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Voykit pocket guide · Japan
Kinkasan
Spend one night for the shrine and hike; total 4‑5 h activity, ferry round‑trip about ¥3,040.
Kinkasan is a small island with a historic Shinto shrine and short hiking trails. A single overnight lets you see the shrine, hike to the 445 m summit and enjoy island wildlife.
- Country
- Japan
- Best months
- Apr–Oct
- Avoid
- Jan–Mar, Dec (cold, limited services)
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- JPY
- Money
- Cities are increasingly cashless; temples, small restaurants and some lodging taxes still want cash.
- Daily spend
- Budget ¥3,000–5,000 excl. bed · Mid ¥5,000–8,000 excl. bed · High ¥8,000+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Data-only eSIMs are the easy route: buy before you fly; voice SIMs need a residence card.
- Emergency
- Police 110 · Fire and ambulance 119
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 100 V · 50 Hz east (Tokyo), 60 Hz west (Osaka) · Most sockets are two flat pins without earth; European and UK plugs need an adapter. Phone and laptop chargers handle 100 V.
- Tipping
- Restaurants and bars: No tip; staff will chase you to return money left on the table.; Taxis: No tip; pay the meter.; Ryokan: Optional: ¥1,000–3,000 in an envelope for the room attendant; never loose cash.; Private guide: Not expected; a small gift or a thank-you meal is more usual.; Hotel porter: No tip.
- Water
- Safe from the tap everywhere; stations and parks have fountains.
- Toilets
- Free, clean public toilets in stations, parks and konbini; paper goes in the toilet. Rural and old stations may have squat toilets.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Ferry one‑way | ¥1,600 |
| Ferry return | ¥3,040 |
| Lodge night with meals | ¥10,000 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- SDJ · Sendai Airport
- JR Senseki line to Ishinomaki, then ferry
Typical fares
- Sendai → Ishinomaki (JR Senseki)
- about ¥1,200, 1 h (check)
- Ishinomaki → Onagawa (JR Ishinomaki)
- about ¥500, 30 min (check)
- Ferry Onagawa → Kinkasan
- ¥1,600 one‑way, 35 min
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
No motorised transport; walk from ferry terminal to shrine and trails. Some operators offer short sightseeing boat rides.
See and do
Known for
- Koganeyama Shrine
- hiking to the summit
- Japanese macaques
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Sendai | JR Senseki to Ishinomaki (≈1 h), then ferry to Kinkasan (≈35 min) | ≈2 h total |
| Matsushima | JR Senseki to Matsushima‑kaigan (≈30 min), then bus/taxi to bay, ferry to island (≈20 min) | ≈2 h 30 min |
| Ayukawa (whaling town) | Bus from Ishinomaki (≈90 min), then short ferry (≈20 min) | ≈2 h |
Sleep
- Koganeyama Jinja Sanshuden
- Pilgrim lodge on the island, 1 night with 2 meals ¥10,000
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me / Sorry | すみませんsumimasen |
| Thank you | ありがとうございますarigatō gozaimasu |
| How much is it? | いくらですか？ikura desu ka |
| Where is the toilet? | トイレはどこですか？toire wa doko desu ka |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: A small bow; a handshake if the other person offers; avoid: Hugs, back slaps, loud greetings
- Names: Family name plus -san; avoid: First names unless invited; adding -san to your own name
- Paying: Put money in the tray at the register; avoid: Tipping, or leaving loose cash for staff
- Trains: Queue at the floor marks, phone on silent, ask before reclining on the Shinkansen; avoid: Phone calls, eating on crowded commuter trains, blocking doors with bags
- Escalators: Stand on the side locals use — left in Tokyo, right in Osaka; stations now ask people to stand still on both; avoid: Stopping at the top or bottom
- Shoes: Off at the step-up entrance; toilet slippers only inside the toilet; avoid: Stepping on tatami in shoes or slippers
- Shrines: Rinse hands at the basin; bow twice, clap twice, bow once; avoid: Walking down the centre of the approach, which is for the deity
- Gifts: Offer and receive with both hands; bring a small omiyage for hosts; avoid: Sets of four; cash outside an envelope
Scams and watch-outs
- Ferry runs every ~2 h; check schedule, especially off‑season.
- Leeches and deer on trails – keep trousers in boots, use salt to remove leeches.
- Do not feed monkeys or deer.
Generally safe; watch for leeches and deer on trails, and keep food secured from monkeys.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Kinkasan yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Koganeyama Shrine
- hiking to the summit
- Japanese macaques
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikidata – Kinkasan: www.wikidata.org/wiki/QXXXXX
- Wikivoyage: Kinkasan, revision 5257821 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5257821
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/kinkasan). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.