Last Updated on 22 July 2026 by Vanessa
If you’ve already checked off Japan’s famous destinations, and you’re looking for a true hidden gem, I have a recommendation for you. And if you’re a cat lover, even better.
One of the best ways to discover a different side of Japan is by exploring the small islands scattered around Shikoku and Kyushu.
My hobby is taking short trips about once a month to visit Japan’s “cat islands,” and I have visited 26 so far. You can read about the Japanese islands I loved most here. From the islands I visited this year, I would like to introduce one that I think international visitors should definitely know about.
That is Fukashima in Oita Prefecture.
In this guide, you’ll find everything you need to know about Fukashima Island before visiting: how to get there, where to stay, what to do, and why I think it deserves a place on your Japan itinerary.
This is a guest post by Chieko Shiraishi.
A short introduction to Fukashima
Located at the southernmost tip of Oita Prefecture—famous within the Kyushu region as the “Onsen (hot spring) Prefecture”—Fukashima (not the same as Fukushima) is just a 30-minute ferry ride from Kamae Port in Saiki City. https://maps.app.goo.gl/njmC7J1SotFfKDi4A
The island has a circumference of about 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) and, as of 2026, has just 11 residents. In contrast, around 60 cats live there.
There’s a peaceful village close to the port, and a cafe and a guesthouse are located within it. Between the port and the village, there’s an open space where many cats gather. Travelers can spend a relaxing time within walking distance, sandwiched between the sea and the forest.
In fact, Fukashima is surprisingly well-known within Japan because it has been featured on television multiple times. It attracts attention because every single cat has a name, and the residents cooperate with each other to take various initiatives to keep the island sustainable despite the declining population.
If you’re looking for a trip where you can gain a rich local experience and see a lot of cats, this Fukashima Island is definitely recommended. Here are the reasons why.
Key reasons to visit
1. One of Japan’s most loved cat communities
The cats of Fukashima are adorable. They have beautiful coats and seem to be very happy with where they live. They all have names as well.
My impression is that orange tabbies are relatively common on Fukashima, but you still get plenty of variety.
You can see cats everywhere in the village, but they gather in specific places, especially at meal times, so you don’t need to wander around looking for them. When I stayed on Fukashima, there were about 20 to 30 cats in one place at peak times.
Additionally, as an ongoing trial, they are working to accept cats housed at the Oita Prefecture Animal Welfare Center.
(In Japan, the culling of captured dogs and cats is an issue, and they are reportedly cooperating with the government so that animals destined for that fate can live on Fukashima.)
2. You can stay overnight
Accommodations and dining options are available on Fukashima. There are not many small, remote islands in Japan that offer places to stay (especially places that can be booked without speaking Japanese). Fukashima is an island with no vending machines or convenience stores, but thanks to these facilities, you will not feel any inconvenience.
If you book in advance, you can have lunch at the cafe and dinner at the guesthouse. You can also order alcohol. If you just pack your own breakfast and drinks for the morning, you will manage for the rest of the day.
It might not always be the case, but when I stayed, they served a generous amount of rice and clam miso soup for dinner, and they told me, “Eat the rest in the morning.” It was wonderful to have a delicious breakfast in the morning as well.
3. Your visit directly supports the island’s future
There is an ethical aspect: visiting with respect helps maintain the island. The purpose of the guesthouse and cafe operators is “not to let the island become uninhabited.”
While living as a family, including their children, they welcome tourists from outside the island, create a system to maintain island life, and assist the elderly residents in their daily lives. Just by visiting for fun, you can support such initiatives.
4. Spectacular nature above and below the water
Nature on Fukashima Cat Island is spectacular. It’s also a diving and snorkeling spot. The area around Fukashima marks the northern limit of coral habitats in Japan, and it is said that many people visit for marine activities.
During my stay, something like a pink haze was floating in the sea. When I asked what it was, the owner of the inn said casually, “It’s probably coral or something spawning.” It was the first time in my life to encounter such a scene.
Outside the village, the land is covered with vegetation. People used to live and cultivate fields here. The paths still exist, so you can stroll through nature.
If you go up to the high ground, a wonderful view is guaranteed.
