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Kojima Shrine

HOME > Japan’s Local Treasures > Kojima Shrine

A sacred shrine on an islet off Nagasaki Prefecture’s Iki island

Iki City Tourism Division

Hidden within a tiny islet in Iki island’s Uchime Bay, Kojima Shrine seems inaccessible until low tides magically reveal a sandy path to its torii gate. Only then can visitors walk to the shrine to explore its esoteric site.

Sometimes called the Mont Saint-Michel of Japan, Kojima Shrine’s islet is considered sacred, believed to flow with spiritual energy, where the gravitational pull of the sun and moon brings it closer to the gods. Enshrined at the site are ancient gods of love, marriage, prosperity and good luck.

This entire island is considered sacred precincts, so visitors are not allowed to take anything back from the island. Photographs are the one thing you can take to remember this special place.

A fascinating natural phenomenon, the islet’s mysterious fleeting path protects it from surges of visitors, but there are other ways to view its wild landscape. When the tide is high, small boats or kayaks can drift through the torii gate to offer a completely different experience of this mystical wonder.

How to get there

Walk from Hakata Station to Hakata Nishinohon City Bank-mae F Bus Stop, which takes about 3 minutes. From there, take the bus to Hakata Warf, which takes about 20 minutes. Finally take a 3-minute walk to Hakata Port. Iki Island is about 1 hour from Hakata Port by high-speed boat or about 2 hours and 10 minutes by ferry.

1969 Moroyoshifutamatafure, Ashibe-cho, Iki-shi, Nagasaki-ken