How we spent three days in Ishigaki, Okinawa
I’ve wanted to visit the Yaeyama Islands for years, and at the end of our four weeks in Japan it finally happened. Yaeyama is a subtropical archipelago and the southernmost point of Japan. In spring, the weather is good and the beaches are open for swimming, snorkelling, diving, and other marine sports.
We arrived in May when the wet season was just starting but we didn’t let that get in the way of us doing everything we wanted to on the island. The temperature remained between 27-29°c with a slight breeze so it was still beach weather for us!
Where to stay in Ishigaki
We’ve learned from experience that we prefer not to stay in totally remote areas where there’s nothing to do. So we stayed in Ishigaki City (which is more like a small town) close to downtown Ishigaki. This is where most visitors stay as there are more restaurants and bars in this area and it’s easy to walk around at night. You could stay in more rural areas of the island if that’s your thing and there are also resort hotels on some of the beaches.
How long to spend in Ishigaki
We spent three nights in Ishigaki and I wish we’d had longer. It was probably my favourite place we visited in Japan along with Nagano and Mount Fuji. We were there at the start of the rainy season so the wet weather did mean our options for activities were limited. But if we had visited in March or April when the weather is good (which I hope to in the future!) then I’d probably spend as long as a week or even more here and take day trips out to the other Yaeyama islands.
How to get around Ishigaki
We hired a car from Good Speed car rentals near Ishigaki airport. This is by far the best way to get around Ishigaki as public transport is limited. It takes less than an hour to drive from one end of Ishigaki to the other, and some people choose to cycle around instead of driving – although it’s very hilly in some areas.
What is there to do in Ishigaki?
Yonehara Beach
The weather wasn’t on our side when we first arrived in Ishigaki. But despite some clouds we still headed straight to Yonehara Beach. Even with a bit of rain it was a beautiful place to spend a few hours. You can park all day for ¥500 (£2.50) and there’s some amazing snorkelling opportunities when the tide is far in enough to cover the coral.
While you’re there you can also stop at Arakawa Falls, which is right off the main road with a lay-by for parking.
Taketomi Island
From Ishigaki Port you can catch a ferry to a number of other islands. We took the YKF to Taketomi, which takes just 10 minutes and cost ¥1700 (£8.50) per person for a return. I’ve wanted to go to the subtropical Yaeyama Islands for years and was so excited to finally go – Ishigaki itself is the commercial hub of the Yaeyama Islands but the tiny island of Taketomi has more of a remote, off-grid feel.
When you get off the ferry there’s a row of minibuses waiting that will take you to various bike rental shops in the village. We decided to rent a bike (¥2000/£10 for +3 hours) to get around as it’s a 40 minute walk across the island and the roads aren’t that interesting. So it’s a much faster and more convenient way to see all the beaches and explore the village.
Note: you will probably need cash to pay for food in the village on Taketomi Island. There is a free ATM cash machine at the entrance to the port in a red stand with the 7-Eleven iHoldings logo at the top. The only fee is your bank’s exchange rate so using a fee-free bank like Monzo and Starling meant we could withdraw cash for free here.
Kabira Bay
The best view of Kabira Bay is from the observation deck, where you can easily walk down to the beach. This area is popular for glass-bottom boat tours as there are manta rays in some of the coral beds here. We didn’t take a boat, but just walking around the bay itself was probably one of the highlights of our time in Ishigaki.
Though you can’t swim in Kabira Bay due to the boats and some oyster farming in the bay, you can paddle in the crystal waters and relax on the stunning white sand beach.
We also stopped for lunch at KABIRA ごはん屋 where they serve traditional Okinawan dishes including a vegetarian version of taco rice!
Sukuji Beach
Sukuji is another great spot for snorkelling, and there’s also a netted area for safe swimming. At low tide, the swimming area was very shallow – not even up to our knees. But the beach was still a beautiful, tropical place to relax in the sun.
Osaki Beach
Osaki is a rocky beach with a jungle-like backdrop, which is best visited at high tide. When the tide is out, most of the beach is rocks and exposed coral. But when the water is in, the southern end of the beach is beautiful and it’s a great place to snorkel. You can also join snorkelling tour groups that will take you out to the reef at Osaki Beach at any time of day, so you don’t need to visit the beach itself to explore the ocean here.
Yoneko Yaki Kobo Shisa Farm
This place is slightly surreal. It’s a farm surrounded by jungle with a collection of huge painted stone shisas (the dog-lion that guards homes, shrines, and even beaches throughout Okinawa). These sculptures are dotted around a lake, between banana groves, and stacked on top of one another to create a surreal but fun experience. It takes about 20 minutes to walk around the farm, and it’s free to enter.
Ishigakijima Village
The best places to eat and drink in Ishi City are in this one building in downtown – Ishigakijima Village. At 石垣島の石垣さん家の石垣牛 we had some of the best food of our whole trip, with delicious peanut tofu, light and crispy tempura fish, and amazing fresh tuna sashimi. And at 立ち呑み たたんばぁ 石垣島 you can drink highballs and lemon sours for just ¥300 (£1.50) – the cheapest in town. we also had delicious dinners at せんべろ風土 (special mention for the somen noodles) and at 石垣島バル SUKSMA.
Find out more about our full one month in Japan itinerary here.