2025 Yaeyama District Travel Guide: Must-see attractions, popular food, hotels, transportation routes (updated in April)

Iriomote Island has two terminals for high-speed ferries, Ohara Port and Uehara Port. This time, I used Uehara Port from Ishigaki Island. The terminal at the port is simply marked "Densa Terminal." The road sign says "Uehara Port." About half of the terminal is occupied by a waiting room, and there are ample seats. There are also notices such as a guide to Iriomote Island, an introduction to the Iriomote wildcat, and traffic warnings to protect the wildcat. There is a juice vending machine, and the port shop marked "Yurimina Uehara Port Densa Terminal Specialty Products Store" seems to sell local products, coffee, snacks, and light meals. To access Ishigaki Island from Uehara Port, Anei Kotsu, which I used this time, has about 6 round trips of high-speed ferries a day, but since it is an isolated island, I recommend checking the information frequently on your mobile phone to see if it is operating or canceled due to weather conditions. Other companies also have flights from Ishigaki Island to Iriomote Island, so it might be a good idea to compare them depending on your travel dates! #Okinawa #IriomoteIsland #IriomoteIslandTourism #IriomoteIslandTrip #OkinawaTrip #OkinawaTourism

#OkinawaTourism I went to Taketomi Island, a remote island in Okinawa. I left by boat from Ishigaki Island in the morning, explored the island on a rental bicycle, went swimming in the sea, ate Okinawa soba, and returned by boat to Ishigaki Island in the evening. It's not a big island, so you can get around the island on a rental bicycle, but I think it's a good idea to bring water with you to protect yourself from the heat. The atmosphere of this island, which is truly Taketomi Island, was wonderful, and the sea was clear and beautiful.

Yubu Island is a small island with a circumference of about 2.1 km and an elevation of 1.5 m. The sea between Yubu Island and Iriomote Island is about 400 m, and since it is shallow and only about 1 m high even at high tide, you can cross on a water buffalo! It feels great to be rocked leisurely on a water buffalo cart while feeling the sea breeze. The cows are cute, too. The driver also sings folk songs for you, which is fun. The entire island of Yubu Island is a botanical garden with subtropical trees and flowers, and there are restaurants and shops where you can relax. #OkinawaTourism

About 30 minutes by ferry from Ishigaki Island🛥 Taketomi Island is perfect for a day trip🐃 The red tile roofs and blue sky will get you excited😊 We recommend renting a bicycle and spending your time relaxing by stopping by the sea, visiting cafes and shops🚲 There is also a beach where you can find the famous Okinawa souvenir star sand, so it's fun to look for it⭐️ And if you've come all the way to Taketomi Island, we also recommend a buffalo cart😊 Tour around the red tile roof village while listening to folk songs and the sanshin🐃 If you go to Ishigaki Island, be sure to also visit Taketomi Island😊 #OkinawaTourism #RemoteIslandTrip #TaketomiIsland #StarSandBeach #BuffaloCart #IshigakiIsland #Cycling #Village

🍁🍁Autumn Okinawa Trip 10/8🍁🍁 Here is what I recommend this time✨ Nitta Kanko, where you can tour Taketomi Island while being pulled by a water buffalo✨ Address 97 Taketomi, Taketomi-cho, Yaeyama-gun, Okinawa 907-1101 A tour that takes you on a water buffalo cart for about 30 minutes, leisurely walking through the streets of the red-tiled town✨ There are plenty of things to see, including the birthplace of the legendary beauty Asato Kuyama, the birthplace of the famous Okinawan folk song Asatoya Yunta, Yumuchi Utaki, the venue for the Tanadui Festival (Tanadui), the largest event on Taketomi Island and a designated Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Japan, and the Folk Crafts Museum, a facility that aims to preserve the tradition of Minsa weaving✨ Price Adults 1,500 yen Elementary school students and younger 750 yen Time required 30 minutes Opening hours are from 9am to 3pm✨ 🍁✨Of course, the townscape of Taketomi Island at night under the autumn sky is also beautiful✨🍁 #autumntrip #greatview

