# Ogasawara Islands, Japan: what it is and when to go > Ogasawara Islands is the geographical description of Tokyo's Ogasawara Subprefecture, including the Bonin and Volcano island groups along with three isolated islands, chiefly as a calque of the Japanese 'Ogasawara-Shotō' (小笠原諸島). Interests: History. The best time to visit is February to May and October to November. In June there are 13 h 42 of daylight, and in December, 10 h 18. It has articles in 13 Wikipedias, so it is not one of the busiest places in Japan: one to enjoy at a calmer pace. Here is what it is, where it lies, when to come, how to get there and what else is nearby to turn it into a trip. - Address: https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/bonin-islands/ - Reviewed on: 2026-10-02 - Language: en ## In a nutshell - **What it is:** The geographical description of Tokyo's Ogasawara Subprefecture, including the Bonin and Volcano island groups along with three isolated islands, chiefly as a calque of the Japanese 'Ogasawara-Shotō' · History - **Local name:** 小笠原諸島 - **Where:** Japan - **Best time:** February to May and October to November. - **Nearest airport:** HND Tokyo, 966 km as the crow flies - **Protection:** UNESCO World Heritage Site - **Coordinates:** 27.11448, 142.18605 ## What it is and where Ogasawara Islands is the geographical description of Tokyo's Ogasawara Subprefecture, including the Bonin and Volcano island groups along with three isolated islands, chiefly as a calque of the Japanese 'Ogasawara-Shotō' (小笠原諸島). It has articles in 13 Wikipedias, so it is not one of the busiest places in Japan: one to enjoy at a calmer pace. Its coordinates are 27.11448, 142.18605; the nearest main airport is Tokyo Haneda International Airport (HND, Tokyo), 966 km as the crow flies. How to get around Japan (train, car, bus) is covered in [its country guide](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/#moverse). - [Where it is](https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=27.114479%2C142.186052) - [Directions](https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=27.114479%2C142.186052) - **Protection:** UNESCO World Heritage Site It is one of the [History](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/historia/) places in Japan. In [Kokai](https://kokai.app/en/) it is already on your trip map next to the places you save yourself, and it goes into a day's plan with one tap. ## When to go The best time to visit Ogasawara Islands is **February to May and October to November**. | Mes | Época | Hours of daylight | | --- | --- | --- | | January | Possible | 10 h 28 | | February | Best time | 11 h 04 | | March | Best time | 11 h 48 | | April | Best time | 12 h 39 | | May | Best time | 13 h 20 | | June | Possible | 13 h 42 | | July | Possible | 13 h 33 | | August | Possible | 12 h 58 | | September | Possible | 12 h 09 | | October | Best time | 11 h 20 | | November | Best time | 10 h 38 | | December | Possible | 10 h 18 | In June there are 13 h 42 of daylight, and in December, 10 h 18. Daylight hours are calculated from the site's latitude for the 15th of each month; when planning a full day on foot they matter as much as the weather. When to go to Japan in general, with its festivals and peak seasons, is in [its country guide](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/#cuando-ir). ## Before you go to Japan To enter Japan there are 10 things to sort out before you leave, starting with “A valid passport covering your whole stay”: they are all, with their deadlines, in [the Japan checklist](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/#antes-de-salir). Currency: Japanese yen (JPY); plugs: Type A and B · 100 V · 50/60 Hz (you need an adapter); emergencies: 110 police · 119 ambulance and fire. In [Kokai](https://kokai.app/en/) you tick off the checklist inside your trip, and each item reminds you when it is time to do it. ## What is nearby - [Mikazuki Yama](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/monte-mikazuki/): Summit · 1.8 km - [Ōgamiyama Shrine](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/ogamiyama-shrine/): Shinto shrine in Ogasawara Village, Japan · 2.2 km - [Sugegasa Yama](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/mt-sugegasa/): Summit · 2.2 km - [Mikaeri Yama](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/mt-mikaeri/): Summit · 2.7 km - [Anijima](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/anijima/): Uninhabited island in the Bonin/Ogasawara archipelago, administered as part of Tokyo, Japan · 2.8 km Distances are as the crow flies. Everything else is in [the Japan guide](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/). ## More in Japan: History - [Mount Fuji](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/monte-fuji/): volcano in Yamanashi and Shizuoka Prefectures, Japan - [Kiyomizu-dera](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/kiyomizu-dera/): Buddhist temple in Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto - [Himeji Castle](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/himeji-2/): Japanese castle complex - [Hiroshima Peace Memorial](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/cupula-de-genbaku/): architectural structure - [Itsukushima Shrine](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/santuario-itsukushima/): Shinto shrine in Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan - [Kinkaku-ji](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/kinkaku-ji/): Zen Buddhist temple in Kyoto, Japan Every Japan place under History, each with its season, is on [its page](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/historia/). ## Frequently asked questions ### What is Ogasawara Islands? It is the geographical description of Tokyo's Ogasawara Subprefecture, including the Bonin and Volcano island groups along with three isolated islands, chiefly as a calque of the Japanese 'Ogasawara-Shotō' (小笠原諸島 in the local language). It has articles in 13 Wikipedias, so it is not one of the busiest places in Japan: one to enjoy at a calmer pace. ### When is the best time to visit Ogasawara Islands? February to May and October to November. In June there are 13 h 42 of daylight, and in December, 10 h 18. ### How do you get to Ogasawara Islands? The nearest main airport is Tokyo Haneda International Airport (HND), 966 km as the crow flies. From there, [directions](https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=27.114479%2C142.186052) opens the route on the map, and how to get around Japan is explained in [its country guide](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/#moverse). ### How do I add it to my trip? With one tap. In Kokai it is already on the Japan map, next to the places you save yourself: add it to a day's plan, give it a time and, if you like, get a reminder when you pass nearby. ### What else is around here? Nearby you have [Mikazuki Yama](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/monte-mikazuki/), [Ōgamiyama Shrine](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/ogamiyama-shrine/), [Sugegasa Yama](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/mt-sugegasa/). The rest is in [the Japan guide](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/). Data from [OpenStreetMap](https://www.openstreetmap.org/relation/2894554), licensed under the ODbL, and from [Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q13383295), CC0. More about Ogasawara Islands on [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ogasawara_Islands). Daylight hours are calculated from the latitude. More in [credits](https://kokai.app/en/aviso/#creditos).