Sarushima (猿島) literally means “Monkey Island” in Japanese, but surprisingly there are no monkeys there at all! Instead, you’ll find amazing cliffs, abandoned tunnels, and old military ruins hidden in the forest.
What makes Sarushima even cooler is that it’s the only natural island in Tokyo Bay. It’s easy to get to from Yokosuka, which is about an hour from central Tokyo by train. After arriving at Yokosuka Station, you can walk about 15 minutes to Mikasa Pier and take a speed ferry to the island. The ferry ride only takes around 10 minutes, so the trip feels like a mini adventure.
The ferry usually runs every hour, but make sure to check the time of the last ferry back. Since nobody lives on the island, Sarushima becomes completely deserted after the final boat leaves. Apparently there’s even an emergency button inside the abandoned cafeteria in case someone gets stranded overnight, which honestly sounds like the start of a horror movie.
A lot of people come to Sarushima to relax at the beach, swim, fish, or have barbecues. But the best part of the island is definitely the forest trails and ruins. You can even borrow a trekking pole for free before heading into the woods.
From the late Tokugawa period until the end of World War II, Sarushima was used as a military base by the Japanese army and navy, so ordinary people weren’t allowed to enter. Today, visitors can explore the remains themselves, including brick tunnels and cannon bases hidden among the trees.
The island is actually pretty small, so it takes less than an hour to walk around the whole thing. At the end of the trail, you reach beautiful cliffs where you can look out over Tokyo Bay.
Many people say the scenery inspired the world of the anime Castle in the Sky by Hayao Miyazaki, and when you see the overgrown ruins surrounded by nature, it’s easy to understand why.
Even though Sarushima is small, it feels completely different from the busy city. If you’re looking for an unusual day trip near Tokyo, it’s definitely worth visiting.
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