Kamijima Tours

02/11/2021

05/04/2021

Spent the last days of the spring break on the island of Takaikamijima in Kamijima. It has 9 people still living here, and some great dogs, and a collection of great Manga murals as a project to bring back hope to the town 🐶

Such a nice time spent relaxing with good food and drink and great people. Will be coming back here many more times.

There is a Minshuku, Nataorenoki, which is super clean with a washlet toilet and shower and even free WiFi. If you need more information please contact us to help plan your relaxing trip :)

www.kamijimatours.com

27/02/2021

Its been a long time again, but I have just celebrated my birthday, so I think it deserves a post.

The last year was one of rest and planning, but coming into this year, Kamijima Adventures will slowly start kicking off. My birthday was a day of reflecting and appreciating all the people who have helped me and taken care of us the whole way.
The biggest thanks of all goes to my partner in business and life, Momo (). Without your support and love, none of what we are doing would be possible. I'm so grateful to have you beside me on our journey.

This birthday was one of many surprises, good memories, and gratefulness.
The morning started out with the beautiful routinely sunrise walk and exercise, and amazing presents from Momo and her Mum, and friends. A spontaneous lunch date with an amazing birthday cake surprise made by the lovely Mika and Dave Sinclair. It's a birthday I will never forget!

I hope to be able to continue with the support of the people around us, and I hope I can return even a fraction of the gratitude and support that people have shown to us.

Thank you to all!
Matt

24/09/2020

Spending the Silver Week at the Yuge Sea Station was busy with lots of customers!

It's nice to see friends and strangers come together and enjoy Kamijima, like these customers here!

Will be posting more photos and some new stuff, so stay tuned!

www.kamijimatours.com

#ヨット #海の駅 #上島町

22/09/2020

Shot a longer format movie of one evening practicing flying my new drone.

Check in YouTube for 4k goodness! https://youtu.be/wgQtbolZJfU

Will be creating a few of these scenery focused videos for some good background media.

www.kamijimatours.com

Editing clip testing colour grading and some other stuff in Davinci Resolve!

25/08/2020

The first series of Kamijima Adventures Postcards arrived today! They are currently at the .seastation for 200yen each or 300yen for poststamps and cute stickers included (we can post it too!).

They came out so great and can only say a huge thank you to Studio Takebayashi who helped me make these great cards!

I will be adding more cards slowly! Let me know if someone wants to buy overseas and I'll put up an online purchase page! :D the next series is "Shimanami Kaido"

www.kamijimatours.com

p.s lots of people asking what "Kamijima Adventures" is so I'll explain it here. Kamijima Adventures started out as more of a creative brand, rather than my Kamijima tours business. Currently I like the name a lot so anything not tour related will be under the Kamijima Adventures name!

@ Yuge Sea Station（上島町弓削海の駅舎ふらっと）

10/08/2020

Managed to film a short clip of some wakeboard fun just in the harbour here in Yuge with ! It's unedited, but this is a teaser, I will be slowly making a video with my drone footage soon.

Now summer has properly started, I am excited to be going back outside to take more shots around Kamijima :)

🏖️🌊🛥️

I am also working on some Kamijima Tours postcards which should be finished by next month, so look out for those! :D

www.kamijimatours.com

13/07/2020

First event we are hosting is a small event limited to 20 people! Come and drink some wine and talk some English :)

Hope to see you there! 23/07/2020 6pm - 8.30pm!

08/07/2020

Hello!

It has been a little while, we have finally opened the Yuge Sea Station, 上島町ゆげ海の駅舎ふらっと from the 19th of June.

With the COVID situation still going on, even in Japan, it has been difficult to plan a 'grand opening' or something like that, but we are slowly working on things to get the town moving again!

We still are working on the building, so please watch this space for more! Or better yet stop by and say hi!

yugeseastation.com

⛵️🏝🌁

28/05/2020

Hello!

Things have been stopped here for a few months now due to COVID-19. I have been lucky to be relatively unaffected here on these islands, and been using the downtime to prepare for the next steps.

We are proud to say that Kamijima Tours will be taking over management of the Yuge Sea Station, also known as "the Flat". The opening day keeps getting pushed back and back, currently it is set to open on 19th June.

This seastation is the point of call for the yachts who visit Yuge Island, and we will be using it as an information centre and hub for inbound tourists coming through Kamijima!

Really really excited about this opportunity, so watch this space for more updates!

yugeseastation.com

#弓削島海の駅
🚲⛵⛱️

So... A lot has happened around the world, and we have seen humans react in very unfortunate ways, as well as humans do some truly amazing things that make me proud. New Zealand has made headlines with Jacinda showing how to lead through uncertain times, and we are continuing along our plan to get back up and running again.

