In Japan, many companies have a one-week summer vacation in mid-August. My company also had a similar one-week summer break. I used this summer vacation to visit a pearl cultivation farm owned by my company. And not just that, I decided to go there using my motorcycle and a ferry. In my work, I often visit an island where the pearl cultivation farms are located, but I had never been there personally. The desire to go there personally had grown stronger, especially since I got my motorcycle license a few years ago. This time, I executed my plan to make it happen. When visiting the pearl cultivation farm for work, it takes about 3 hours by Shinkansen (bullet train) or 30 minutes by airplane. The total travel time is about 5 hours. However, this time, with my motorcycle and the ferry, it took around 22 hours. It turned out to be an amazing trip for me, so I’m documenting it here as an article. Regarding Akoya pearls, I observed the pearl cultivation area on a boat during my visit to the pearl cultivation farm. I enjoy writing, but my personality tends to scatter, so my writing might be quite scattered. I hope this can be even a little reference for you when planning a trip to Japan. However, the text might still be scattered. Without much further thought, I’ll describe the journey in chronological order.
So, the summer vacation at my company started on August 11th. I packed my backpack with clothes, a laptop,
novels, and other essentials by August 9th. As soon as work ended on August 10th, I rushed home, shouldered my backpack, and headed to the ferry terminal on my motorcycle. I departed home at 5:30 PM and arrived at the ferry terminal by 6:00 PM. The departure was at 7:00 PM, but I needed to arrive at the port much earlier for check-in.
The ferry company I boarded was “Sunflower.” You can find more about it here. By the way, the ferry fare for a motorcycle and myself is approximately 226 dollars one way. The ferry’s name is “Gold Pearl.” Yes, like “pearls?” That’s right. The port in Kobe, Hyogo Prefecture, where I departed from, is also known as “Pearl City Kobe.” Not many people, even those living in Kobe, are aware of this. It originated from the fact that a person who founded a pearl company in Kobe in 1921 invented pearl bleaching. Following that, numerous pearl companies gathered in Kobe. Even now, there are around 150 pearl-related companies in Kobe. For that reason, I believe the ferry is named “Gold Pearl.” As for why “Gold,” it’s unclear, but I think it might be suitable for “Sunflower,” and the color associated with the sun is “gold.” Without further ado, I boarded the ferry with my motorcycle. The crew securely tied my motorcycle with ropes. Until arrival, my motorcycle was separated from me. The ferry had about 7 floors, I believe. I took an elevator from the hot and humid 3rd floor vehicle loading area to the passenger cabins.
At this point, I was overwhelmed with an extraordinary sense of novelty. I left my luggage in the room and immediately went out to the deck. The view of Kobe’s cityscape from the sea also filled me with a sense of novelty. As we set sail and gradually distanced ourselves from the land, I was so moved that tears welled up in my eyes. In my daily life, I commute between work and home. At home, I focus on creating jewelry and pearl products. I was satisfied with that, but I felt that I still wanted more freedom in my heart. I don’t travel much, so perhaps that’s why I was even more impressed.
Shortly after departure, there were many passengers on the deck, but after about 20 minutes, most people returned to the cabins. I didn’t return. After about 40 minutes, the ferry was going to pass under the “Pearl Bridge.”
The Pearl Bridge opened on April 5th, 1998. It cost about 500 billion yen to construct. With a total length of 3,911 meters and a main span of 1,991 meters, it was the longest suspension bridge in the world at the time. Since its opening in 1998, it has been recognized and featured in the “Guinness World Records.” However, on March 18, 2022, the Çanakkale 1915 Bridge in the Dardanelles Strait in western Turkey opened, with a main span of 2,023 meters, making it the world’s longest. Great! Turkey!
I wanted to take a good photo of this magnificent bridge. While enjoying Kobe’s cityscape at night from the sea, I felt enveloped in this extraordinary excitement, so I continued to stay on the deck. As the Pearl Bridge drew closer, an announcement came over the ship’s intercom: “We will be passing under the Pearl Bridge soon. Please go out to the deck and take a look.” After that, many passengers began to come out to the deck. Around me, too, many passengers gathered. We all enjoyed the beautiful Pearl Bridge together. Indeed, it looked as beautiful as a pearl.
As the bridge started to recede from the ferry, I returned to the cabin. After that, I went to the buffet restaurant, which cost 1,800 yen. There were many dishes, but I particularly enjoyed the simmered mackerel. I had three servings of rice just with that. The passenger next to me laughed and said, “There are so many other dishes, but you’re different, aren’t you?” I replied, “I think so too,” and we both laughed.
Most of the ship’s passengers were Japanese families. About 30% were long-distance truck drivers, and about 20% were Southeast Asian, mainly Chinese travelers. There were very few Westerners. More than Japanese travelers, the foreign tourists were quietly enjoying the night view of the land from the ferry, their faces filled with sentimentality.
