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| Yaeyama Islands | |
| Tourist info web | Ishigki Tourism |
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no tourist info on Wikidata:  | |
The Yaeyama Islands (say: Ya-e-yama) are the southernmost archipelago Japan as part of the Okinawa Prefecture. The Main island is a good four hundred kilometers away. The Yaeyamas are different from them Miyako Islandswith which they the Sakishima Islands(Japanese: 先 島 諸島, Sakishima-shotō) form, of volcanic origin.
background
The islands are just above the Tropic of Capricorn, and the Kuroshino Current provides very warm water. The southernmost point of inhabited Japan is on 1 Hateruma-jimaJapanese: 波 照 間 島; no more flights, 550 pop.), the westernmost (Japanese: 日本 最 西端 の 碑) in the port of 2 Yonagun-jima (Japanese: 与 那 国 島, = Yonaguni; 1600 pop), where little else can be seen. However, there are enough water sports enthusiasts to keep a hotel and fifteen minshuku profitable.
Like the rest of Okinawa, the Yaeyamas are a popular holiday destination for organized trips from the heartland and, increasingly, by visitors from the Chinese provinces Taiwan and the mainland. Water sports, especially snorkeling and diving, dominate here as well.
The two largest islands are Ishigaki - 229 km², here live 48,000 of the 53,000 inhabitants of the archipelago - and Iriomote, here you can also find tropical forests and mangrove swamps of interesting landscape.
Together with the much smaller islands of Kuroshima, Kohama-jima and Taketomi-jima and the islands of Hateruma-jima and Nakanougan-jima to the south, they form the Iriomote Ishigaki National Park
getting there
By plane
One flies to the heartland Tokyo Haneda, Nagoya, Osaka-Kansai, Hiroshima and Fukuoka. There are regional connections to Miyako and Tarama. Seasonal charter flights to Taipei and Hong Kong. Flight operations are limited to 8 am-7pm.The new building was one of the few victories for an environmental protection initiative in Japan, as an expansion of the old landing site would have destroyed the coral reef. A major part of the largest elevation on the island, the clay Karadake (formerly 135 m), was removed for the airport. Here, too, care was taken that its excavation did not spill the corals into the sea. During the construction work, stone-age human bones (25,000-16,000 years old) were found in the Shiraho Saonetabaru-Caves discovered.
The airport on Hateruma is no longer served commercially.
By boat
There are no passenger ferries to Naha (415 km as the crow flies) or the Japanese heartland more.
The following services operate between the islands Ferries:
- Ishigaki (Rito), 3 min. From the bus station, or bus 55 directly in front of it ↔
- Taketomi; up to 3 per hour
- Iramote-Ohara (also called Iriomote); every 1-2 hours, 35 minutes
- Kohama; every 30 or 60 min.
- Kuroshima; every 1-2 hours; 25 min.
- Hatoma; 2-3 daily
- Hateruma; 3-4 daily; 1 H.
- Ishigaki (Island Ferry Terminal; Bus 11, Stop Ohama-Nobumoto Kinenkan-mae) ↔ Yonaguni; 2 per week, 4-5 hours
- Irimote ↔ Shirahama; 5 daily
The Ishigaki tourist information center is in the ferry terminal, usually someone even speaks English.
Sailors with their own yacht should note that the only "open port" is that of Ishigaki.
mobility
Dynamic cardsThere are eleven Bus routes on Ishigaki and one on Taketomi.
Ishigaki (石 垣 市)
Tourist Attractions
_in_native_forest_of_Ishigaki_Island,_Okinawa,_Japan.jpg/220px-Satake_palm_trees_(Satakentia_liukiuensis)_in_native_forest_of_Ishigaki_Island,_Okinawa,_Japan.jpg)
The locals speak of the city of Ishigaki as Shigaichi, or just Machi. The downtown districts are Ōkawa (Japanese: 大川) and Misaki-cho (Japanese: 美 崎 町).
- 1 Miya Radenchi (宮良 殿内), 178 Ōkawa. Traditional Okinawa-style house built in 1819. Today museum.Open: Wed.-Mon. 9.00-17.00.
- 2 Tōjin mausoleum (唐人 墓), Arakawa. Colorful chinese temple. It commemorates 138 Chinese coolies who perished while fleeing from a slave-holding ship in 1852. 200 m north is the little one Fusaki-Beach.
activities
Hikes on the Omoto (Japanese: 於 茂 登岳; 526 m) or the Nosoko (Japanese: 野 底 岳; 282 m) in the north offer beautiful views.
- The mountain Banna-dake it is easy to hike over 4 km, starting from Banna Park (バ ン ナ 公園). From the rim of the crater you have a good view of the sea. Up here is also the reservoir that supplies the island with drinking water.
beaches
Expect water temperatures of 29 ° C in summer and 21 ° C in winter. Jet skis are unfortunately allowed and can be rented on more touristy beaches. In cultivated sections (season from the beginning of April to the end of October), vinegar is usually also available to relieve the pain of jellyfish stings more quickly.
- 1 Fusaki. Nets submerged in the water keep jellyfish away. Right at the Fusaki Resort Village..