Everyone is trying their hardest, and my only hope is that people will stay sensible and reasonable to keep the jobs of people on the front-line easier.

This photo is for a project by Yuge Highschool to show support for the people on the front lines fighting COVID-19, the nurses, doctors and all emergency services. I wonder if I could help set up a donation page or fundraising effort to better help them support, but I will take the small steps first 😊 FIGHT ON!

みんなで繋げよう(^^)
最終的には繋がった画像でフォトムービーを作ります！島外の方でもどなたでも参加OK！バトンを指名されてなくてもぜひやってください！投稿した画像は
へDMで送ってあげてください！詳しくわ
yumejima_projectで確認してください！
#折り鶴プロジェクト #折鶴 #夢島プロジェクト #弓削から #スタート #繋がれ #フォトムービー #折り鶴 #プロジェクト #高校生 #プロジェクト #誰でも参加してください #瀬戸内 #瀬戸内海 #上島町 #コロナ #コロナに負けるな #コロナウイルスが早く終息しますように #みんなで乗り越えよう　

👩‍⚕️🇳🇿🎌🌟

14/04/2020

In the last few days, Japan has been slowly getting more serious.
Keeping inside and social distancing, I have been taking to the drone more and more!

www.kamijimatours.com

Stay safe, I will be posting less for now!

29/03/2020

Kamiyuge Mountain scenic road.

2 years ago, the typhoon rains washed out this road in many places. This year, they have fixed the road, and opened it once again.
It is a 4km long road to a park (that has been abandoned for at least 10 years), with no houses, or farms that the road services. It's a wonder that this was built at all!

www.kamijimatours.com

It's a beautiful road that I hope to somehow make more use of in the future! ⛰️🚗🌲

25/03/2020

The Shimanami Kaido's Innoshima bridge is one of the longer bridges on the main route at 1,339 metres. There are still 2 more that are longer!
What is special about this one is the pedestrian path is underneath the main road!

The connection of us humans is something we take for granted, but in times like this we realise how fragile it is!

Please stay safe and practice social distancing and don't take those risks!

www.kamijimatours.com
https://www.instagram.com/kamijima_adventures

🌤️🌉⛵

21/03/2020

Continuing the adventures of exploring the islands I live, you can always find hidden sites if you just put in some exercise. Exploring the abandoned structures and roads of Japan is always so interesting.

Pick a path and follow it until you can't anymore, but still keep going. Most of the time you will find a little something like this to reward your efforts!

www.kamijimatours.com

⌛🌳🚶‍♂️⛩️

17/03/2020

The last couple weeks I have been trying to head into the hills right behind where we live. Unlike back in New Zealand, these beautiful trails get no visitors, with locals having not much interest at all!

After been maintained and used in the 80's, due to the depopulation and aging of the islands, they have slowly been taken over by nature once again.

Such a beautiful and rewarding sight to see where you live from a different perspective!

www.kamijimatours.com

🏃⛰️🌞🌳

13/03/2020

Cycled the main Shimanami Kaido again for the first time in a few months! Temperature is already perfect cycling, the weather is fine, and the scenery is beautiful as always!

🚲🌉⛅
www.kamijimatours.com

I think I will try to cycle a least once every 2 months! Need to keep my fitness even in the winter months :)

10/03/2020

Sunrise in sleepy Yuge Island while waiting for ferry.

These boats are the express ferries for ambulances on the island. There are clinics and other services available on the island, but just in case, these 2 boats are always ready to speed you off to Innoshima (5min away) to a bigger hospital.

🏥🚑

To my surprise, last year there were also a convoy of medical buses that parked in town for 2 days. All your check-ups, male and female, as well as a full slice CT scan.

Even on a tiny island, help is not too far away!

www.kamijimatours.com

07/03/2020

Ikina Bridge. The bridges in Kamijima aren't nearly as impressive as the main Shimanami Kaido, but they are much prettier (if I don't say so myself). 🚲🌉🌸

This time of year, the evenings are almost always beautiful and still with stunning serene sunsets. Makes me more excited to get out and try see the area from different perspectives.

www.kamijimatours.com

05/03/2020

It's been a warm winter, the weather is already becoming spring, and Cherry blossom season is just around the corner! 🌸

The weather is always great in Kamijima, with less that 10 rainy days counted since the start of this winter, there is a reason people are still always smiling!

