Hatsujima II

The island is fully developed with two large resorts. Most Japanese today opt for the resort experience rather than their parents' choice: the minshuku. Both are garish, featuring a helicopter landing pad -- (a) it isn't that far from the mainland and (b) it isn't that big an island -- and a go-cart track. My friend traveling with me explained the go-cart track with: "Well, if you were designing a resort, you want to include activities that your potential guests might enjoy." New Jersey, anyone?

It wasn't that bad, but there were a few guys on the boat with bleach blond mullets that were at least fifteen years older than their girlfriends. And people fed potato chips to the seagulls chasing the boat on the way back to the mainland. You catch my drift.

At least one of the resorts featured "camping" as an alternative to the megaplex hotel. This is a picture of the campsite, complete with air conditioning units in each tent; albeit, tent is stretching it here, and, frankly, so is camping.

The surroundings were beautiful, if a little dangerous. (See next post.) I was there at the peak of the summer in August, and many trees, flowers, and shrubs were in bloom.