Yomejima, Desert island in Ogasawara Village, Japan.
Yomejima is an uninhabited island in the northern part of the Mukojima archipelago, within Ogasawara Village in Japan, and forms part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The island is characterized by steep rocky cliffs that rise directly from the Pacific Ocean, with no sandy beaches along its coastline.
In the early 20th century, a small community of around 20 people lived on the island, farming the land and raising livestock. After World War II, the remaining residents left and never returned, leaving the island to nature.
The name Yomejima means Bride Island in Japanese, and this poetic label still comes up in conversations among people from Ogasawara Village. Local stories tied to the name have been passed down and give the island a presence in the community despite its emptiness.
The island can only be reached by boat from Chichijima, and the journey depends heavily on weather and sea conditions. A special permit is required to access this protected area, so it is important to arrange everything well in advance.
The short-tailed albatross returned to Yomejima in 2016 after decades of absence, making the island one of the few places in the world where this bird now nests again. The island is also a known breeding site for the black-footed albatross, which makes it a rare spot where two albatross species share the same rocky ground.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
