Sabbatical

I’ve just wrapped up my assignment in Tokyo but won’t be leaving Japan until I enjoy a well-deserved holiday. In less than 8 hours I go to Shimoda, a small city at the tip of the Izu peninsula where Commodore Mathew Perry landed at Japan with his black ships and forced Japan to sign the Treaty of Kanagawa in 1854 (note: Shimoda is not in Kanagawa).

From there, I’ll take a ferry to five of the seven Izu Islands off the Tokyo coast. Ranging in populations from less than 300 to 9,000 people, these islands are famous for their beaches, hot springs, and not-so-extinct volcanos—see the still smoking Miyakejima, evacuated for almost five years in 2000). No internet access and no cell phone coverage… I can’t wait!

(Map created with Fireworks and Google Earth.)

Here’s a quick fact stub of the islands I’ll be visiting.

Kodzushima (one night stay)
Population: 2,100
Size: 18 square kilometers

Shikineshima
Population: <600
Size: 4 square kilometers

Niijima (one night stay)
Population: 2,600
Size: 24 square kilometers

Toshima
Population: <300
Size: 4 square kilometers

Oshima (one night stay)
Population: 9,000
Size: 92 square kilometers
(A totally kickass aerial shot of Oshima can be seen here, and information on the most recent eruption can be seen here.)

For those of you who want to take this journey sometime, or find out more information (in Japanese), see the ferry company web page here, with detailed information on each island.

See you next week.