Day One
09.00 – Leave from Nanao Station and head to Notojima
10.00 – Arrive at the Notojima Glass Museum and take a walk through the museum
11.00 – Head down the hill to the Notojima Glass Studio and take a glass making course
12.00 – Go to a sea-side cafe just down the hill from the studio. Eat Japanese comfort food style meals and make handmade herb salt
13.30 – Go to the Notojima Aquarium
16.00 – Drive to your ryokan
17.00 – Check in and settle in. Enjoy dinner, karaoke, talking with locals and a long hot bath. You’ll want to be well rested for the day ahead. Feel free to take a walk down to the bay and watch the cats that patiently wait for the fisherman to bring them a snack, or enjoy the sunset view from your room that points you perfectly towards the water
Day Two
07.00 – Boat Ride
08.00 – Breakfast at the ryokan
09.00 – Kayaking and paddle boarding at Dolphin Smile
12.00 – Eat a meal at the ILU cafe but if you’re a vegetarian like me, head out and eat elsewhere. I went cheap and bought my lunch from the convenience store and had a mini picnic
13.00 – Go to Susoezoana Kofun viewpoint and mini museum
15.00 – Go to Hyokkori Onsen to enjoy a sand bath (currently closed for the 2020 summer season), a snack, and cool down
17.00 – The two day tour ends here. You can enjoy one last meal on the island, stop off in Wakura onsen, or even grab some hot pot in Nanao before you head on to your next adventure
*It is possible to travel the island by bus, and most of the locations on the island have bus stops. You could also choose to rent a bicycle and get some exercise on your vacation. There are bike tours of the island for anyone interested. We recommend a car for convenience and so that you can do as many things as possible. Even with our car, we had a few missed opportunities that we’d like to get back to.
*There are very few trash cans on the island. Don’t litter, hold onto your trash and throw it away when you can.
*It’s an island so it’s hot, humid, and salty. It’s just the right recipe to dehydrate a person fast, keep water on your person and stay hydrated.