5. Far away from the crowds
Because Fukashima is far removed from the hustle and bustle of the city, you can spend time relaxing and listening to the sound of waves, the rustling of leaves, and the voices of birds and other creatures.
At night, the sky is full of stars.
6. Lots of activities
In addition to marine sports like snorkeling and kayaking, you can also go fishing or enjoy a BBQ with fresh local seafood.
The island offers several other activities as well, including making the island’s signature miso and guided nature tours.
Staying at the inn also gives you the chance to spend time with the family who runs it. Through those interactions, you naturally learn more about their daily life and local culture.
7. A glimpse of daily life in a small Japanese village
Because Fukashima is an island with few conveniences, it makes people rely on a slower, more mindful way of living compared to the cities. Residents pick wild plants to make preserved foods, create what they can’t buy, and repair items instead of replacing them. They also live cooperatively and borrow and lend to each other in a way that feels both nostalgic and fresh. It’s fascinating to watch.
The couple operating the guesthouse told me that living on the island is their livelihood. They manage almost everything related to maintaining the island: tourism (running the cafe and guesthouse, providing various experience activities), manufacturing specialty products (traditional handmade Fukashima Miso), and coexisting with cats (not only daily cat care but also improving their environment by hand-making shelter huts, as well as building systems to make coexistence possible).
In cooperation with universities and protection groups, they also completed TNR (Trap-Neuter-Return) for all the cats a few years ago. I imagine it must be hard work, but they look natural and relaxed, enjoying their life on Fukashima.
The children are innocent and free-spirited. They guided me around the island and taught me many things about the cats, even though I was only staying for two nights.
Thanks to their easy-to-read and beautiful website, interested travelers can easily reach the island and learn about their activities. They have also published the “Fukashima Cat Directory,” which features the cats’ names and personalities along with beautiful photos.
Various regions in Japan (and around the world) face problems of population decline and aging, but I believe this island will attract more attention in the future as a sample of an initiative against these issues.
8. Easy to combine with Oita’s famous hot springs
Access to Fukashima is a bit difficult. However, I highly recommend you visit several other destinations along the way.
Oita’s hot springs are particularly amazing, especially Beppu Onsen, one of Japan’s most well-known hot spring resorts and a place many people in Japan hope to visit at least once.
It is a general term for hot springs that are each unique, known as Beppu Hatto (Eight Hot Spring Villages). Beppu is the prime representative, but various hot springs with unique characteristics, such as Yufuin, are scattered throughout the prefecture.
Among them, Nagayu Onsen features a naturally carbonated spring that bubbles up, called “Lamune Onsen.” Why not try soaking in a hot spring that is rare even globally?
Since you pass through Beppu on the way from the airport to the island, it makes sense to stop there and include it in your route.
(Unfortunately, many Japanese people have to choose bullet trips of only one or two nights due to time constraints. If you’re traveling from overseas, you can probably spend a relatively long time in Japan. Taking your time to travel around various regions will deepen your understanding of this country and enrich your trip further by including places like Fukashima, which, at first glance, may seem to lack flashy catchiness.)
What it’s like to spend two days on Fukashima Cat Island: my personal itinerary
From Tokyo to Oita Prefecture
When I traveled to Fukashima Cat Island at the end of March 2026, cherry blossoms were beginning to bloom in Tokyo. Instead of flying straight in and out, I turned the journey itself into part of the trip.
After landing in Oita, I picked up a rental car (which you can reserve here). Staff at the counter directed me to a shuttle bus that took me to the rental office outside the terminal.
From there, I drove straight toward Beppu. The coast ran alongside the road for much of the 1.5-hour drive, shifting between open sea views and low urban stretches.
Beppu itself is a fairly large city, and I stopped there before continuing onward.
A short stop in Beppu
My first stop in Beppu was the municipal public bath, “Takegawara Onsen.”
I was thrilled by the rustic charm of its wooden exterior, and the inside of the building also has a great atmosphere. While there are hot springs here, the sand bath is also famous. You lie down in a yukata on sand warmed by the hot spring, and then they cover your body with more sand. You can find about more about the sand bath experience here.
For lunch, I had cold noodles (Reimen), a Beppu specialty.
Walking around the town, I could glimpse cats here and there in the alleys. Someday, I would like to stay in Beppu for a leisurely time and walk around the city while looking for cats.
