 Most viewed - YAEYAMA ISLANDS 八重山諸島 |
Okinawan house, Taketomi. Taketomi is a National Important Traditional Townscape Preservation District (重要伝統的建造物群保存地区).298 views
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Okinawan house and rock wall, Taketomi288 views
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Hoshi Sunahama or Star Sand Beach214 views
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Kondoi beach197 views
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Taketomi Primary School195 views
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Taketomi Port boat for Ishigaki195 views
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192 views
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White coral road183 views
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Boat for Taketomi at Ishigaki Port.180 views
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Power voltage station175 views
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On Taketomi, residential homes are toward the middle of the island, not along the beaches. The middle part of the island is built on hard rock called chert. Freshwater wells can be dug along this rock to provide water. View from lookout tower.172 views
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Kondoi beach165 views
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White coral road, one of Taketomi's trademarks.164 views
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Be aware that these parasols are not free.162 views
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160 views
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Kondoi Picnic Site159 views
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158 views
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Outside the middle part of Taketomi, the ground is on limestone where water seeps through. Difficult to have rice paddies or wells on limestone.152 views
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Lookout tower146 views
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View from lookout tower142 views
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On Taketomi, the best way to get around.141 views
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Iriomote is famous for the Iriomote wildcat (イリオモテ ヤマネコ). Endemic to Iriomote and critically endangered. 51 views
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Red hibiscus50 views
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Ryukyu matsu pine trees are native to Okinawa. 琉球松50 views
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Seesa lion dog with mask, Ishigaki.48 views
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Only 100 or so left on the island. They are nocturnal and have stubby legs and a thick tail. Discovered relatively recently in 1965.48 views
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There's no zoo, etc., where we can see a live Iriomote cat. They only have stuffed Iriomote cats here at the Iriomote Wildlife Conservation Center.48 views
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In the old days, part of the root was used as a rudder on Okinawan sabani fishing boats. (サキシマスオウノキ 先島蘇芳木 Heritiera littoralis)48 views
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White powder-puff flowers or sagari-bana in Japanese (サガリバナ) and a small moth. There are pink ones too. 48 viewsDuring summer, they bloom for only one night, then the flowers fall off the next morning. It was early Nov. (still warm), so maybe we got lucky to see it.
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Bougainvillea on Yubu, in bloom year round.47 views
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Red hibiscus46 views
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Red hibiscus46 views
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Ryukyu matsu pine tree is endemic to Okinawa. It stands straight up and takes an umbrella shape like this. Okinawa's official tree. リュウキュウマツ (琉球松)46 viewsWe don't really see pine trees like this on mainland Japan.
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Bats on Iriomote.46 views
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An exotic plant on Iriomote called "looking-glass mangrove" (Sakishima suounoki) with huge roots that look like a byobu folding screen. (サキシマスオウノキ 先島蘇芳木 Heritiera littoralis)46 views
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Lots of tropical flowers on Yubu Island, especially hibiscus.45 views
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Characteristics of the Iriomote wildcat.45 views
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The trunk of a tree fern shows the remains of branches that broke off. 木生シダ45 views
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Tree fern, common in Okinawa. The fronds break off. 木生シダ44 views
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Mt. Nosokodake (野底岳), Ishigaki’s second highest mountain at 282 m. Can be climbed up a steep, narrow trail in about 15 min. We didn't climb it though.42 views
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Even today, people who climb the mountain look for the Maape rock and assume this or that rock is her.40 viewsThis story is based on historical fact. The Ryukyu government sometimes forced people to migrate to undeveloped lands to start farming to increase agricultural production so they could pay more taxes. The kingdom was being heavily taxed by the Satsuma Domain in Kagoshima, and taxes had to paid in rice per head.
Read more about the folk tale here: https://photoguide.jp/log/2020/12/yaeyama-folk-songs-nosokodake-maape/
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Side view of Mt. Nosokodake. This mountain is associated with a famous local folk tale about a girl named Maape. The mountain is nicknamed after her, "Nosoko Maape" (野底マーペー).39 viewsOn the nearby island of Kuroshima (黒島) in the 18th century, Maape and her childhood sweetheart, Kanimui, were happily living as farmers. They were to be married someday.
