To get to Miyake Island from Tokyo, you can take a boat from the Takeshiba Port.

The cabins are divided into various price ranges, from specialty cabins to 1st and 2nd class cabins.

After the boat departs, you can see Odaiba and the Rainbow Bridge from the deck.

I arrived at Miyake Island at 5:00 a.m. and had a quick rest at my hostel before exploring the island. I recommend renting a car to get around. There's just too much to see on Miyake Island to just take the bus.
As you travel along the coastal road, you'll pass beautiful scenery. If you want to stop and take a picture, you'll have to wait too long for the next bus.

The first place I visited on Miyake Island was Oroji.
Oroji is one of Miyake Island's most iconic destinations and was once a crater more than 2,500 years ago.

There is a walking path that goes around the lake. It's only about 1.3 kilometers long, so it's an easy walk.
The information board at the entrance to Oroji marks the main spots, so it's helpful to take a look before you set off.

The effort to preserve nature was evident.
Even if there is a huge tree lying in the way as you walk down the trail, it is preserved and kept intact.
It's impressive to see that even though there are huge trees blocking the path, they have been kept intact.

There are two decks on the Oroji, the south deck and the north deck, so it was nice to get a good view of the lake.

The view from the south deck. Uniquely shaped old trees and green trees make up the forest, and you can see a small portion of the north deck in the distance.
There were flocks of mallards floating on the lake.

A white egret soared in the sunlight over the tranquil lake.

The Maigoji is a 600-year-old tree, and it's the largest and oldest tree in Oroji.
It was really big in person. I couldn't believe that there was a tree hiding in this forest that was so much bigger than the others. You can realize its size by comparing it to the people next to it.

I took a bus to the east side of the island. The first place I went to was Miyakejima Brewery, and while the name made me think of a sake brewery, I was surprised to find that it was decorated like a cafe. On one side, they display and sell the sake they make.
Miyakejima Brewery produces Japanese sake, and they offer free tastings, so you can try a glass or two.

The brewery also sells juices, so it's a great place to take a break while enjoying the view of Miyake Island through the large windows.

We also stopped by Okayasakura Honten, which is famous for its milk-based senbei. There are some cow statues outside the building, which is fun to see.
If you pick the right day, you can watch them make their own senbei, but they weren't making senbei on this day, so I just bought some and tried it. The senbei here is really delicious.

Furusato Onsen (ふるさと体験ビレッジ)

Abeno Ryokan is where I stayed on Miyake Island.
It's near the Ako Port but is tucked away in the hills, so it's a quiet place to stay.
The owner was very friendly, and the dog, named Rabchan, was very friendly and cute.
He's actually a golden retriever, so he was a bit too big to be called cute.

The interior of the ryokan has an old-fashioned atmosphere.

It's Japan. It's an island, so of course there were lots of seafood dishes.
We were served a large sea bream dish and conch shells that were dripping with juices and grilled on a private brazier.

The tuna and mackerel sashimi were all delicious. The rice was also very delicious.
Above all, the owner's sincerity made the evening feel even warmer.

A short but long day on Miyake Island… The more I look at it, the more I realize that there is such a place near Tokyo.
Many people come here for scuba diving and fishing, and in the summer it would be fun to swim or snorkel. There are so many unique landscapes that I would love to rent a car and explore the island in detail next time :)