Hondo (Shimoshima) Guide

Hondo (Shimoshima) Ferry Port

Tucked away in a bay on Shimoshima Island, the largest of the islands that form the Amakusa archipelago off the southern coast of Japan, is the port of Hondo. Found on the jagged coastline of the island’s Amakusa City, this small selection of piers and wharves overlook a sweeping expanse of Shimabara Bay and towards the rolling hills of neighbouring Ueshima Island. The region is famed for its Amakusa pottery made from crystalline stones known as Toseki, which are ground down into clay and then masterfully sculptured into cups and bowls by the hands of local artisans. Such is the homespun beauty of the finished creations; they have been lauded by the government and are regularly shipped to all corners of Japan. The ferry terminal of Hondo, the name a throwback to the city of Hondo that existed in the area before being merged into Amakusa, is located at the foot of the port’s largest undercover jetty. It sits in a prime location near the city centre and is just a 5-minute drive from the bridge that connects Shimoshima with the island of Ueshima. There are plenty of passenger facilities here too, with the check-in building supplied by toilets, a nearby convenience store and a number of vending machines selling food and drink. Though there are a number of transport links in the city, travelling to the port can prove difficult for newcomers unfamiliar with the maze-like nature of the downtown streets and districts. The 324 motorway is one of the major routes through Amakusa, a lengthy, snaking road that passes by the port as it cuts through the city’s heart and then traces the coast of the island’s northern tip. The Amakusa Airport, offering flights to the Japanese mainland, is also found on the outskirts just a 15-minute drive away. On Saturdays, the airport can be reached via a shuttle bus that leaves from a station just outside the harbour. Two ferry routes currently leave from Hondo port a number of times each day. Services operated by Amakusa Takarajima Lines sail north across the waters of Shimabara Bay to the towns of Matushima just over half an hour away on the island of Maejima, and Misumi a little bit further towards the Japanese mainland.