However, one day, a Ryukyu government decree ordered half the island's residents to move here near Nosokodake on Ishigaki while the other half could remain on Kuroshima. The island's population was split along the island's main road. Maape and Kanimui lived on the opposite sides of the road, and Maape was on the side where people had to move to Ishigaki.
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So she and her family were forced to move here to Nosokodake to start a new farming village and clear the thick jungle for farming. It was a hard life. 38 viewsMaape desperately missed her beloved Kanimui and couldn't forget him.
One day, she wanted to at least see Kuroshima where he lived, so she climbed up Mt. Nosokodake. At the top, she looked for Kuroshima, but her view of the island was blocked by Mt. Omotodake, Ishigaki's highest mountain. She collapsed on her knees and wailed in sorrow. Later, a worried villager looked for Maape who never returned home. On the top of the mountain, he found a crying rock gazing in the direction of Kuroshima. Maape had turned into stone.
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Lunch was named, "Okinawa Makunouchi Bento Akabana" (沖縄幕の内弁当「アカバナ」. ("Akabana" means "hibiscus" in Okinawan.) Price was ¥1,320.34 viewsIriomote black rice, champuru, brown sugar yokan: 西表産黒紫米入りごはん、アーサのお吸い物、うみぶどう、ミミガー、漬物、沖縄黒糖煮、 アンダー味噌、野菜天ぷら、ウムクジ(紅イモを米粉であえて揚げたもの)、かまぼこ、チャンプ ルー、黒糖羊羹
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Old Ishigaki Airport terminal, Arrivals. No jet bridges. Jets (Boeing 737) started flying here only from 1979. 32 views
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Ishigaki cuisine for lunch. Main dish was soba noodles. Side dishes of pig's ear, goya & tuna, juushi flavored rice (じゅーしー), local seaweed, and brown sugar jelly (dessert). 31 viewsPig's ear is chewy/crunchy, not really tasty, but has a lot of collagen, so it's a health food.
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Old Ishigaki Airport terminal for JTA. Small building. The old airport first opened in 1943 for military use. It became a civilian airport in 1956.30 viewsThis passenger terminal building was built in 1961 and used mainly by JTA (Japan Transocean Air) and RAC (Ryukyu Air Commuter). ANA had its own adjacent terminal.
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Yaeyama soba noodles29 views
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At the old Ishigaki Airport, JTA boarding gate. One of the check-in staff wears a yukata. Also notice the old digital signage.27 views
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Inside JTA plane, flight attendants figuring out what to tell us.27 views
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Kanbire (Kanpire) Falls on Urauchi River, near the center of Iriomote. This is about 2 km from the Gunkan-iwa boat dock. Or 30-40-min. hike. You can get quite close to the falls. カンビレーの滝26 viewsInstead of having one big drop, Kanbire Falls flow down on a series of steps on the river for about 200 meters. The riverside also has small potholes. Kanbire (Kanpire) means "where gods sit." This spot was considered to be a sacred site where the gods gathered.
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Approaching the old Ishigaki Airport terminal.26 views
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Old Ishigaki Airport terminal for JTA, Arrivals. No jet bridges.26 views
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No jet bridge, but it wasn't a problem when it didn't rain.25 views
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I liked walking on the tarmac to the plane at Ishigaki Airport.25 views
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Walking on the tarmac to the JTA plane at Ishigaki Airport.25 views
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Ground crew at the old Ishigaki Airport waving goodbye to us. I waved back.25 views
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Dinner at Takemori Inn. Chawan-mushi, local fish, Yaeyama soba. The ryokan owner was very friendly. Not English-speaking though.25 views茶碗蒸し、海藻と野菜和え、近海魚の刺身、近海魚の塩煮、煮物（冬瓜)、ソーキ、昆布、こんにゃく、黒紫米入り西表産ひとめぼれごはん、八重山そば
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Delicious Okinawan breakfast at Takemori Inn/Ryokan (竹盛旅館).25 views
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Mariyudu Falls on Urauchi River. About 20 meters wide and 16-meter drop in total. One of Japan's 100 Famous Waterfalls. マリゥドゥの滝24 views*People can no longer come this close to the falls. There were people who slipped and fell in, so the closeup path is blocked.
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This is the old Ishigaki Airport before it closed in March 2013 and was replaced by the new and current airport slightly north of this old airport.24 views
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At the old Ishigaki Airport, inside the JTA passenger waiting area at the boarding gate.24 views
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Taking off at the old Ishigaki Airport.24 views
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After hiking about 30 min., a scenic point gives a view of Mariyudu Falls. Series of three waterfalls. It empties into a round stream pool. "Mariyudu" means stream pool. マリゥドゥの滝23 views
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JTA plane's see-sa at Ishigaki Airport.23 views
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Runway at the old Ishigaki Airport. The slanty white building visible is the ANA hotel on the beach. That's how close the old airport was to town.23 views
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Ferns and tree ferns also grow at upstream. シダ類22 views
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On the northern tip of Iriomote is scenic Hoshi-suna Beach. Famous for star-shaped sand grains, but hard to find. 西表 星砂の浜22 viewsMap here
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Makishi Residence is a traditional Yaeyama home. 旧牧志邸21 views
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The boat operator narrates the sights along the river. There are even signs indicating the flora. This sign indicates a mangrove species called "me-hirugi" (メヒルギ) in Japanese or Kandelia obovata growing in brackish water.21 viewsIt has white, star-shaped flowers.
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Iriomote Hoshizuna Beach.21 views
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Taking off at the old Ishigaki Airport.21 views
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Kabira Bay, Ishigaki. It's actually a large bay and this is only a small part of it. Scenic with white beach, blue ocean, small islands and coral on the bottom.20 views
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Kabira Bay on Ishigaki, perhaps the island's most famous tourist spot. Glass bottom boats to see coral and tropical fish in shallow water.20 views
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Yaeyama fisherman's home.20 views
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In northern Iriomote, Urauchi River is Okinawa's longest (19 km), widest (200 m), and deepest (15 m) river. It's home to a whopping 400 species of fish or 10 percent of Japan's fish species.20 viewsOver 20 fish species are endangered. Urauchi River is within Iriomote-Ishigaki National Park. Both sides of the river are lush with mangroves and forests. 西表国立公園
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Urauchi River is fed by the runoff from Iriomote's central mountains. Urauchi River jungle cruise is about 30 min. or 8 km upstream to another boat dock called Gunkan-iwa. 西表島・浦内川20 views
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On Runway 04 at the old Ishigaki Airport. At 1,500 meters, it was too short for jets larger than a Boeing 737. So the new airport was built on a different location.20 views
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Parrot fish in Kabira Bay.19 views
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Hiking back. The lady in front of me was wearing rubber slippers on this muddy trail. She kept slipping and almost falling. Her dainty feet got all muddy.19 views
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Aerial view of Ibaruma and Hirakubo, Ishigaki.19 views
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Sakishima suounoki mangroves, Iriomote. サキシマスオウノキ (古見)19 views
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JTA in-flight magazine "Coralway" had a nice Japanese article about the reconstruction of Shuri Castle in Naha.19 views
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Iriomote mangroves.18 views
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There was this dock where we could get on our kayaks. Maira River, Iriomote.18 views
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Taking off at the old Ishigaki Airport.18 views
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Shiraho18 views
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While walking here, I looked down since my intuition told me I might find something...17 views
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Sure enough, a well-disguised starfish moving in slow motion. Hope it's not the kind that eats coral or other native species. Kabira Bay, Ishigaki.17 views
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Manta Beach on Yubu. マンタの浜17 views
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Thick, wild forest and lots of exposed tree roots. The frequent typhoons wash/blow away the soil from the tree roots.17 views
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Northern Iriomote has Okinawa and Iriomote's longest river, Urauchi River (18 km). It's a popular tourist route to go on the jungle cruise, then hike through the forest to see two waterfalls on the river.17 viewsNear Urauchi-hashi Bridge at the mouth of the river, there's a boat dock for Urauchi jungle river cruises. Since the hiking trail is rocky or muddy, don't wear high heels or slippers. Wear sneakers or hiking shoes. Although there's a restroom along the hiking trail, it's not as clean as you would like. Better to use the toilet at the boat dock before the cruise. Also bring something to drink. The roundtrip cruise and hike will take about 3 hours. Map here