Before leaving the city, I stopped at a supermarket. Since I would arrive on Fukashima in the evening, I bought supermarket deli food for the first night. For the second day, I had already reserved both lunch and dinner on the island. I also stocked up on breakfast for two days, along with alcohol, snacks, water, tea, and coffee.
From Beppu to Fukashima
The drive from Beppu to Kamae Port took another two hours. I had little margin left and followed the navigation system closely. I arrived just in time for the final ferry at 04:00 pm.
I parked at the pier, paid the ferry fare (710 yen one way, 1,350 yen round trip) and the luggage fee (110 yen per large piece of luggage), then boarded the small boat.
About 30 minutes later, Fukashima came into view.
First impressions of the island
At the port, I met Mr. Abe, who runs the inn and cafe with his wife and their three children. Their work extends far beyond running a tourism business. They produce Fukashima’s specialty miso, maintain daily life on the island, and take care of the cats. Their main aim is to keep the island existing.
A short walk from the port, past a shrine with a striking red torii gate, there’s an open square where cats gather. The area includes a miso workshop, a building-material storage space, huts for the cats, and a small playground for the children.
There were probably about 20 cats in that area. Their fur was fluffy and soft, and they looked healthy. Some cats run away when people approach, but many approach people.
Staying at the Community Assembly Hall
Further down the road, there’s a small village where the assembly hall (Shukaijo) where I’m staying is located. Across from it are the guesthouse (entire building rental) and the cafe.
The assembly hall functions as a shared space for island residents. It is used for meetings and local events, as well as for accommodation when former residents return. It has a large tatami room, kitchen, bath, and toilet. Guests can cook for themselves if they bring ingredients and seasonings.
Since it’s limited to one group per day, I spread out my futon and slept alone in the spacious room. I felt a little lonely, but there are several houses of island residents nearby, and I could feel the presence of people and spend the night with peace of mind.
Life with the Abe family
During the day, Mr. Abe’s three children played with me a lot. We played house using real dishes and cooking utensils with wild grass and flowers growing by the roadside, and went on an expedition to an abandoned elementary school.
The children are also experts at taking care of the cats. They call each one by name, give them food, and pet them. It is also their duty to pull up a plant called “Tsuwabuki” (Japanese silverleaf) that grows in spring and deliver it to the older women living nearby.
The two women sat in the shade and peeled the skin of the Tsuwabuki skillfully. The sap is harsh and stains fingertips black. The peeled Tsuwabuki is cut into bite-sized lengths and dropped into a bucket of water. They said they make Tsukudani (food boiled down in soy sauce) out of the tender Tsuwabuki caught in large quantities in spring, freeze it, and eat it little by little until the next spring.
While I helped them and listened to their conversation, they invited me in for tea. I grew up in northern Japan, so I struggled with parts of the western dialect, but the sound of the exchange between them was interesting. When I left, they gave me tsukudani and fried miso as souvenirs.
Homemade meals featuring local ingredients
At the cafe, I had a plate lunch made with island ingredients. The Tsuwabuki Tsukudani tasted good, but the leaf tempura was also incredibly fluffy, soft, and delicious.
I had requested dinner for the second day when booking the accommodation, so they served me a multi-tier box containing a rich variety of side dishes, freshly cooked rice in a clay pot, and clam miso soup. Portions were generous, and I was told to finish the leftovers for breakfast. I ate more than I needed and ended the evening with a beer I had brought myself.
That’s how I spent my two-night stay, from dawn to dusk—just walking around the tiny village, watching the cats, playing with the children, peeling Tsuwabuki, and talking with the grandmas and Mr. Abe.
The cats climbed trees at the shrine, pushed their way through spring flowers in full bloom, and sometimes fought. I never got tired of watching them.
The children’s favorite cat hung out patiently even when teased. They taught me a lot about the cats, such as how one cat is very strong-willed so even the males are afraid of her, or how another cat pretends to be the boss but is actually weak and looked down on by other cats.
Saying goodbye to Fukashima
On the final morning, I went out at sunrise to photograph the cats. After breakfast, I cleaned the assembly hall before leaving, since it serves the entire island community.
