Chiringa-shima (知林ヶ島)

 

Chiringa-sima is an uninhabited island just inside the entrance to Kinko bay near National Park Resort IBUSUKI (Kyuka-mura IBUSUKI / 休暇村指宿).

 

An 800m long sandbar appears at low tide during the flood tide or the middle tide from March to October.

 

The sandbar appears as a little winding path in the sea, and you can cross to the island along this path.
It gives you a special feeling to walk across the sandbar from the Ibusuki side to the island. It takes about 20 minutes to the island. The longest time the sandbar appears is for five hours.

 

 

Matchmaking Island

The island is known as a matchmaking island. This place was used as a shooting location for a TV drama, and many couples visit the island.
There are several things for these people there.

 

♡ Chirin’s Heart

Two different sized objects are placed on the Ibusuki shore. Depending on the angle to see these objects, they look heart-shaped. It is a good place to take some pictures against the background of Chiringa-shima.

 

♡ Chi-kai (Chi貝)

Tie a shell on which you write your wish on a chain on the “Chikai-no Oka (誓貝の丘) at the entrance of the sandbar.
Shells (200 yen each) are sold at Ibusuki City Tourist Information Center at JR Ibusuki Station and National Park Resort IBUSUKI (Kyuka-mura IBUSUKI / 休暇村指宿).

 

he shells which are tied on the chain will be dedicated to Ryugu Shrine (龍宮神社) in Ibusuki after a while.

 

♡ Chirin’s BELL

Chirin’s BELL is located on the hill of Chirin-ga Shima. It is said if you ring the bell praying for happiness, your wish will be fulfilled. The view from this place is great, too.

 

 

Walking Across The Sea

Waking across the sea is really exciting experience.
But, it is still the sea, so you need to be careful. If anything happened, a fun day could be turned into a terrible day.

 

Please do not try to walk across to the island in bad weather.

 

The path disappears very quickly once the tide starts to come in, so check the appearance time of the path and give yourself plenty of time to across back.

 

The tide current is very fast around the sandbar, so if the sandbar isn’t visible, please do not walk across.

 

 

 Beware of poisonous creatures!

Although this is a beautiful place with beautiful shells and scenery to distract you, be careful not to accidentally step on or touch poisonous creatures.

Please enjoy the sea with the understanding that fun and danger are side by side.

 

 

Blue-ringed Octopus (Hyomon-dako / ヒョウモンダコ)

 

Some blue-ringed octopuses (Hyomon-dako / ヒョウモンダコ) have been seen on the shores of Ibusuki city. They are about 5cm~10cm long and they have brown patches like Panthers’. When they are agitated, iridescent blue rings or clumps of rings appear.
If you are bitten by one of them, you might not feel it directly; however, it injects a venom powerful enough to kill a human. The venom causes respiratory arrest.

Do not touch them. They live in shallow water and coastal rocks.

 

PORTUGUESE MAN O’ WAR (KATSUO-NO EBOSHI / カツオノエボシ)

The Portuguese man-of-war is found along the Pacific coast and floats ashore on the shores of Kagoshima. It is about 10 cm in size and is recognized by its clear blue floating sack. At a glance, it looks like a puffy plastic bag washed up on the beach.

Although it is a beautiful color, please do not touch it. It is also known as an “electric jellyfish,” and a sting from one of its tentacles can cause severe, numbing pain. It could also be very dangerous, causing sneezing, coughing, increased heartbeat, breathing difficulties, and even anaphylactic shock.

Tentacles can sting even when dead, as they produce poison through physical stimulation.

Do not approach or touch it.

 

Velella Velella (Katuo-no kanmuri / カツオノカンムリ)

The Velella Velella, which lives in the Kuroshio Sea area, has a clear center and a rounded periphery that is a beautiful dark blue color with a pattern that resembles an annual growth ring. Its body shape is oval, from 5 cm to 10 cm, and its sting is severely painful.