Taketomi Island is just a 15-minute ferry ride from Ishigaki Island. Many traditional houses with red tile roofs remain. As I walked along the beautiful beach, even the cats were taking naps, completely relaxed. It's a gentle island where humans can relax in the same way. #OkinawaTrip

It's about a 30-minute ferry ride from Ishigaki Island. The best way to spend time here is to relax. But there's also plenty to see, including Iko Pier, which stretches straight out into the sea, Puzumari, an old observation deck, the (white) Kuroshima Lighthouse, and the (mostly black) cows (?). #OkinawaTrip

Okinawa Okinawa Trip Finally, finally To Hateruma Island, the southernmost point of Japan Finally, I went to Hateruma Island, the southernmost remote island of Japan! This time, I went to the southernmost monument of Japan on Hateruma Island, so I'll share it with you ✅The southernmost monument of Japan ✅About 14 minutes by car from Hateruma Passenger Terminal Finally, I reached the southernmost monument of Japan! ✅Cape Soya in the north ✅Cape Nosappu in the east ✅The westernmost monument of Japan in the west ✅The southernmost monument of Japan in the south Finally, I conquered four❗️ It's very moving You have to change planes to get to the southernmost point The scenery is completely like a postcard, I was impressed! I was very satisfied to be able to see the rough waves and the erosion! #Hateruma Island#Southernmost point of Japan#Southernmost monument of Japan#Okinawa #Okinawa Trip

#SummerWeekendTrip #RemoteIslandTrip You can see Tategami Rock from the observation deck, but it's even more impressive when you see it up close like this. Be careful, as it's easy to miss the sign for Tategami Rock. Address 2329 Yonaguni, Yonaguni-cho, Yaeyama-gun, Okinawa 907-1801 Access Approximately 13 minutes by car from Yonaguni Airport Approximately 17 minutes by car from Kubura Port Ferry Terminal

#SummerWeekendTrip #RemoteIslandTrip It's beautiful and easy to snorkel. There are not only fish but also sea turtles. You can also use the toilets and showers for free, so it's a great place to swim. Address 907-1751 Hateruma, Taketomi-cho, Yaeyama-gun, Okinawa Access 4 minutes by car or 10 minutes on foot from Hateruma Passenger Terminal

#WesternJapan #RemoteIslandTrip I ordered wild boar chanpuru, bitter melon tempura, and island scallions. The wild boar chanpuru was greasy, but had no odor and was easy to eat. It was a flavor that went well with rice. Store name: Pocket House Address: 870 Uehara, Taketomi-cho, Yaeyama-gun, Okinawa 907-1541 Access: 3 minutes by car or 20 minutes on foot from Uehara Port

#WesternJapan #RemoteIslandTrip Personally, it was pretty paved and easy to walk on without getting lost! There is a washroom a short walk from the pier, but there are no more after that, so I recommend you use that! You can also go to Mariudu Falls, but there is a return cruise time, so if you want to go, you should plan on having plenty of time. Access 10 minutes by car or bus from Uehara Port to Urauchigawa Kanko 54 minutes by car or bus from Ohara Port to Urauchigawa Kanko ↓ 30 minutes jungle cruise on the Urauchigawa sightseeing boat ↓ 1 hour from the pier to Kanpirei Falls

#Overseas Travel West Pier on Taketomi Island A small pier leading to the sea with no end, it feels like it is connected to the sea📸️🤩🤩 The most beautiful spot on Taketomi Island is located at the stone pier on the west side of Taketomi Island Village, with a total length of about 105m and a width of about 2m. Since the pier is about 105m long, you can see the surrounding islands while being surrounded by the sea. In addition, due to the high transparency of the sea water, you can see colorful fish swimming happily at high tide. It takes about 15 minutes to ride a bicycle from the pier to Taketomi Port, and about 10 minutes to walk from the village post office.

