Except cat-lovers (obviously), Ainoshima is also suitable if you’re looking for a one-day retreat to a remote island away from the hustle and bustle of the city of Fukuoka.

Access

Though accessible and geographically close-by, Ainoshima is not connected by direct express trains (unlike, for example, umi-no-nakamichi). In our case, it took two railways, one bus and one ferry to get there:
1. To Kaizuka station by Fukuoka Subway
2. To Nishitesu Shingū by Nishitesu (¥270)
3. To the ferry pier by communication bus (¥100)
4. To Ainoshima by ferry (¥460)
(The same for return.)

With this comes the high transportation cost (which so characterizes Japan’s public transport), which may come to around ¥2,000 (return). However, if that sounds inconvenient, the plus side of it is that, as you board each new vehicle en route, you can really feel yourself retreating away from your daily routine life and embarking on a journey.

Did we mention the wonderful sunset which you can have the full view of abroad the ferry on your way back? More on that later.

One thing we should note: sometimes you might find that you only have two minutes of transit at the Kaizuka station from the Fukuoka Subway to Nishitesu. This might sound scary (and indeed it is scary if you miss the infrequent trains, which mean you’re bound to miss the still more infrequent ferry). However Kaizuka is a very small station and two minutes should be enough in most of the cases. We would recommend you use the IC card instead of buying train ticket at the station’s machine to save you time, though.

Cats

Of course, the point of coming is the cats! You’re going to find them immediately in the area around the pier, mostly kept by some households, although there are also stray cats.







Frankly, there’s not a great deal to be said –– the cats are mostly very honest about it. Either they like you or they don’t –– if you are lucky, it might allow you to pet it for a while (before turning away, as cats always do). If the cat decides you’re not its cup of tea, well, it just walks away.





Though it is prohibited to feed the cats (so don’t buy cat food!), we’d recommend you to bring along toys that might win you their affection. (Remember those Youtube videos? They might be a good starting point for your How to Play with a Cat 101.) Small tools like plastic bags and any long string also come in handy –– they’ll literally jump for it if you have the right thing they are into. Good luck!







The Rest of the Island

The rest of the island however, might pale in comparison. There’s a very user-friendly round-the-island walking path, with reasonable scenery.



Those of you interested in history might find it pleasant to read the info plates you find along the path. The island at some point was used in part of Japan’s war effort towards Korea. (We went with a Korean friend so that turned to be quite inappropriate!)



Sunset

When you are checking the weather for your journey to Ainoshima, there’re two more things we recommend you check besides rain: visibility as well as sunset time.

In our case we were lucky. Aboard the ferry on our way back, we
suddenly find ourselves engulfed by a most exquisite sunset. Different from the skyline in Tenjin, here the horizon seems endless. Scattering the sky are white cotton buds soaked up with the bluish liquid, into which the setting sun’s reds, oranges, yellows and purples slowly dissolved. The evening breeze caresses the sea’s wrinkly surface, lavishly sprinkling on it traces of the sky’s dyes. Just imagine.

We’ll stop there and not spoil the fun for you. Thank you for reading and hope you’ll find the same fun and unforgettable memories which we had in Ainoshima.







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