Awaji Island: Bridge to Shikoku, Naruto Whirlpools and Onions

Naruto Whirlpools

The Naruto Strait between Awaji Island and Shikoku generates whirlpools up to 20 meters in diameter as tidal currents squeeze through the narrow channel at speeds reaching 20 kilometers per hour. The largest whirlpools form during spring tides around new and full moons. Sightseeing boats from Fukura Port on Awaji cruise into the strait for 2,000 yen, getting close enough to feel the boat pulled by smaller eddies. The Uzunomichi walkway beneath the Onaruto Bridge provides a glass-floor viewing point 45 meters above the whirlpools for 510 yen.

Awaji Island, the largest in the Seto Inland Sea at 592 square kilometers, lies between Kobe and Shikoku, connected to the mainland by the Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge, the world’s longest suspension bridge with a central span of 1,991 meters. The Bridge Exhibition Center at the Awaji side entrance shows the engineering that withstood the 1995 Kobe earthquake during construction.

Onions and Island Culture

Awaji is Japan’s premier onion-growing region, and the sweet, mild onions appear in every possible form across the island: onion soup at highway rest stops, onion UFO catcher game machines, onion ramen, onion beer, onion chips, and onion-shaped souvenirs. The volcanic soil and mild climate create growing conditions that produce onions with higher sugar content and lower pungency than mainland varieties. Roadside stands sell 50-kilogram bags directly from farmers.

The Awaji Yumebutai complex, designed by architect Tadao Ando, cascades down a hillside with stepped gardens of 100 flower beds, a conference center, and a Westin hotel. The site was a quarry that supplied earth for constructing the artificial islands of Kansai International Airport, and Ando’s design rehabilitated the scarred landscape. Honpukuji Water Temple conceals a Buddhist temple beneath an oval lotus pond, entered by descending stairs through the water surface into a vermilion-lit underground prayer hall.

Getting There

Highway buses from Kobe’s Sannomiya reach Awaji in 60 minutes via the Akashi Bridge. From Tokushima on Shikoku, buses cross the Naruto Bridge in 30 minutes. Having a car opens access to the island’s scattered attractions including the western coast’s sunset beaches and the Eiraku farm area. Awaji Onsen on the east coast offers Osaka Bay views from rotenburo outdoor baths. The island works as a day trip from Kobe or Osaka, or as a stopover between Kansai and Shikoku.

Getting Around Awaji

Highway buses from Kobe Sannomiya reach the northern end of Awaji in 60 minutes via the Akashi Bridge, while buses from Tokushima cross the Naruto Bridge in 30 minutes to the southern end. Without a car, bus connections between attractions are workable but infrequent, and having a rental car opens access to the western coast sunset beaches, the Eiraku farm area, and the many coastal viewpoints. Awaji Onsen on the east coast offers Osaka Bay views from rotenburo outdoor baths. The island makes a practical day trip from Kobe or Osaka, with the northern Yumebutai area and southern Naruto Whirlpools bookending a coastal drive that takes about three hours without extended stops.

Puppetry and Mythology

Awaji Ningyo Joruri puppet theater, a 500-year tradition predating and influencing the more famous Bunraku of Osaka, performs at the Awaji Puppet Theater in Fukura with daily shows. The half-size puppets, operated by three puppeteers, perform historical dramas and folk tales with elaborate costumes and expressive movements for 1,500 yen admission. The Izanagi Shrine in the island’s center is dedicated to the creator deity Izanagi, who according to the Kojiki chronicle created the Japanese islands by stirring the ocean with a jeweled spear, with Awaji Island being the first land to emerge. Highway buses from Kobe reach Awaji in 60 minutes via the Akashi Bridge, while buses from Tokushima cross the Naruto Bridge in 30 minutes. Having a car opens access to the western coast sunset beaches, coastal viewpoints, and the many scattered attractions. Awaji Onsen on the east coast offers Osaka Bay views from rotenburo outdoor baths.

This content is for informational purposes only and reflects independent research. Details may change — verify current information before making travel plans.