- 2 Kuura South (久 宇 良). Hidden, narrow beach, therefore shady with interesting rock formations. Hard to get there without your own car. Neither toilets nor showers. If you like it lonely.
- 3 Maezato. Child-friendly because it is bordered on the side. Boat rental. The Tourist beach in the south. Dominated by the construction of the ANA Intercontinental Ishigaki Resorts; Golf course afterwards.Price: lounger and umbrella ¥ 3000.
- 4 Kabira Bay (Japanese: 川 平 湾). Swimming is in the bay, which is a center of breeding black pearls (from Pinctada margaritifera) forbidden, but it is photographed thousands of times as a picture book beach.Price: Excursion boat trips ¥ 1000-1500.
- 5 Sukuji (底 地 ビ ー チ) (On the west side of the Kabira Peninsula. Coming from the village, follow the signs at the fork in the road before Seaman's Club (a luxury hotel) keep left, approx. 1½ km). Suitable for children, it goes very shallowly into the water. Numerous small fish. Trees behind provide shade. The hotels by the beach Taeda and Ishigaki Seaside. At the end of this headland is the Club Med Kabira Beach..Price: toilet / shower free.
- 6 Sunset Beach (Hirano bus route. Note Mon.-Fri. last before 6 p.m., Sat 8 p.m.). Gets busy and noisy in summer, pleasant in the off-season. In the designated bathing area with protective nets against jellyfish.Price: shower / toilet / locker ¥ 300 (per day), parking space ¥ 300.
- 7 Yonehara (米 原 ビ ー チ) (At the village of Fukai). Visited mainly for snorkeling because of the reef. No lifeguards or backup. About a kilometer away is a grove of the only found on these islands Yaeyama-Palm trees.Price: tent ¥ 500 p.p.
Festivals
The Ishigaki-jima marathon will be run in January. A triathlon is held in April. The Yonaguni-jima marathon is in November.
The middle of June is the time of Hair-Festivals where rowing competitions are held in the port with boats of the regional Sabani type. (On other islands such races take place on a smaller scale.)
Hōnensai is a harvest festival held in various locations during a week in early August. This includes carrying around flags during the day (hatagashira) as well as performances by folk dance groups. For the Tsunanumin In the evening by torchlight from two ends of the main street "warriors" are carried to each other in traditional costumes on two stages, they then perform a kind of war dance that always ends in a draw. The final event is that Tsunahiki- Roping with hundreds of participants.
shop
- 1 Market (hall) (公 設 市場), 208 Ōkawa. Open: 9 am-6pm / 9pm.
- In the shadow of the Bana-dake On Landstrasse 87 there is a farm shop for tropical fruits (9.00-17.30) at the Barabido Tourist Farm. Dining can also be done in the vicinity Marutakano Orchard (☎ 81 980-83-1665). (The other side of the road is the dump followed by the island's sewage treatment plant.)
accommodation
- in the city
In the area about one kilometer from the port of Ishigaki there are at least twenty accommodations, almost all of them in the Japanese middle class.
- 1 Churayado Cocochan, 155-1 Ishigaki (15 min. Walk from the ferry. 2 min. From the bus stop Nikko Hotel). Unfavorable location, bare chipboard walls, but cheap.Price: ¥ 3000 p.p.
- East coast
- 2 Shiraho Friends House, 757-1 Shiraho (Coming from the airport, Shiraho is the first stop, then a 3 minute walk). Tel.: 81-980868439. The only hostel on the island, male and female separated. Non-smoker.Price: Dorm (4 bed): ¥ 1800.
Other goals
Taketomi-jima (竹 富 島)
The very well-preserved village on the island in the traditional style of the Ryūkyū Islands with its typical stone walls attracts many tourists, mainly on day trips. This is a "invented tradition. “Before 1905 the common people were forbidden to use roof tiles. Nowadays building codes only allow single-story buildings. Also known is the "star-shaped sand", whose characteristic shape is based on remnants of Foraminifera is due. The Kondoi-Beach is flat, therefore suitable for children.
There are carriages drawn by water buffalos for tourists on the islet (Japanese: 水牛 車, suigyu-sha).
- accommodation
- youth hostel Takana Ryōkan, 499 Taketomi. 15 beds, dinner by reservation.Open: check-in 3 pm-8pm.Price: Members ¥ 3000 (breakfast ¥ 600).
Bicycles for rent Tomori Kanko (8.30am-5pm, ¥ 300 / h, ¥ 1500 / 24h).
Otherwise there are around twenty Minshuku.
Kayama-jima
- 3 Kayama-jima (嘉 弥 真 島) (Accessible with excursion boats). From the late 1980s the 0.4 km² island was uninhabited, the remaining inhabitants multiplied in the truest sense "like rabbits," so that the small island, which is privately owned by a tourist company, became popular Usagi-tō, so called "Rabbit Island". Since 2010 2-6 people have been living there again.
