An unplanned trip to Kozushima, thrown off course by storms and cancelled flights. Clear-water swims, 38,000-year-old obsidian voyages, aged sushi, and a hunt for dark skies foiled by a full moon — traveling to the Izu island with a toddler in tow.
The Ogasawara Islands, 1,000 km south of Tokyo, are only reachable by a 24-hour boat trip. A national park since 1972 and a UNESCO site since 2011, the islands have strict rules for tourists and residents to protect their unique ecosystems.
Protecting the natural habitat of a remote Japanese island chain requires dedication, perseverance, and a commitment to controlled development. Joy Jarman Walsh traveled to Hahajima and talked to islanders about their work preserving the ecosystem, and th
