Island hopping in Okinawa: From one eclectic world to another
Okinawa is made up of 160 islands that are full of life on and off the
islands. There is no way to appreciate Okinawa without exploring these
islands, and letting the local guides take you on a journey filled with
gorgeous subtropic scenery and mystical creatures.
Ishigaki City Tourism Exchange Association
www.yaeyama.or.jp.e.kg.hp.transer.com/
Taketomi Town Tourist Association
www.painusima.com/en
Peek under the crystal clear waters…
It’s hard not to notice the crystal clear waters and the coral reefs when
arriving at Ishigaki Island. Within the surrounding ocean of this subtropic
island is an abundance of marine life complete with sea turtles and
manta rays. Find yourself a professional diving tour guide to take you on
a expedition under the sea. With luck you’ll have a magical encounter
with one of Ishigaki’s magnificent sea creatures.
Getting to Ishigaki Island
From Naha: 1 hr
From Haneda airport: 3.5 hrs
From Kansai International airport: 2.5 hrs
Explore and fall in love in less than a day
When you arrive at Taketomi Island, hitch a ride on a carriage
pulled by a water buffalo. The buffalos were brought in for
farm work, but they are the best way to slowly explore the
nationally protected scenery of this old village island. Change
over to a bike to freely explore the sandy white beaches and
friendly community, it takes less than a day to see all of the
island by bike and be completely enchanted.
Getting to Taketomi Island
There are no airports on the island so you must go via Ishigaki Island.
From Ishigaki Island: 10min via ferry
In the jungle, the subtropical jungle, where the Iriomote wild cat sleeps…
90% of Iriomote Island is covered in a native subtropic jungle. There’s no
better way to experience the island than to simply kayak down Nakama river,
one of Iriomote’s 40 rivers that also has Japan’s largest mangrove
coverage… Or trek through the jungle to meet Pinaisala Falls. There
are plenty of guides in the area to choose from, so be sure to go with
one or you may encounter Iriomote’s resident Iriomote wild cat.
Getting to Iriomote Island
There are no airports on the island so you must go via Ishigaki Island.
From Ishigaki Island: 40min via ferry
Okinawa’s Main Island
Connect with Okinawa through the beauty of its traditional culture
The traditional arts and culture of Okinawa comes from the perfect harmony of man, nature and spirit. The experiences you can find on the main island completely reflect that harmony and with it, youÅfll be able to create a string of unique memories you canÅft make anywhere else.
Okinawa’s Outer Islands
Island hopping in Okinawa: From one eclectic world to another
Okinawa is made up of 160 islands that are full of life on and off the islands. There is no way to appreciate Okinawa without exploring these islands, and letting the local guides take you on a journey filled with gorgeous subtropic scenery and mystical creatures.
Explore JapanÅfs own soul food region
Enjoy the lively spirit of Okinawa with its local cuisine…