An Okinawan restaurant serving set meals. The nostalgic atmosphere is soothing. I recommend the goya donburi, which is especially delicious. Store name: Iwa 289 Okawa, Ishigaki City, Okinawa Prefecture, 907-0022 P-Time, 2nd floor Access Approx. 30 minutes by car from New Ishigaki Airport Approx. 4 minutes by car from Euglena Ishigaki Port Remote Island Terminal

A popular butcher shop with a high barbecue price that is often visited by celebrities. You can eat a lot of delicious meat at a good price! Ishigakigyu MARU 26-4 Tonoshiro, Ishigaki City, Okinawa Prefecture 907-0004 Access About 30 minutes by car from New Ishigaki Airport 4 minutes by car from Euglena Ishigaki Port Remote Island Terminal

Okinawa Kohama Island Sightseeing Half-Day Bullet Tour Bicycle 🚴‍♀️ Recommended Walking Route❗️Part 3❗️ After enjoying the view of Hosozaki Coast, we took a 15-minute bike ride to our next destination, the residential area in the center of Kohama Island. The road up to here has ups and downs, so it's quite a tough place, but we'll have to persevere lol Let's drive safely! ⑥ Kohagura-so (TV drama location) It was a traditional house with a red tile roof and a shisa on it! It seems to be inhabited now, so please be quiet. And it's just a stone's throw from Kohagura-so ⑦ Minshuku Ufudaki-so I was told by the rental bike shop that the sata andagi here are delicious, so I bought some❗️ It was delicious, like grandma's homemade! And behind Ufudaki-so is ⑧ Kei Yorokobi This restaurant serves both lunch and dinner. This time, I bought hand-baked salted rice crackers, a specialty of Kohama Island. They were chewy and I ate them in no time! Next time, I'd like to eat there! ⑨ Sugar Road A must-see tourist spot on Kohama Island Sugar Road! A sugar cane field! It's downhill from the center of Kohama Island where Kei Yorokobi's store is located, so it's nice to ride a bicycle. Then, after going down the Sugar Road, I went around along the road after going downhill, and arrived at ⑩ Tumar Beach ❗️ This place is a little hard to find, be careful as you pass by Yakiniku Yaramasu before you get to the beach! This was also a very beautiful beach! That was my bicycle trip around Kohama Island! ※Travel around Kohama Island by electric bicycle I rode about 17km. #Okinawa#Remote island trip#Okinawa sightseeing#Okinawa trip#Kohama Island

Kuroshima is famous as an island of cows, but it is also home to a considerable number of cats. Many of the cowsheds have cat guards stationed to prevent rats from gnawing at the wiring or eating the cat food and scattering it around. There are also some Western-style cats among the cats, which are quite fun to watch. You can also encounter goats. This is a great island for animal lovers. #Okinawa #Kuroshima #Remote Island Travel #Cats #Cows #Goats

Address: 466 Kuroshima, Taketomi-cho, Yaeyama-gun, Okinawa Atmosphere/Facilities: There is a deck terrace, the interior is based on white and blue, and driftwood is set in the ceiling, giving it a beach house feel☀️ Recommended points: I recommend the Arthur soba and miso soba, and above all, the delicious ice cream tempura☀️ The seaweed Arthur is entangled with the soba, giving it a rich flavor, and adding peppermint makes it even more delicious☀️ Average price: 500 yen to 1,300 yen Budget per person: 1,000 yen Rating: Overall rating ⭐4.2 #Gourmet #Gourmet trip #Breathtaking view

Access: It is located about 30 minutes by ferry from Ishigaki Port Remote Island Terminal☀️ Flights from Ishigaki Island to Kuroshima are at 08:00, 12:30, and 17:00 Flights from Kuroshima to Ishigaki Island are at 08:40, 13:10, and 17:35 Adults: One-way fare is 1,510 yen, round-trip fare is 2,910 yen☀️ Tourist attractions: Kuroshima Research Institute (1st photo), Nakamoto Beach (4th photo), Kuroshima Observatory (8th photo), and Ikoasabashi Bridge (9th photo), which is about 300m long, are popular tourist spots. Highly recommended ☀️ Hotel: You can stay at the guesthouse shown in the second picture, A-chan ☀️ The island is known as the "Cow Island" because it has more than 3,000 cows compared to a population of 200 people ☀️ Dining & Restaurants: There are five dining options, with Heartland, Parlor A-chan, Kikunoya, Undoya, and Cafe ICONOMA being the most famous ☀️ Shopping: You can buy souvenirs made with Kuroshima's specialty products at the island's only Tama Shoten ☀️ #CoupleTrip #AmazingView

