Awaji Island

The Kojiki opens with Izanagi and Izanami creating Awaji as the first of the islands of Japan, and Izanagi Jingu on the island claims descent from that account, which makes it one of the oldest shrine foundations in the country. Awaji is reached from Kobe by the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge, whose central span of 1,991 metres was the longest suspension span in the world from its opening in 1998 until 2022; a walkway tour goes out along the underside of the deck. The island itself is agricultural - onions above all, sold everywhere and genuinely good - with flower parks at Awaji Yumebutai and Hanasajiki, a coast of small harbours, and the Naruto whirlpools at the southern tip where the tide runs between Awaji and Shikoku. It is large, about fifty kilometres long, and a car makes far more sense than buses.

History

In the Shinto creation myth Awaji was the first of the islands born from Izanagi and Izanami, and from the 7th to the 19th century it formed its own province, Awaji Province. Its puppet theatre, Awaji Ningyō Jōruri, is more than 500 years old and grew out of religious ritual (Wikipedia, Awaji Island).

The landscape

• The first island - Izanagi Jingu, tied to the opening of the Kojiki creation account.
• The Akashi Kaikyo Bridge - a 1,991-metre span, the world's longest until 2022.
• Flower parks - hillside plantings at Hanasajiki and the Yumebutai terraces.
• Onions - the island's agricultural signature, sold at every roadside stop.

When to go

March to November; flower parks peak in spring and autumn. Two days.

Practical notes

The island is large and public transport is thin - a car is close to essential. Bridge tolls are high. Summer heat and crowds at the flower parks are significant. Whirlpool viewing depends entirely on the tide table.

Nearby

Naruto and its whirlpools are at the southern end; Kobe is north over the bridge.

Key facts