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Bird of Paradise flower in Banna Park.17 views
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Shiraho coral reefs on Ishigaki.17 views
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Great views of the greenery from the Otomi Lookout Deck.17 views
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Urauchi River hiking trail to waterfalls. It can be quite muddy.16 views
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View of central Ishigaki from Banna Park.16 views
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The center of this photo shows the site where the new airport was going to be built.16 views
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On the southern coast of Ishigaki, we stayed at Ishigakijima Beach Hotel Sunshine for one night. It's a nice hotel. About 30 min. by car from the airport. 本館 https://www.ishigakijima-sunshine.net/16 views
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Chopstick rest made of a shell at Hirugi Restaurant in Hotel Miyahira, Ishigaki.16 views
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Glass bottom boat in Kabira Bay, Ishigaki.15 views
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A few clouds, but the sunrise was getting to be nice.15 views
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Sunrise kayaking on Iriomote, Yaeyama, Okinawa.15 views
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Our guide was Harubaru, but he doesn't normally do sunrise kayaking unless you ask him to: http://harubaru-iriomote.okinawa/course/15 views
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After the sunrise, we paddled along the mangroves on the river's edge.15 views
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After the sunrise, we paddled along the mangroves on the river's edge.15 views
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Lovely morning, too bad we didn't have time to kayak more upstream on Maira River, Iriomote.15 views
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The squirrel monkeys climb all over you.15 views
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Sunrise hike up Mt. Yarabudake (屋良部岳) on Sakieda Peninsula in western Ishigaki. It starts near the summit from this small, easy-to-miss trail.15 views
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On the tour bus on Iriomote going north. Lots of sugar cane. 15 views
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Lush forest, but rocky and muddy trail. Hiking shoes or sneakers are good. Sometimes a tree or branch has fallen over the trail. Need to go over/under it.15 views
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Behind Mariyudu Falls looking from upstream.15 views
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Mariyudu Falls. From here, the hiking trail continues to another waterfall, Kanbire (Kanpire) Falls about 250 meters away.15 views
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Banna Park on Banna Hill (230m elevation) in the northern fringe of central Ishigaki is a large nature & recreational park. This is one of the main lookout points. Named "Emerald Ocean Lookout Point" overlooking the city center and nearby is15 viewsThis is in Zone B of the park along the Banna Skyline road. This photo was taken before the stargazing platform was built next to it. エメラルドの海を見る展望台
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Butterfly in Banna Park.15 views
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Ishigaki Airport 15 views
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Ishigaki Port for tourist boats to other Yaeyama islands. Terminal building is on the right with the front entrance on the right side. On the left are four floating piers.15 viewsTaketomi island can be seen in the distance. Photo from Wikipedia.
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Iriomote has many hiking trails through the tropical forest or jungle. The popular trails usually lead to a waterfall, but we went on a short nature trail in Otomi that didn't lead to anything. 大富林道大正池15 views
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Back to the beach.14 views
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A nice cafe at Manta Beach on Yubu. Sit on old water buffalo carts.14 views
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Top of Mt. Yarabudake. This rock is known as Troll's Tongue.14 views
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On the opposite side of Kabira on the other side of the peninsula is another stretch of white sands called Sukuji Beach. One of Ishigaki's major swimming beaches. 底地ビーチ.14 views
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On Iriomote, one convenient way to tour the island is go on a sightseeing tour by bus. They pick you up when you arrive at the port and take you to the major sights like Urauchi River and Yubu.14 viewsYou can book a tour from Ishigaki.
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Boat dock at Urauchi River on Iriomote. If you come on your own, the jungle river cruise is ¥1,800 for adults. 西表島・浦内川14 viewsThe boat cruise takes about 30 min. to a dock upstream where you get off for the waterfall hike. Boats depart here once or twice an hour from morning to early afternoon.
