JI1LET will be active again as JD1BOI from Chichijima Island, IOTA AS-031, Ogasawara Islands, 8 - 17 April 2025.
He will operate on 160 - 6m CW, SSB, RTTY.
Recent DX Spots JD1BOI
QSL via home call direct only.
Ads for direct QSL:
KOJI IIJIMA, 7-12 TENMA, GYODA-CITY SAITAMA 361-0076, Japan.
Tropical paradise for singles on the Bonins
Whoever once managed to find himself in the Japanese tropics, to really admire the picturesque landscapes of this unique corner of the planet with the rarest flora and fauna, he will not be able to get rid of the desire to visit it again. It is simply amazing that in such a far (about one thousand kilometers from the Japanese capital Tokyo) is a place where you can enjoy solitude, tired of the busy metropolis, to experience the tangible pleasure of solitude with nature, to relax and put in order not only your thoughts, but also to find peace of mind. Brightness of landscapes, warmth of the sun, tender tenderness of sea water, pleasant sand of beaches are at the service of those wishing to relax throughout the calendar year. Chichijima Island is such an unusual place!
“Father Island": the uniqueness of nature's gift to tourists
Chichijima is considered the most populated territory among the Ogasawara Islands. On an area of about 24 square kilometers lives almost two and a half thousand people. The uniqueness of this place on the planet is due to a number of features.
The island owes its origin to the volcanic activity of the earth's crust.
Nature located it in the zone of marine tropics, endowing it with an excessive abundance of amazing vegetation.
The first acquaintance of Europeans with the island took place in 1543 (visit of the navigator and naturalist Bernardo de la Torre from Spain).
Familiarity of the island for the Japanese population dates back to 1675, when a map of the island appeared (the result of the activities of a Japanese geographer).
1862 - the island acquired the status of Japanese possession (the first settlement of colonists from the Land of the Rising Sun).
1927 was marked by the visit of Emperor Hirohito himself to Chichijima Island.
The island was not spared from the war of 1939 (the location on the territory of Chichijima Japanese naval base, including during the Second World War, a permanent contingent of 1200 people and reinforcement).
Chichijima has acquired the status of a national park with a unique fauna and flora due to the absence of communication with the continent for many centuries (there is a small population of “soup turtle”, settled Japanese black pigeon).
The only way to reach the island is by ocean liner from Tokyo, which takes almost 30 hours to cover a thousand miles (there is no air connection between Chichijima and the continent).
Chichijima Island. Author - Hirohide Nakahashi.
The charms of a vacation on Chichijima
The north of the island features an abundance of hotels and guesthouses for arriving travelers, stores and restaurants. All of this infrastructure is conveniently located near Futami Harbor, where the ferry from Tokyo arrives.
Those who wish to relax in this secluded place among the rocks on the coast and picturesque beaches next to the sea water abyss have a unique chance, which will be remembered for a long time. It is about watching whales and dolphins. And humpback whales can be seen from February to April, and sperm whales are observable only from July to September. But dolphins are used to travelers and are happy to see them throughout the calendar year. How to observe them? Very simply: from a boat or from the water (you can easily swim near them).
Solitude with nature is not the only pleasure for travelers who choose to rest here. After all, how much extreme will get any vacationer, if you go diving or snorkering! Dive into the depths of the underwater world with a mask and see all that is observable only on a virtual level, means to get sensations on the verge of fantasy.
The calm serenity of the pristine nature of the island allows you to forget about the rhythms of modern life. There's so much peaceful serenity to be found on the sandy beaches of Tichijima, the most famous of which include:
- Miyanohama Beach, famous for the opportunity to walk along the rocky shores of the bay, snorkel in it or just have a small picnic nearby;
- Sakaiura Beach, suitable for snorkeling and taking an unusual underwater tour of a Japanese warship that sank during the war;
- isolated Hatsuneura Beach, accessible by hiking through a trampled jungle path or by boat;
- Kominato Beach, considered the largest and most comfortable place to rest (accessible by bus or car, the sand shimmers with its whiteness, the shallow depth beckons).
- Kopepe beach with signs of corals unique in their nature;
- John and Ginny beaches, suitable not only for scuba diving, but also for surfing, kayaking and fishing.
- It's worth climbing up Mount Tuo and visiting the observatory for a panoramic view of the island. This is where you can get away from nature and watch the sunsets!
Important!
There are rules for vacationers, which require their strict observance. In order to preserve the unique nature of the island, arriving tourists are forbidden to pitch tents wherever they want, to hike along routes that have not been developed in advance.
It is undesirable for vacationers to use motorized vehicles to move around the island.
Visitors to Tichijima are obliged to protect the flora and fauna of the island (no importation of plant and animal seeds).
