Awaji Island Travel Guide — Things to Do, Food & Hotels
Seto Inland Sea Island
About Awaji Island
The island is occupied by three cities: Awaji, Sumoto and Minami-awaji. Awajishima has some claim to being the oldest settled area in Japan; the Kojiki mentions it under the name "Onokoroshima" and burial mounds (kofun) dating back thousands of years have been found on the island. Theningyo joruripuppet theater, which has evolved intobunraku, seems to originate from Awajishima. Awajishima made a very unusual but brief appearance on the world stage as the epicenter of theGreat Hanshin Earthquakeof 1995 that killed over 6000 people. However, Awajishima was (and remains) far less built up than the suburbs of Kobe across the bay, which took the brunt of the damage. It was also the island where the England soccer team stayed during the World Cup in 2002. The southern tip lies a mere kilometer
Top Attractions in Awaji Island
Explore the best things to see and do in Awaji Island:
- ★AiAii (natural indigo workshop)
- ★Akashi Kaikyo Bridge
- ★Kiseki no Hoshi Botanical Museum
- ★Naruto Whirlpools
- ★Nojima Fault Preservation Museum
- ★Sumoto Castle
- ★Water Temple
Where to Stay in Awaji Island
- 🏨Hamabesō
- 🏨The Went Awaji
- 🏨Westin Hotel Awaji
Awaji Island Travel Guide Sections
Our comprehensive guide covers 10 sections including: