Main image

Chief Master Sergeant Don Sutherland, U.S. Air Force CC BY-SA 4.0 Wikimedia Commons

Minamitorishima

Island

Minamitorishima (Marcus Island) is Japan's remote easternmost outcrop in the Pacific, home to meteorological and navigation facilities; access is limited and visits generally require official permission.

Minamitorishima Asakusa & Ueno Bunkyo Ginza &Nihonbashi Ikebukuro Meguro &Nakameguro Nakano Odaiba & Koto Roppongi& Minato Shibuya &Harajuku Shinagawa Shinjuku Sumida &Tokyo Skytree Tokyo Station &Imperial Palace Tourist areas, not official boundaries. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributorsTokyo TowerMeiji ShrineShibuya CrossingNakasendo TrailNational Art CenterTokyo Photographic Art MuseumThe National Museum of Modern ArtMeguro Parasitological MuseumYasukuni ShrineTokyo DomeMinamitorishima
In this guide

Minamitorishima essentials

Country: Japan
Driest months: Feb-Apr
Pay in: Yen (¥)
Emergency: 110

Minamitorishima at a Glance

About Minamitorishima

Minamitorishima (also known as Marcus Island) is a small isolated Pacific atoll administered by Tokyo Metropolis and located well east of the main Japanese archipelago. It is Japan’s easternmost territory and is primarily used for weather observation, communications and occasional military or coast guard activities.

The islet supports an airstrip, meteorological station and a small number of facilities for crewed operations; terrestrial area is very limited and mostly occupied by installations rather than natural habitat. Civilian access is restricted and visits are conducted for official or logistical purposes.

Historically the islet has been used as a navigational point, weather station and strategic outpost; control has been maintained by Japan in the 20th and 21st centuries with brief wartime occupations during World War II. The site remains important for national monitoring and remote operations.

Geographically it lies in the northwestern Pacific well east of mainland Japan and is isolated from major population centres, reached only by military or government-operated transport.

  • Geopolitical status: Administratively part of Tokyo Metropolis, the islet is Japan’s easternmost inhabited territory and serves strategic, meteorological and communications roles.

What to See#

  • Facilities and runway: A small coral islet with airstrip, meteorological facilities and military or coast guard presence used to support navigation, weather observations and occasional resupply flights.
  • Islet environment: The surrounding waters are remote and the islet itself has very limited vegetation and no permanent civilian population; access is tightly controlled for strategic and logistical reasons.
When to Go

Best Time to Visit Minamitorishima

Best outside the northwest Pacific typhoon season-typically in the late autumn through spring months when sea and weather conditions are relatively calmer.

Calm/Best travel window
November-April · 22-30°C
Warm, generally calmer seas and lower typhoon risk-best window for attempting travel to this remote subtropical atoll.
Typhoon season
June-October · 24-32°C
Warmer and wetter with elevated risk of tropical storms and typhoons that can disrupt travel and operations.

Weather & Climate near Minamitorishima

Climate

Tropical climate with hot summers (peaking in July) and warm winters (coldest in February). Temperatures range from 19°C to 31°C. Abundant rainfall (1083 mm/year), wettest in July.

Best Time to Visit
JuneFebruaryApril
Temperature & Rainfall
Temperature Range
30°
Warmest Month
17°
Coldest Month
Monthly Conditions
Month Comfort Temp Feels Rain Sky Humidity Wind UV Daylight
January Very Good 20° - 24° 22° 81 mm partly cloudy 74% 5.5 m/s 1.2 high 10.7h
February Excellent 19° - 24° 22° 42 mm partly cloudy 75% 5.5 m/s 1.6 very high 11.2h
March Excellent 20° - 25° 22° 54 mm partly cloudy 79% 5.7 m/s 2.0 very high 11.9h
April Excellent 22° - 27° 24° 67 mm partly cloudy 82% 5.7 m/s 2.2 extreme 12.6h
May Excellent 23° - 29° 26° 71 mm partly cloudy 82% 5.2 m/s 2.4 extreme 13.2h
June Excellent 25° - 30° 31° 59 mm some cloud 80% 4.5 m/s 2.7 extreme 13.5h
July Good 26° - 31° 33° 167 mm partly cloudy 80% 4.6 m/s 2.5 extreme 13.4h
August Very Good 26° - 31° 33° 166 mm partly cloudy 82% 4.8 m/s 2.3 extreme 12.9h
September Excellent 26° - 31° 33° 108 mm partly cloudy 81% 5.3 m/s 2.2 extreme 12.2h
October Excellent 25° - 30° 31° 90 mm some cloud 79% 5.4 m/s 1.7 very high 11.5h
November Excellent 24° - 28° 26° 82 mm partly cloudy 77% 5.8 m/s 1.3 high 10.8h
December Excellent 22° - 26° 24° 96 mm partly cloudy 76% 5.6 m/s 1.1 high 10.5h
Getting There & Around

How to Get to Minamitorishima

Minamitorishima (Marcus Island) is a remote Japanese atoll administered from Tokyo. There is no regular commercial ferry or airline service for general visitors; the island has a runway and is used for government, military and scientific flights and resupply vessels.

Access requires permission from Japanese authorities and transport arranged via government/military or chartered research vessels/aircraft - there is no routine public transport or commercial schedule to the island.