After finishing the meal and taking a bath, I decided to go to sleep to prepare for the next day. It was around 11:00 PM. Since there was hardly any signal on the ferry, internet access was practically nonexistent. I read the novel I had brought with me for a while before going to sleep.
Inside the ferry. It was spacious!
The next morning, I woke up around 5:00 AM. The ferry was approaching Beppu Bay in Oita Prefecture. Oita Prefecture is quite far from Kobe, where I live. The scenery of Oita that I could see from the ferry was also moving.
After the ferry docked and some time passed, I left the ferry on my motorcycle.
It was just before 7:00 AM. Even though it was summer, the weather was still pleasantly cool. But there was no time to be leisurely. I had to catch the next ferry, which was scheduled to depart at 10:20 AM. The ferry was 180 kilometers (about 112 miles) away, and I planned to reach there in about 2 hours on the highway. I aimed to arrive an hour early, but this period was the busiest time of the year. There were only 5 spots for motorcycles on the ferry, and reservations were not available. It was first-come, first-served. The ferry was the only way to get my motorcycle to the island. I rode my motorcycle straight from the southern end to the port in Fukuoka’s Hakata area, where the next ferry would depart from.
I arrived at Hakata Port a little after 9:00 AM. The ferry terminal was incredibly crowded. I stood in line for my motorcycle to board. By the time I boarded with my motorcycle, it was already past the scheduled departure time. Many travelers were still boarding the ferry. I asked an older lady who was on the deck, “I’ve been using this ferry every month for the past 30 years since I got married, but I’ve never seen it this crowded before.” It seemed that this day was a rare exception. Perhaps it was due to the relaxation of travel restrictions following the subsiding of the pandemic. Currently, Japan is experiencing its highest number of COVID-19 cases, but sometimes the public perception and actual numbers don’t correlate. The ferry finally set sail well past 11:00 AM. I wasn’t worried since I was able to board with my motorcycle.
The inside of the ferry was filled with numerous travelers. There were several large halls where passengers could relax, but they were packed to the brim on this day. The corridors were also filled with people. I felt lost, not knowing where to go. Then, a ferry crew member noticed my motorcycle helmet and told me, “Are you with the motorcycle? If you’re the driver, there’s a special room for you.” She guided me to a room with bunk beds on both sides. I was the only one using it. It was a peaceful room, and I could finally relax on a comfortable bed.
When I went out to the deck, I was greeted by the brilliant sunlight and the deep blue sea—an exquisite view.
The ferry stopped at Iki Island along the way and arrived at my destination around 3:50 PM. Normally, I only visit the southern part of the island for business trips. Even the pearl cultivation farms are located in the southern part. However, this was a personal trip, and I wanted to explore the northern part of the island, which I rarely visit. I had been driving on the island’s roads in a company car for the past 10 years, but riding my own motorcycle was incredibly fun. I had a smile on my face. After riding for about an hour and a half, I reached the northern tip of the island, where I stayed at a ryokan (traditional Japanese inn). The island’s landscape is mostly comprised of mountains and sea, making it an ideal route for motorcycle riding. While the view might be the same, the experience is completely different when riding my own motorcycle.
Even though I rode the same roads as when on a business trip, it felt entirely new when on my motorcycle. Foreign tourists occasionally bring bicycles to the island for touring, which I find luxurious. Even among Japanese, very few people choose this island as a travel destination. The roads on the island wind through mountains and later pass through a peaceful fishing village by the sea. The gentle curves along the coastline are a delight to ride. During business trips, I often find myself getting drowsy due to the monotony of these roads. However, this time was different as I rode on my own motorcycle. Although the scenery remained similar, my perspective had changed.
I was still filled with satisfaction at having safely arrived at the island. The view from my room at the ryokan was also stunning.
Despite indulging in the highest quality cuisine and enjoying the finest views, the cost was only $123 for a night. The island’s fish are not only fresh but also have a unique texture due to the harsh sea conditions of the Genkai Sea they traverse. Island locals don’t place as much emphasis on freshness. They know that fish left to sit for a day is actually more delicious. They also evaluate the taste based on how “well-exercised” the fish is. Some might say, “This fish is well-trained,” or “This one’s lazy. Its flesh is soft.” Many people here gauge taste based on how the fish was raised. This region’s fish has made it impossible for me to be content with fish from elsewhere.
I savored these island fish dishes and more, and soon I was fast asleep. Three beers and two cups of sake were all it took to knock me out. Nonetheless, I was extremely satisfied to have arrived safely and with a sense of fulfillment.
The story continues, but this is where I’ll stop for now. The journey continues until August 16th, but I’ll conclude my account up to August 11th for now. As the story progresses, the word count might decrease significantly. Nevertheless, I’d be delighted if you continued reading.
I woke up around 4 AM on this day because I had gone to bed early. While I was up, I used my iPhone’s time-lapse feature to capture the view from the window until dawn.
Continued in ‘Motorcycle Journey to Pearl Cultivation Farm in Japan 2‘
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