Humankind's past is very tragic, and must not be forgotten.
Sadly famous for the battle of Iwojima, the Ogasawara islands were brutally affected by World War 2. Inhabitants know that it is essential for people to not forget about these tragic times, in order to never again make the same mistakes.
This is why, when hiking through the lush and vibrant forests, you can find war objects that the soldiers used, left here, untouched. These go from bottles and cups to cannons.
As previously mentionned, the Ogasawara archipelago's nature is is filled with endemic species and protected.
This doesn't mean however that you can't see its beauty for yourself, just that you have to take some steps to make sure not to disturb it. When visiting the forest sanctuary, that spreads out over almost half of the main island, you have to request a pass to enter, and clean up your clothes and shoes before entering. You will find these "cleaning spaces" here and there on the island. These make sure that the very special beauty of Ogasawara's forests shines as bright as ever even decades from now.
Have you heard about "Green Flashes"? I thought these were the stuff of legend, but they can actually be seen from places such as the Ogasawara islands, when the weather is just right.
Not to worry, even if you don't happen to catch a green flash, the views of the sunset from the mountaintops will be sure to delight you. You can even see quite a few neighboring islands from this height.