Sarushima, Uninhabited island in Yokosuka, Japan
Sarushima is an uninhabited island in Tokyo Bay off the coast of Yokosuka. The islet rises from rocky shores through forests and old defense structures to a wooded summit.
In the 19th century, the Tokugawa shogunate built coastal batteries on this site to guard the bay against Western ships. After the Meiji Restoration, the navy expanded the fortifications and carved underground tunnels through the rock.
The name Sarushima means "Monkey Island"; a legend links it to the monk Nichiren. The whole island once belonged to Kasuga Shrine (Jushima Daimyojin). Visitors today see the brick fortifications, whose bricks were fired at a workshop in Aichi Prefecture and vary in colour because their clay and firing temperatures differed.
Ferries from Yokosuka Chuo run several times daily to the island, carrying visitors across the water in about 10 minutes. Paths are narrow and include stairways, so sturdy shoes work best for exploring.
The brick tunnels were carved directly into the cliffs, linking multiple levels of the military installations together. Wild cats roam through the undergrowth, though their origin on the island remains a mystery to this day.
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