entirely different face.

An Island of Nature and Memory

Situated in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, the Ogasawara Islands became an important defensive outpost during the Pacific War.

The civilian population was evacuated, and the islands were transformed into a network of military fortifications.
Today, many of those structures remain hidden beneath dense forests, where nature has slowly reclaimed what was once built for conflict.

Walking through Chichijima is therefore more than a walk through nature.

It is also a quiet journey through memories that have never completely disappeared.

Saying Goodbye

Our time on Chichijima lasted only about eight hours.

Yet the experience felt far richer than the brief visit might suggest.

As the ship prepared to depart, dozens of local fishing boats gathered to escort us out of the harbor—a tradition unique to the islands.

Although we had spent only a short time together, the warmth of the islanders' farewell was unmistakable.

Standing on deck, waving back until the very last boat turned home, it was impossible not to feel that we were leaving something behind.

More Than a Destination

The Ogasawara Islands are unlike any other destination in Japan.
They are not simply a place to visit.
They are a place that must be reached.

Because the voyage is long, every small change along the horizon becomes meaningful.

The first glimpse of Hachijojima.
The lonely outline of Torishima.
The dramatic appearance of Sofu Gan.
And finally, after thirty-six hours at sea, the quiet harbor of Chichijima.

Each becomes part of the journey.
Japan stretches not only from east to west, but also far into the Pacific Ocean.

Beyond the familiar mainland lies another Japan—one that remains largely unknown, waiting patiently beyond the horizon.

Archive Information

Location	Ogasawara Islands, Tokyo, Japan
Photographed	2013
Collection	97 photographs
Published	2026
Series	PATHS OF JAPAN Vol.5

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