CL wrote:
> OTA Takashi wrote:
> >>Well the Shiretoko national park or Ogasawara islands to be more
> >>precise. I'm planning on taking a holiday from late this month and
> >>can't decide which to go to. I haven't been to either place before.
> >>Probable dates are May 26th to June 6th.
> >
> >>If anyone has been to either could you let me know some of the pros and
> >>cons you may have experienced?
> >
> > I've never been to both of those, but I prefer Ogasawara because it is
> > hardar to go than Shiretoko. Ships to ogasawara travel only ONCE a
> > week. In this month, the ship leaves Tokyo May 9th, 16th, 24th, and
> > 31st.
> >
> > Ogasawara has its unique history. While it is Japanese territory
> > today, the first immigrants are European/Hawaiian, and their
> > descendants had lived there at latest until 1970 or so (I don't
> > know whether they are still living now.)
> >
> > Mmmm.... I'd like to go there someday...
>
> I've been told that anyone named Sato is a direct descendant of the
> original settlers.  The place was uninhabited until the 1840s when the
> whaling companies established a coaling station there.  The islands had
> a reputation as a real Wild West outpost with no law to speak of until
> the mid-1880's.  Most of the Europeans are related to the Portuguese
> fishermen that worked out of Hawaii and Guam.

I thought it was an American guy and a dozen or so polynesians who
"settled" it.

> You can fly there or take a ferry out of Hinode.  I'd go for the ferry
> if you have 36 hours for the trip each way.  Extremely relaxing.  I
> found it useful for figuring out which way my then-current relationship
> was headed.  YMMV, of course.

Other than diving though is there anything really worth doing? Any
tunnels and bunker complexes from the war etc?

If I go there I'll probably fly down and take the boat back. Starting
to lean a bit towards Hokkaido again though, even though I'll be up
there in August and September anyway.