It is a small island that can only be reached from Iriomote Island at low tide or by riding a water buffalo. Originally inhabited by people, all the residents left due to flooding, and now it has become a tourist spot with a botanical garden and a pond where water buffalo are kept! There is a fee for the water buffalo, but the botanical garden itself can be enjoyed for free 🙌 #FreeSpot #2021c #OkinawaTrip

Last time, I had a hard time seeing the calves. This time, I was able to see a lot of them. They were clinging closely to their mothers and were really cute. Kuroshima is a must-see for ranch lovers. Please come to Kuroshima, an island with more cows than people!! #Kuroshima #Yaeyama #Okinawa #Remote Island Trip #Ishigaki Island #Remote Island #Ranch #Cow #Water Buffalo

Iko Pier is said to be beautiful at high tide, but it may be difficult to go there at high tide if you are going on a day trip. At low tide, the shallows continue all the way to the back, and you can walk to the other side of the bridge. At low tide, many creatures come out, so low tide stimulates the sense of adventure. This time, I looked into the gaps between the many rocks and was able to encounter hermit crabs, sea cucumbers, and crabs. There are ways to enjoy it at different times, so if you visit Kuroshima, I recommend renting a bicycle. #Remote Island Trip #Kuroshima #Yaeyama #Seaside Scenery #Ishigaki Island #Iko Pier #Amazing Views #Amazing Views

When I see a straight, flat road, I can't help but want to take a photo. Kuroshima is a place where you can easily go out for a day trip by renting a bicycle. There are bicycle and motorbike rental shops at the port, so you can rest assured. The road from the port to Nishinohama to the Kuroshima Research Center is unpaved and bumpy, but that's also part of its charm. #RemoteIslandTrip #Kuroshima #Yaeyama #Okinawa #Road #Ishigaki #Road #BreathtakingView

A recommended lodging on Kuroshima, also known as Minkuro. A young couple and their three children will greet you cheerfully. There are goats next to the lodging, and banana and papaya trees in the garden, giving it a tropical feel. There is also a spacious rooftop, and at night you can enjoy a beautiful starry sky while swaying in a hammock. One night stay with two meals is 6,500 yen. If you are going to Ishigakijima, be sure to visit Kuroshima as well. #RemoteIslandTrip #Kuroshima #Okinawa #Hammock #Ishigakijima #Yaeyama

I went to a small aquarium and museum at the southernmost tip of Japan. There is an exhibition room to communicate the results of research to the public, and they keep and display coral specimens, folk tools, and the animals of Kuroshima, including sea turtles. Kuroshima is hot in midsummer, so one way to spend time here is to take a break and relax. Although it is a small space, you can feed the turtles and sharks, so I ended up staying for a while. There was also rare coral on display. #RemoteIslandTrip #Kuroshima #SeaTurtles #Okinawa #Coral

From Ishigaki Island to Kuroshima. As you get closer to Kuroshima, you can see that the color of the sea becomes even more beautiful. Looking into the sea at Kuroshima Port, you can see many small blue fish swimming. Even at the port, Kuroshima is overflowing with transparency. This is the true Kuroshima blue. #Kuroshima #Okinawa #Remote Island Trip

