Islanders captivate foreigners, city people
MORNING on Ojika Island, the northernmost island of the Goto Islands, begins as the soft sunlight colours the surface of the ocean.
On this island, about 1 1/2 hours from Sasebo Port by highspeed ferry, an inn by the name of Shimayado Goen opened in June last year. In the past six months, the inn has attracted visitors from more than 10 countries and territories, including the United States, Hungary and Taiwan, making it a unique feature on the island.
“Many people from abroad come to visit for the interaction you can have with the islanders, the kind that you can’t have in big cities,” said Taiyo Iwanaga, the 35-year-old owner of the inn, with a hint of pride.
The number of tourists visiting Ojika has exceeded 40,000 people annually, bringing it into the spotlight as a new tourist spot. U-turners (those returning to live on the island after an absence) and I-turners (those moving to the island for the first time) have helped to make this happen.
Iwanaga is a U-turner. He actively posts information about the island online to attract visitors from overseas to the remote locale. The inn’s website is available in both Japanese and English. He shares information in English on travel review sites popular among foreigners, as well as on Facebook.
“Friendly and experienced hospitality. A comfortable and homelike stay.” The comments of contented visitors from abroad who stayed at the inn can be read on review sites.
Iwanaga went to the United States for baseball training after graduating from a local high school. There, he found enjoyment in studying English, and earned a TESOL (Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages) qualification.
After returning to Japan, he worked as a tour guide for foreign visitors in various regions throughout the country. There, he learned of the needs of tourists from other countries, which he took into consideration when creating his island inn.
All of the rooms have tatami floors, and he provides futons to sleep on. Every room has a unit bath, as many foreigners are not comfortable using a shared bathhouse. He posts detailed directions on how to get to the island, including transportation times and prices, on the inn’s website.
Iwanaga uses an overseas volunteer recruitment site to attract international staff members, who agree to work short-term in exchange for accommodation and three meals a day. He also provides warm hospitality to his visitors.
One of the staff members is Jewel Shalom Lee, a Singaporean in her early 20s.
“The next time I come here, I will bring visitors,” she said. International staff members often become “publicists” for the inn abroad.
Iwanaga explained some of the reasons behind his inn’s popularity. “Many foreigners are interested in the remote islands of Japan, but not much information is available in English. If you can provide hospitality in English, they will come and visit,” he said, sensing the impact his efforts are having.
Among the I-turners is 27-yearold Ryo Fukugawa from Fukuoka Prefecture, who came to the island as a member of a municipal government-backed programme for regional revitalisation and is making preparations to open a guesthouse of his own this year.
He was captivated by the warmth of the islanders when he visited for a trip four years ago, and moved to the island in 2013 under the programme. His term is due to end in March, but, not wanting to leave the island, he decided to renovate an old house to provide hospitality to tourists. “I want to become someone who connects the island with tourists,” he said, his eyes shining.
Young people, both those who have returned to the island and those who have moved here for the first time, are bringing with them a youthful energy, investing a year of their lives to build a bright future for the island. — Yomiuri Shimbun
Many people from abroad come to visit for the interaction you can have with the islanders, the kind that you can’t have in big cities. — Taiyo Iwanaga, inn owner