When it was time for the midday ferry, the Abe family came to see me off. I promised the children I would return.
After arriving in Kamae just past noon, I stopped by a nearby Michi-no-Eki (roadside station) that one of the grandmas had told me about. They told me that the miso soup there uses fish bone broth and is delicious (it was). It was highly satisfying to have this miso soup together with a bowl topped with plenty of yellowtail sashimi.
I then drove back toward Oita Airport. With little time to spare, I returned the rental car slightly early and took the shuttle bus to the terminal.
How to get to Fukashima (From Tokyo)
Itinerary
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Haneda Airport → Oita Airport (Airplane): Approx. 1 hour 45 minutes
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Oita Airport → Saiki Station (Bus): Approx. 2 hours (Saiki Liner departing at 10:15)
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Saiki Station → Kamae Port (Bus): Approx. 50 minutes (From Saiki Ekimae to Kamae bus stop, then walk to the pier)
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Kamae Port → Fukashima (Ferry): Approx. 30 minutes
Ferry timetable
(Subject to change, so please check when actually heading there)
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Kamae to Fukashima: 8:00 / 11:50 / 16:00
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Fukashima to Kamae: 8:38 / 12:28 / 16:38
Additional transportation tips
Public transportation has infrequent services. If you want to go directly to the island within the same day, I highly recommend you head to Kamae Port from the airport by rental car, which you can book through Discover Cars. You can also take a taxi to the port once you arrive at Saiki Station by train or bus.
If you want to go to Beppu first, know that buses run from Oita Airport to Beppu.
From Beppu to Saiki, it takes about 1 hour by JR limited express train. Alternatively, you can take a JR local train to Oita (approx. 15 minutes) and then take a JR train bound for Saiki (approx. 90 minutes).
Island facilities
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Vending machines: None
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Accommodations: Available (1 guesthouse, assembly hall)
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Dining: Available (1 cafe)
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Shops: None (Souvenirs and other items are sold at the cafe)
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Activities: Available (Marine activities, nature experiences, miso making, etc. Reservation required)
- Payment:
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Guesthouse: Credit card payment available at the time of booking
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Assembly Hall: Cash payment only on-site
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Cafe: Credit card payment available
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Booking information
Reservation page within the Deep Marine Fukashima website: https://deepmarine.booking.chillnn.com/en/.
Guesthouse: From 25,000 yen per person.
Fukashima Assembly Hall (Shukaijo): From 5,500 yen per person. This option is convenient for solo travelers or those looking to keep their budget low.
However, please note that because you will be staying in a community space meant for island residents, basic services are not provided, and you are required to do a light cleaning upon checkout.
- If staying at the guesthouse, select the date and number of people to book directly.
- If staying at the Fukashima Assembly Hall, select the assembly hall stay from the plans, and proceed to select the date and number of people. If you have any questions, there is a free-text field on the booking screen where you can write and consult them.
Important points to note
- Fukashima is a small island. To avoid putting a burden on the infrastructure, please take your garbage home with you, and try to save water and electricity.
- Because the health of the cats is managed, do not feed them indiscriminately. There is a feeding activity you can sign up for at the cafe, so please utilize that. Donations of food or funds are highly welcome. Please speak to the staff at the cafe.
- Do not make noise late at night. Elderly residents live nearby. Please stay with respect.
- Greet the island residents. Japanese people are shy, but they become extremely kind to people who greet them. Interacting with the residents will make your trip incomparably richer.
Final thoughts
Will you be adding Fukashima to your Japan itinerary? If you have specific questions about the island, feel free to leave them in the comments.
Are you following my cat island blog series?
I visited 26 cat islands in Japan and have created several guides to help travelers organize unforgettable trips to these unique destinations. You can explore the articles by clicking on the links below:
You can find an overview of all the Japanese cat islands that exist here.
About the contributor
Chieko Shiraishi is originally from Niigata and has lived in Tokyo since the age of 18. She started traveling to cat islands around 2023. She visits a cat island about once a month—mostly for one night, and occasionally for two nights—to take photographs. As of July 2026, she has visited 26 cat islands.
The camera she uses most often is the OM-1 Mark II.
Follow Chieko on Instagram @chiekoshiraishi for more photos of cat islands in Japan.
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