Kohama-jima (小 浜 島)
The tourism business is run by two luxury resorts (Villa Hapira Pana and Haimuru Mirage Resort both from ￥ 30,000), dominated by the golf course, which is indispensable in Japan. In the village of Murauchi (村内, literally: "middle village") in the middle of the island, there are around ten minshuku, plus bike and moped rentals.
Divers come April-May as well as August-October because then Mantara numerous cross the straits to Iriomote.
Kuro-shima (黒 島)
One of at least twenty Japanese villages called "the black island" because of its dark, volcanic soil. Here on 10 km² there are significantly more cattle bred for their meat than around 200 people. The bike rental is at the ferry terminal. In the actual village in the interior of the island, maybe 25 houses, there is actually a tourist information office. There is a second settlement (with 5 minshuku), there is a post office and a gas station. A small museum is attached to the marine research station for sea animals, which provides information about sea turtles etc. for a small fee.
The west beach not far from the harbor (partially closed during the turtle breeding season) is better for swimming than Nakanoto beach, which is better suited for diving.
- accommodation
Aragusuku-jima (新城 島)
The island, made up of two parts with a coral reef, is almost uninhabited. There is no ferry or accommodation, but divers like to come with excursion boats. Information on this at the tourist information office in Ishigaki port.
Iriomote (西 表 島)
The largest island of the group with 290 km² has almost 1900 inhabitants. Ferries from Ishigaki stop at Ohara in the south (Japanese: 大 原 港; possibly further to Hateruma). Another ferry terminal is in the north near Uehara (Japanese: 上原 港, officially Nakama-kō). There are excursion boats up the Nakama River from Ohara. This is only 18 km long, but overgrown with mangroves in the lower third.
There are bike and moped rental companies at both piers.
A Bus line runs along the northern coastal road (Kaichū dōro, 海 中 道路) between the two piers to Shirahama (Japanese: 白 浜 港). There, in turn, a small ferry crosses Funauki Bay 5 times a day. It is the only connection to the outside world for the village with 50-60 inhabitants. All of the offshore islands and two other villages on the coast are uninhabited today (one is a university research facility). There is no bus transport in the interior or south.
- 1 Uehara (上原 港). That is right next to the place Maruma-Beach. Almost twenty accommodations in / near the village.
- 8 Moon Beach (Japanese: 月 ケ 浜 or ム ー ン ビ ー チ, formerly To-udoumari-no-hama). Protected bay, if you step on the fine sand, it makes noises. At the southern end the mouth of the Ura-uchi river. Tropical flora can be admired by kayak or excursion boat (¥ 2000) up (max. 6 km). Further up, you come to the not overly intoxicating two-tier Mariyudō-Waterfall. They are still a little way up the river Kampire-Cases. If you walk the marked, but not easy, path another 20 km across the island, you come to Ohara.
Almost the entire interior of the island is mountainous, with tropical vegetation and mangrove swamps. Hiking trails are marked. Leeches occur. Large areas have not been protected as national parks for too long.
- 4 Pinaisara waterfall (ピ ナ イ サ ー ラ の 滝) (Only accessible on foot, parts of the river can be kayaked up from the coast). At 55 m the highest waterfall in Okinawa.
- 5 Conservation Center (西 表 野生 生物 保護 セ ン タ ー, Iriomote yasei seibutsu hogo sentā). The small, interesting museum provides information about the almost extinct wildcat species on the island.Open: Tue-Sun 10.00-16.00.Price: free.
On the way to the center next to the road is one Rearing station for tropical trees with exhibition (9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.).
- 6 Yubu-jima (由 布 島) (Can be reached on foot when the tide is low. There are also water buffalo drawn (¥ 1500) carriages). 29 pop., Three nurseries that can be visited, a restaurant.Price: ¥ 500.
- 9 Hōboku-ba Beach (放 牧場)
accommodation
There are a good thirty minshuku spread across the island. Five of them are in Funa-ura (船 浦 港), there is also one campsite (¥ 1000).
- youth hostel 4 Irimote-so, 字 上原 870-95. 28 beds (including regular rooms), WiFi, non-smoking.Open: check-in 3.30pm-8pm.Price: Members ¥ 3100 (dinner ¥ 1200).
- 5 Iriomotejima-Jungle Hotel, 243 Takana (高 那). Exclusive, at the same time the southernmost onsen in Japan (day guests in the bath ¥ 1500; 10: 00-22: 00).Price: from ¥ 8000 p.p. in double.
- It is marketed as an eco-resort, as it appeals to residents of Prenzlauer Berg 6 La Teada Iriomote Resort, 508-205 Haemi, Taketomi-chō. Tel.: 81 980-85-5555. Price: NS from ¥ 15,000 p.p., HS ¥ 25,000.
kitchen
- 1 Yamamoto Yakiniku (や ま も と 燒肉), 崎 町 2-5-18. Local institution, the island's own beef is served (Ishigaki-gyu).Open: 17.00-22.00.Price: min. ¥ 10,000 p.p.
nightlife
The nightlife is focused on the Misakicho- Ishigaki District. Roughly speaking, this is the area 400 m around the market.
health
literature
See the information in general Okinawa.
Web links
- Pearl trade (the local black; engl.)
- Sea weather forecast (engl.)
