Niijima

Niijima (新 岛Japanese, German " new island ") is a volcanic island dominated in Japan. The area is 23.22 km ² and the population is 2400. Belongs to you as one of the Izu Islands administratively to the prefecture of Tokyo.

Southwest is the island Shikine -jima, 1000 m west Jinai -tō (地 内 岛) and 300 m south Hanshima (早 岛; occasionally as Hayashima misread ). With these smaller islands Niijima is the village of Niijima (新 岛村, -mura ), with only Niijima and Shikine -jima are inhabited.

The highest point is the lava dome Miyatsuka (宫 冢 山, -yama ) with 432 m. Other lava domes in the south and north of the island are evidence of recent volcanic eruptions in the 9th century.

Niijima is a popular destination for day and weekend tourists from metropolitan Tokyo. The east side of the island is a spot for divers, the west side, the Habushi - beach, attracts many surfers. The main holiday season is in the Obon week in August. On the island there are three hot springs (onsen ), from which gushes salty sea water.

Local specialty of the island is dried fish ( Kusaya ), milk - Senbei and Ashitaba. Ashitaba (明日 叶, Scientific Name: Angelica keiskei ) is a plant that got its name ( Morning Journal) therefore that a torn leaf is grown in the morning. Ashitaba grows only on the Izu Islands. It is used to color green soba noodles and tempura fried as.

Another tourist attraction, the island offers a workshop with Museum of Glass Art, in which a koga -called rock is processed into green glass.

On the island there is also a research center of the Self-Defense Forces is a starting place for the test rocket and sounding rockets.

From Tokyo, the island is reached by ferry in seven hours by hydrofoil in 2 ½ hours by plane from Chofu Airport in 45 minutes and by helicopter.

Hanshima