Hachijojima

Three hundred kilometres south of Tokyo, the Pacific turns subtropical and two volcanoes rise from it wearing jungle. Hachijōjima is technically Tokyo — the same prefecture, a different planet. Black-sand beaches break Pacific swell, tree ferns line the volcanic trails, and the night sky is dark enough to see the Milky Way from a city that shares its postal code with Shinjuku.

Hachijōjima is a volcanic island in the Izu chain, accessible by a fifty-five-minute flight from Haneda or an overnight ferry from Tokyo's Takeshiba Pier. The island is formed by two volcanoes: Hachijō-Fuji in the northwest and the older, more eroded Mitsune-yama in the southeast. Sokodo Beach, with its dramatic black volcanic sand and strong Pacific surf, draws surfers year-round. The island's subtropical climate supports tree ferns, hibiscus, and bird-of-paradise plants rarely seen on the Japanese mainland. Hachijōjima produces kusa-mochi flavoured with ashitaba, a medicinal herb unique to the Izu Islands, and the island's shōchū distillery uses locally grown sweet potatoes and volcanic spring water.