On the third day of our island trip, we made our way to the island’s most picturesque viewpoint. From here, you can truly appreciate the unique features of this island’s ria coastline. The calm sea is of utmost importance for cultivating Akoya pearls. The intricate coastline of this island, cradling the sea, makes it particularly suitable for pearl cultivation.
On the left stone monument, a verse like this is inscribed.
A piece of pearl,
On the leaves of green broad-leaf trees,
One drop of Akoya pearl,
Riding the currents, descending into the sea,
Nurturing the pearl.
This was set up by the Japanese non-profit organization ”hito-tsubu-no-shinjyu”(One Pearl at a Time), which conducts tree-planting activities across the country. Akoya pearls are born from Akoya oysters, and for these oysters to thrive, they require a bountiful sea. A bountiful sea, in turn, requires abundant mountains. Rain falls upon the mountains, carrying with it numerous nutrients as it flows into the sea. To support the cultivation of mountains and, in turn, the growth of Akoya oysters, they are engaged in tree-planting activities.
Next, we headed to “Anago-tei,” a restaurant on Tsushima that has gained popularity in Tokyo in recent years for its anago (conger eel) dishes. On this day, we waited for an hour and a half. However, the wait was worth it. It was tastier than any sashimi I’ve had before. To put it in terms of a 100-meter sprint, this anago would finish first in 8.43 seconds, leaving the second-place at around 9.83 seconds. It’s purely my personal impression, but I strongly recommend experiencing it for yourself.
After our meal, we made our way to the airport. It was here that I bid farewell to my teachers and their sister. They were taking a flight back to Osaka, while I had plans to return via the ferry early the next morning.
The next morning, I woke up at 4:30 am and boarded the ferry departing at 6:20 am. It was time to bid farewell to the island where I had stayed for several days.
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