🌤️🍋🥂

This is one of 3 walls which have being painted on different islands around Kamijima (they have all been finished). But great to see that people are receptive to doing new projects like this!

🛠️⛩️🎨
www.kamijimatours.com

If you are interested in trying to organise further creative projects like this, just contact us and we will jump at any opportunity to facilitate more ideas and projects in Kamijima!

03/03/2020

It's the start of the citrus season. 60% of all citrus of Japan comes from Ehime prefecture, with 55 commercial varieties they are picking something for almost the entire year!
On Iwagi island, it is home to the "Iwagi blue lemon" and many other prized varieties of citrus, so we thought to try pick some ourselves! Spend a few hours yourself, picking citrus and talking with the lovely Okano family of Okano Farm! 🍊🍋🥝🍅

www.kamijimatours.com

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
**About the experiences and activities:**
Most of these experiences aren't commercially operating to inbound tourists (or tourists at all), but together with the owners of experiences around Kamijima we think there would be much more unique interest in more intimate, less commercial experiences.
So over the next year, we will feature some that we really enjoy, and if anyone is interested, please contact us for any information or bookings! 🚵‍♀️🍣⛵

Things all around Kamijima

01/03/2020

Living on a tiny island, it is sometimes nice to be disconnected from the happenings in the rest of Japan and the World.
But in a time like this, I really do hope the immediate and secondary effects of the Corona Virus do not get many times worse, in terms of casualties as well as impact.

Even in such a small isolated place, we still get all the masks and medical alcohol sold out. Even all the toilet paper was all sold out everywhere after a manufacturer announced that toilet paper production will be reduced to make more masks.

In times like this, stay vigilant especially when you are in the larger cities, preferably avoid travel there and wash your hands after being out.

www.kamijimatours.com

25/02/2020

It's birthday day today in Kamijima! 🍻🍣🎉🎁

This photo was taken a year ago when I first arrived in Japan after moving from NZ.

It's been a very fast year full of learning and finding my footing in a completely unfamiliar place. I managed to beg my way into the kitchen of the local sushi master and Momo landed a job at the Tourist Association (as well as 3 other jobs).

We have made many great friends and connections, and are grateful to be currently settled in such a beautiful place. Even if life might take us elsewhere, for now we want to give back to the community as well as show travelers a slice of something rare in the world today.

This is how we started Kamijima Tours. After many friends and family visited and lovely being shown around, we thought other people would also enjoy too. Tying together all the people and business that we love, we are trying to do things differently here in Kamijima.

Follow along for our journey in 2020, and read our website for more information about us!

www.kamijimatours.com

24/02/2020

Welcome to Kamijima!

This small snippet begins the journey of playing around with videos.
Shot on a quiet evening in Kamijima just before sunset. From now, I will be showing off different places while practicing filming and editing. ⛩️⛵🎬

This is just using the free Dji app, but it's only up from here! Hopefully you won't have to bear with the bad early videos for too much longer! :D
End goal is I will be doing a Kamijima Tours promo video, but that's a little way off.

www.kamijimatours.com

23/02/2020

Here in Kamijima they still have the tradition of continuing the Matsuri Autumn Festivals every year! In the month of October, every weekend different townships all around Kamijima have their own celebration!! 🎊🎎🎏🍻🍂

If you end up coming around this time, send us a message! The chances are they need help lifting, as the danjiri can weigh several tonnes. Even with 30 people its crazy heavy!

www.kamijimatours.com

Things all around Kamijima

22/02/2020

Jump on your bike and join us for a unique experience of Japan!

The weather is always great, people are always friends, and a welcome is always waiting! 🚴🏅🗾🌤️🍙

www.kamijimatours.com

21/02/2020

Here in Kamijima there are so many things on offer that you can do! 🧀🥂🥩

This is a smoked food experience in a smoker made from a propane gas bottle. Using sakura wood chips from the tree in his garden. Doesn't get much better than good food and drink.

Finding experiences like this can be hard, so just give us a message if you are interested :)

www.kamijimatours.com

Things all around Kamijima

20/02/2020

You can find great places like these by just turning down any unsuspecting street. Give yourself time to explore and find your own little memorable spot!

12/02/2020

The sunrises and sunsets here are some of the most serene I have ever seen. Time your commute with the golden hour, and I swear you won't be disappointed.

07/02/2020

It's truly a breathtaking region.
I have a new drone, so will be spending many hours playing around.

I have also decided that I will not geo-tag specific locations to try and keep the tourism sustainable in the area :)

06/02/2020

Will be posting content from my random adventures around the Islands from now on. Stay tuned!