It stings even when dead, so never touch it.

 

 

 

Sandbar Appearance Time (predicted) And The Amount of Time Visible

 

September 2023

 

 

Date		Sandbar Appearance Time	Length of Time
Sep.1	Fri	12:20 pm ~ 3:55 pm	3h35m
Sep.2	Sat	1:15 pm ~ 4:15 pm	3h
Sep.3	Sun	2:20 pm ~ 420 pm	2h
Sep.4	Mon	*The tidal range is small, so the sandbar does not appear.	×
Sep.5	Tue
Sep.6	Wed
Sep.7	Thu
Sep.8	Fri
Sep.9	Sat
Sep.10	Sun
Sep.11	Mon	10:25 am ~ 12:10 pm	1h45m
Sep.12	Tue	10:45 am ~ 1:05 pm	2h20m
Sep.13	Wed	11:10 am ~ 1:45 pm	2h35m
Sep.14	Thu	11:40 am ~2:20 pm	2h40m
Sep.15	Fri	12:10 pm ~ 2:45 pm	2h35m
Sep.16	Sat	12:45 pm ~ 3:05 pm	2h20m
Sep.17	Sun	1:30 pm ~ 3:15 pm	1h45m
Sep.18	Mon	2:20 pm ~ 3:25 pm	1h5m
Sep.19	Tue	*The tidal range is small, so the sandbar does not appear.	×
Sep.20	Wed
Sep.21	Thu
Sep.22	Fri
Sep.23	Sat
Sep.24	Sun
Sep.25	Mon	8:35 am ~ 10:50 am	2h15m
Sep.26	Tue	9:10 am ~ 12:20 pm	3h10m
Sep.27	Wed	9:50 am ~ 1:20 pm	3h30m
Sep.28	Thu	10:40 am ~ 2:05 pm	3h25m
Sep.29	Fri	11:30 am ~ 2:40 pm	3h10m
Sep.30	Sat	12:25 pm~ 3:00 pm	2h35m

 

 

 

October 2023

 

Date		Sandbar Appearance Time	Length of Time
Oct.1	Sun	1:25 pm ~ 3:10 pm	1h45m
Oct.2	Mon	*The tidal range is small, so the sandbar does not appear.	×
Oct.3	Tue
Oct.4	Wed
Oct.5	Thu
Oct.6	Fri
Oct.7	Sat
Oct.8	Sun
Oct.9	Mon
Oct.10	Tue	10:10 am ~ 11:15 am	1h5m
Oct.11	Wed	10:30 am ~ 12:15 pm	1h45m
Oct.12	Thu	10:55 am ~ 12:55 pm	2h
Oct.13	Fri	11:25 am ~ 1:25 pm	2h
Oct.14	Sat	12:00 pm ~ 1:55 pm	1h55m
Oct.15	Sun	12:40 pm ~ 2:10 pm	1h30m
Oct.16	Mon	1:25 pm ~ 2:25 pm	1h
Oct.17	Tue	*The tidal range is small, so the sandbar does not appear.	×
Oct.18	Wed
Oct.19	Thu
Oct.20	Fri
Oct.21	Sat
Oct.22	Sun
Oct.23	Mon
Oct.24	Tue	8:05 am ~ 10:30 am	2h25m
Oct.25	Wed	9:00 am ~ 11:45 am	2h45m
Oct.26	Thu	9:50 am ~ 12:35 pm	2h45m
Oct.27	Fri	10:40 am~ 1:15 pm	2h35m
Oct.28	Sat	11:35 am ~ 1:40 pm	2h5m
Oct.29	Sun	12:35 pm ~ 2:00 pm	1h25m
Oct.30	Mon	*The tidal range is small, so the sandbar does not appear.	×
Oct.31	Tue

 

 

 

 

Map (Chirin-ga Shima)

（From Chiringa-shima）

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Category : Information , Sighthtseeing Info , text @en

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