"Yubujima Chaya" is a cafe on Yubu Island in Taketomi Town, Yaeyama District, Okinawa Prefecture, that serves handmade gelato and specialty coffee made with local ingredients. It is located on Yubu Island, which can be reached by water buffalo cart from Iriomote Island, and is the perfect spot to stop by between sightseeing.   ⸻ 📍 Basic information •Address: 689 Furumi, Taketomi-cho, Yaeyama-gun, Okinawa •Access: 10 minutes walk from Yubujima Water Buffalo Carriage •Business hours: 10:15-16:00 (L.O. drinks 15:45) •Closed: Open everyday •Number of seats: 15 seats (open terrace available) •Payment method: Cash only (cashless payment not accepted) •Reservations: Not accepted •Parking: None •Smoking: All seats non-smoking ⸻ 🍧 Menu example • Gelato (single): 410 yen • Gelato (double): 510 yen •Flavor examples: • Iriomote brown sugar • Okinawan blue (blue flowers and salt) • Island banana • Awamori (alcoholic) • Drinks: • Yubujima coffee (hot/iced) • Iced latte • Sweets such as purple yam cheesecake and chocolate gateau      🌿 Recommended points • Handmade gelato made with local ingredients: Enjoy gelato made with local ingredients such as Iriomote brown sugar and island bananas. • Relax on the open terrace: Relax while feeling the sea breeze on the terrace seats overlooking the sea. • Perfect for a break from sightseeing: This is the perfect location to stop by on your way to Yubu Island.  When you visit Yubu Island, spend some relaxing time enjoying the local flavors at "Yubu Island Teahouse." It's the perfect spot for a break between sightseeing. #Yubu Island Teahouse #Yubu Island Cafe #Iriomote Brown Sugar Gelato #Okinawan Blue #Island Banana #Yubu Island Tourism #Water Buffalo Carriage Trip #Okinawa Remote Island Cuisine #Yaeyama Sweets #Remote Island Cafe Tour #Spring 0 Yen Trip

Located on Kohama Island in Taketomi Town, Yaeyama District, Okinawa Prefecture, the "Katore Observatory" is a relatively new observation deck that was completed in early autumn 2013. From this observation deck, you can see the mangrove forests that spread across Ishinagata Beach, as well as Iriomote Island and Yubu Island. In particular, in the evening, you can see the beautiful sunset that sinks into Iriomote Island, making it a popular sunset spot.  ⸻ 📍 Basic Information • Location: Obama, Taketomi Town, Yaeyama District, Okinawa Prefecture • Access: About 10 minutes by car from Obama Port. If you go west along the road in front of Obama Elementary and Junior High School, you will arrive near the entrance to Ishinagata Beach. • Parking: Yes (there is an unmanned parking lot at the foot of the observation deck) • Toilets: No  ⸻ 🌅 Attractions • Mangrove forests at Ishinagata Beach: From the observation deck, you can see the mangrove forests growing in the sea from above. Especially at low tide, you can observe the creatures living at the base of the mangroves and around them.   • View of Iriomote Island and Yubu Island: From the observation deck, you can see Iriomote Island and Yubu Island, and on a clear day you can enjoy the beautiful scenery.  • Sunset spot: Since it is located on the west side, you can see the beautiful sunset over Iriomote Island in the evening. It is recommended to visit during sunset.  ⸻ 🚶♂️ Recommended ways to enjoy • Visit by rental car or bicycle: Since public transportation is limited on Kohama Island, it is convenient to visit by rental car or bicycle. There is also a parking lot at the foot of the observation deck.  • Picnic: There are benches at the observation deck, so it is recommended to bring drinks and snacks and relax while looking at the view. However, there are no vending machines, so we recommend bringing your own drinks.  • Insect repellent: If you are concerned about insect bites, it is a good idea to bring insect repellent spray with you, as this is a place rich in nature.  When you visit Kohama Island, be sure to enjoy the spectacular view from the Katore Observatory. The mangrove forests of Ishinagata Beach and the beautiful scenery of Iriomote Island will be a memorable memory of your trip.  #Kohama Island #Katore Observatory #Ishinagata Beach #Mangrove Forest #Iriomote Island #Sunset Spot #Okinawa Remote Islands #Yaeyama Islands #Stunning View Spot #Nature Observation #Spring 0 Yen Trip