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Another Urauchi River cruise boat. 西表島・浦内川 遊覧ボート14 views
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Sometimes there are views from the hiking trail.14 views
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Ferns and a nameless mini waterfall.14 views
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Urauchi River boat dock as seen from Urauchi Bridge near the mouth of the river.14 views
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Northern Iriomote coast.14 views
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View of central Ishigaki from Banna Park.14 views
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View of central Ishigaki from Banna Park. Taketomi Island can be seen on upper right.14 views
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View of Sakieda Peninsula from Banna Park.14 views
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View of Sakieda Peninsula from Banna Park.14 views
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Rest house in Banna Park. It's a large park with a variety of sights, playgrounds, lookout points, and nature.14 views
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Ishigaki is the gateway to Okinawa Prefecture's Yaeyama Islands. Ishigaki Airport near central Ishigaki is how most visitors get to Yaeyama.14 viewsBird's eye view of central Ishigaki from a jet plane going to land at Ishigaki Airport.
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Hotel restaurant terrace at sunset. オープンレストラン 海辺のテラス14 views
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There are many glass bottom boats that operate here.13 views
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Kabira Bay beach.13 views
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Boarding a glass bottom boat. Your feet don't get wet.13 views
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Glass bottom boat in Kabira Bay, Ishigaki.13 views
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Glass bottom boat in Kabira Bay, Ishigaki.13 views
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Stargazing at Nosokodake Lookout Point. Photo by National Astronomical Observatory of Japan.13 views
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Inside Makishi Residence. 旧牧志邸13 views
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Top of Amparu Lookout gives nice views of the lush greenery in the park.13 views
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About Amparu Lookout in Japanese. アンパル塔13 views
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Uechi Residence (Farmer;s house)13 views
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Yaima Mura Restaurant. This is also where you can rent Okinawan clothing.13 views
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Our waitress in Okinawan dress explaining our lunch at Yaima Mura.13 views
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We got off the boat upstream here at Gunkan-iwa, named after a rock slab looking like the side of a battleship. 軍艦岩13 views
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At Gunkan-iwa dock, there's a hiking trail called Urauchigawa Shizen Kenkyu-ro. A nature trail that goes to two waterfalls.13 viewsNote that cell phones won't work on the hiking trail. 浦内川自然研究路
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River cruise back to the dock.13 views
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Mangroves near the mouth of Urauchi River, seen from Urauchi Bridge.13 views
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Bus stop (Urauchihashi) for the Urauchi River boat dock. In the background is our tour bus.13 views
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Iriomote Hoshisuna Beach.13 views
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View of central Ishigaki from Banna Park.13 views
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View of the mountains north of Banna Park.13 views
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View of Ishigaki Airport terminal from the jet bridge.13 views
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ANA at Ishigaki Airport.13 views
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Shiraho coral reefs on Ishigaki.13 views
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Shiraho coral reefs on Ishigaki.13 views
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Ishigaki Port is on the southern coast of Ishigaki island. It's the marine gateway to other Yaeyama islands such as Taketomi, Iriomote, Kuroshima, and Aragusuku.13 viewsIshigaki Port consists of multiple port facilities. For tourists, the facility for tourist boats going to other Yaeyama islands might be called "Ishigaki Port Remote Island Terminal" or nicknamed "Euglena Ishigaki Port Remote Island Terminal" (ユーグレナ石垣港離島ターミナル) since a company named Euglena bought the naming rights for 5 years in 2018.
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Inside the Ishigaki Port terminal building. One big hallway with doors to the boat docks and ticket windows and tour agency counters.13 views
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Ishigakijima Beach Hotel Sunshine has the main building on the left. We stayed in the newer annex seen in the distance. Both buildings face the ocean.13 viewsIncluding breakfast, it costs ¥8,000/person for two people in a room in the main building.
