About
Nature and You
Tucked away 80km from the mainland of Shimane Peninsula lies a natural wonder far from your city. Nestled three hours away by ferry, where only the waves and wind can take you.This is Ama Town (Nakanoshima Island), one of the Oki Islands. Entô, a haven that sits within the Oki Islands UNESCO Global Geopark and Daisen-Oki National Park, was completed in 2021.We proudly present to you the scenic beauty of the Earth, spanning far and wide before your eyes. Entô is a hub for all Geopark activities, a place to stay within the Geopark, and a connection point between locals and visitors. You can choose how you pass your time on these islands. Daydream while watching the boats come and go, hop on a bicycle and circle around the island, take a late-night stroll and embrace the stillness of the peaceful dark, admire the hotel’s exhibits on display, mingle with locals on the terrace...You will find that every activity at Entô is connected to the Earth. Leave your heavy baggage behind at Entô, step out into nature and enjoy yourself.
Basic Information
- Name
- Entô
- Address
- 375-1 Fukui, Ama Town, Oki-gun, Shimane
Google Map
- Tel
- +81-8514-2-1000
- Building Area
- Approximately 5666.21㎡
- Structure
(New Building) - Wooden construction / Using CLT (Cross Laminated Timber)
- Scale (New Building)
- 2 Stories, 1 Basement Level
- Rooms
- 18 rooms (New Building), 18 rooms (Main Building)
- Open for business
- July 2021
- Owned by
- Ama Inc.
- PM
- Lendlease Japan Inc.
- Advisor
- Yumiko Toeda（ANGO）
- Architecture by
- MOUNT FUJI ARCHITECTS STUDIO
- Design
- Nippon Design Center, Inc.
- Naming
- Norimitsu Korekata
(Nippon Design Center, Inc.)
- Photograph
- Kentauros Yasunaga
Meaning Islands of Exile
Entô is made up of two Japanese characters, En (far) and tou (island). Together, these characters literally mean ‘a faraway island’. However, it also has a deeper meaning which is ‘exile to a faraway land’.
The Oki Islands were designated as a place of exile long ago. While the islands are remote, there is an abundance of spring water here, making it a place that was reasonably comfortable to live on. This made it the perfect exile location for nobles including former emperors Gotoba and Godaigo, and Heian Period (794 – 1185) poet Ono-no-Takamura. Emperor Gotoba spent the remaining 19 years of his life in Ama Town, where he discarded his title as a nobleman, immersed himself in the grandeur of the Oki Islands and lived humbly among the islanders. Oki Shrine was built in fond memory of him, and even today, local people refer to him endearingly as “Gotoban-san” (Mr. Gotoban).
This is an island far removed from the city. A tiny but magnificent place on Planet Earth. There are no convenience stores or movie theatres. It is a place free of man-made distractions, where a person can return to their true self. A place to start afresh, find inspiration and embark on a new personal journey. In a world where an airplane can take you anywhere, the value of ‘remoteness’ has become very important and there are many people who now have a great appreciation of this. To us, such remoteness, even in the form of a land of exile, is our pride.The name Entô encompasses this history and these emotions.
History
Entô’s roots come date back to 1971 when a locally run holiday inn ‘Ryokusuien’ was opened. Extensions were made and in 1994 the buildings were renamed ‘Marine Port Hotel AMA’. Since then, the main building and the annex (Ryokusuien) continued business as a hotel. Recently, together with the decision to renovate the main building, it was also decided that the annex would be rebuilt as a completely new building. Thus, Entô was born.