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Writer's pictureTakashi Hirose

Castle in the Sky: Laputa was in Wakayama - Tomoga Island Part.2


(4) Laputa island recommended exploration route


"Be ready in 40 seconds." We shall start exploring Laputa Island. Is there any treasure? Is the colonel still there?


If you follow the dotted line on the map below, you can visit almost all the suspicious points. If you don't stop, it's about 5 km, it will take 1 hour 12 minutes. However, you will definitely stop many times, so it really depends on the person how long this will take. If you are exploring on a day trip, please pay attention to the time of the return boat.


I recommend going around the opposite direction of the directions suggested on the official Wakayama sightseeing island walking map and online information. This is because the ruins of the second battery in the evening are a spectacular sunset spot overlooking Awaji Island.


Start: Nonaura Pier (Tomogashima Information Center)

A. Searchlights Tracing Facility Ruins

B. Officer Dormitory Ruins

C. 3rd Battery ruins

D. Mount Takanos Observatory

E. Small observatory

F. Naval Listening Station Ruins

G. Kosuke Matsu Beach

H. Tomogashima Lighthouse

I. First Battery Ruins

J. Meridian Square

K. 2nd Battery Ruins

H. 5th Battery Ruins

End: Uminoya rest house or Pier


(5) The first must-see spot: 3rd battery Ruins


A. Searchlights Tracing Facility Ruins
A. Searchlights Tracing Facility Ruins

After arriving at Nonaura Pier by boat, walk toward the Searchlights Tracing Facility Ruins. This ruin is small compared to other ruins, so you can skip this one if you want to save time. I was very excited when I first encountered a building that seems to be part of the ruins of Laputa.


B. Officer Dormitory Ruins
B. Officer Dormitory Ruins

This is the officer dormitory ruins where you can get a glimpse of life at that time. The walls are made of bricks, but the roof is made of Japanese style tiles. I don't remember seeing any other buildings using Japanese style roof tiles in the ruins of this island.


Even though there are few Japanese-style building materials on the island, I can somehow understand the feelings of the officers at the time who wanted Japanese tiled roofs at least for the lodgings.


C. 3rd Battery ruins
C. 3rd Battery ruins lower level entrance

I see a large brick arch! This feels like an important place. After entering through an ivy-draped archway, I see a long-paved road and a row of brick buildings. My crews are all very excited to find this ruin.


3rd Battery ruins
3rd Battery ruins lower level

As soon as you enter, you immediately feel that this must be the largest gun battery ruins on the island. Most of the photos that appeared when I searched for Tomogashima on the Internet were also taken here. Does it look like Kobe? I suddenly thought. It feels like the Kobe Harborland Brick Warehouse has become a ruin. The brick building built in the Meiji era has a unique atmosphere.


We can go underground! ? We only have a little smartphone light! Why didn't you bring a flashlight? I didn't know there was an underground! ! If I say treasure hunt, it means bring a headlight! Then why didn't you bring your own! While having a typical low class treasure hunter conversation, we charge into the darkness without hesitation.


inside the 3rd Battery Ruin maze
and lost a crew member inside the 3rd Battery Ruin maze

Of course, we haven't found the luminous stones yet, so it's pitch black even during the day. There are oddly narrow passageways and holes that can be attacked from hidden positions.


I assume that it will be a bloody battle inside when there is an enemy attack. It seems that there were ammunition lifts (like cannons on battleships) and ammunition storage. Certainly, these items must be defended to the death.


Laputa blue rock

There are several stairs leading up from the basement. When you get to the top, there are 4 square-like places. The fact that there are 4 similar places side by side is somewhat surreal, like being in a game world. There are two large circles in all four locations. It seems that these were turrets. It looks like all directions attack was possible.


Tomoga island 3rd Battery Ruin top level
Tomoga island 3rd Battery Ruin top level

The atmosphere is more like a holy temple ruin than a military fortress, which is very interesting. I can understand why it is popular as a place for various photo shoots and cosplay. Currently, this place is named "Tomogashima Third Battery Art Museum" and it seems that it functions as a sound museum. If you download an app called "Travel to explore the Tomogashima Fortress", your location will be checked by GPS, and the app automatically cast spells at certain places necessary.



Please visit my glass jewelry shop from the link below.


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