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My nice room at Ishigakijima Beach Hotel Sunshine's Ocean Garden annex.13 views
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Refrigerator.13 views
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View from my room, partially obstructed by a big tree.13 views
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Walked along the oceanfront.13 views
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Ishigaki sunset.13 views
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Breakfast buffet at the hotel restaurant in the main building. Plastic partitions protect the food. ブーゲンの浜13 views
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Hotel lobby sofas.13 views
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They also had a telescope to see Saturn and the moon.13 views
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Inside the butterfly garden (蝶々園) on Yubu. (Photo by tour guide motti.)13 views
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Bird feeder for research purposes.13 views
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Site of the old Ohara Port near the new one. The old port operated here until 2002.13 views
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My buffet breakfast at at the hotel restaurant in the main building. Most dishes are covered with Saran wrap.13 views
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Typical glass bottom boat in Kabira Bay, Ishigaki.12 views
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Glass bottom boat in Kabira Bay, Ishigaki.12 views
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The cruise is scenic with tropical ocean and small islands.12 views
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Water buffalo taking toursts to Yubu Island from Iriomote.12 views
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Yubu arrival station. (Admission charged, included in the water buffalo cart ride.) https://yubujima.com/12 views
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About the common tiger butterfly or Danaus genutia. スジグロカバマダラ Butterfly hothouse in Yubu (蝶々園).12 views
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A nice cafe at Manta Beach on Yubu.12 views
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Lots of water buffalo monuments and sculptures on Yubu.12 views
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View of coral reefs from Nosokodake Lookout Point in northern Ishigaki. 12 views
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Stargazing at Nosokodake Lookout Point. Photo by National Astronomical Observatory of Japan.12 views
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Sanshin in Makishi Residence. 旧牧志邸12 views
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Reconstruction of a 17th-century Amparu Lookout tower used to look out for shipwrecked ships from China, Japan, and Okinawa. They were many of these towers in Ryukyu.12 viewsThere's a spiral slope going around the tower to reach the top.
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Ryukyu matsu pine trees12 views
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Fisherman's home.12 views
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Fisherman's home.12 views
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Fisherman's home, side view.12 views
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Found only in Yaeyama, Ryukyu serpent eagle that was found injured and being treated here. They like to eat snakes. Called "Ayapani" (あやぱに) in Yaeyama. カンムリワシ保護ケージ12 views
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Squirrel Monkey Garden リスザルの森12 views
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Yaima Mura Restaurant for tour groups.12 views
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A few steep parts, but ropes help you up.12 views
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Typical mountain trail on Ishigaki. 12 views
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Sukuji Beach has a lot of shallow water, so it's safe to swim. But at low tide, there's lots of rocks. Be sure to swim within the designated area protected against jellyfish with underwater nets. 底地ビーチ12 views
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Wish we could see the Iriomote wildcat swimming across the river, but they are nocturnal.12 views
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View of the mountains north of Banna Park.12 views
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Descending toward Ishigaki Airport adjacent to farmland.12 views
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First floor of Ishigaki Airport terminal has a restaurant and gift shops. Second floor is the departure gates.12 views
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Lookout deck, round, open-air structure.12 views
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Jet bridge12 views
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View of Ishigaki Airport from the jet bridge.12 views
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Jet bridge12 views
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RAC commuter plane.12 views
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Pushback at Ishigaki Airport on JTA Boeing 737-800 for Naha. Didn't see any ground crew waving goodbye to us.12 views
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RAC (Ryukyu Air Commuter) prop plane.12 views
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Leaving Ishigaki Airport.12 views
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ANA Boeing 787 landing at Ishigaki Airport, probably from Haneda, Tokyo. Thanks to the new airport's longer runway, such wide-body jets can land here.12 views
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Up, up and away...12 views
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Lots of farmland next to the airport.12 views
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Flying over Shiraho, Ishigaki.12 views
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Looking at the Nosoko area of Ishigaki. Mt. Nosokodake can be seen. Bye-bye Ishigaki...12 views
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Aerial view of Nosoko, Ishigaki.12 views
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Aerial view of Ibaruma Coast, Ishigaki.12 views
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Ishigaki Port boat dock. Anei Kanko (安栄観光) and Yaeyama Kanko Ferry (八重山観光フェリー) are the two main boat companies operating here.12 views
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Hotel pool if you want to swim. Because you cannot swim in the ocean...12 views
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Ishigakijima Beach Hotel Sunshine's newer Ocean Garden annex. 新館12 views
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Very modern room.12 views
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Room rate is about ¥15,000/person in this new annex. Pricing also depends on the season.12 views
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Roomy balcony of my hotel room.12 views
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View from my room.12 views
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Tropical plant.12 views
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Although the hotel's name has the word "Beach," there's no beach and it's not for swimming. 12 viewsIn summer, they have marine activities, but no ocean swimming or sunbathing on a beach. There's a pool and lawn though.
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An adjacent hotel had chairs on the waterfront for the sunset.12 views
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12 views
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