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Island within Ryukyu Islands
Photo: Jordy Meow, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Taketomi (竹富) is one of the Yaeyama Islands of Okinawa, Japan. This small island just north of the tropics with its picturesque beaches and architecture is a popular getaway especially for domestic visitors. Far out in the Philippine Sea and part of the Ryukyu Kingdom until the late 19th century, Taketomi offers attractions that you won’t encounter on the Japanese mainland.
From the travel guide. Select a place for details, a map and what is nearby.
喜宝院
Japan's southernmost temple, but it's not much to look at. It houses about 3,000 historical artifacts and local handicrafts gathered from around the island. With no English explanations, visitors may find it to be of limited interest; however, it is essentially the island's history and culture museum.
なごみの塔
A purpose-built concrete tower that offers views over the entire island. The steps up are very steep.
民芸館 Mingeikan
Has local artisans weaving traditional Yaeyaman minsā cloth.
ゆがふ館
An informative museum run by the national parks authority, but all the information is in Japanese. On the plus side, the 15-minute film and the audio sets of Yaeyaman stories and songs are interesting to everyone.
西桟橋 Nishi-sanbashi
This disused pier is where Taketomi's villagers used to set off by canoe to tend their rice fields on Iriomote. Today, it's Taketomi's best sunset-watching spot, but you'll have to stay overnight to catch this nightly event.
コンドイ浜
A spectacular expanse of white sand and turquoise water, and the only beach where swimming is allowed.
カイジ浜
Taketomi is one of only two islands in Japan (the other is Iriomote) that accumulate this 'sand' formed from the shells of thousands of tiny crustaceans. While Star Sand Beach (星砂の浜 Hoshizuna-no-hama) usually refers to the more accessible Kaiji, you can also find the stuff at the rarely visited Aiyaruhama (アイヤル浜) near the Hoshinoya resort. People are not allowed to take the sand — you must pick the individual stars.
竹富観光センター
しだめー館
Lovely little cafe-restaurant-bar right below the Nagomi-no-to tower, serving up a wide variety of Okinawan and Japanese staples. Best known for their rafti-don (ラフティ丼, ¥1,000), a rice bowl dripping with porky goodness, and their home-made sata-andagi donuts (2 for ¥100). Stays open late, with customers hanging out after dinner drinking awamori and sampling snacks.
竹の子
A well-known island eatery, Takenoko is justly famous for their rendition of Yaeyama soba, which they've been serving since 1975. Order the soki variant with melt-in-your-mouth pork ribs, spice it up with a dash of their homegrown piyashii pepper or a careful slug of kuchu chilli-infused awamori, then cool down with a bowl of shaved ice (kakigōri).
Forget marble countertops and tuxedoed waiters: this is an open-air wooden platform piled with plastic lawn chairs and surrounded by hibiscus flowers. Order an awamori straight or turned into a cocktail, kick back, watch the starry skies and enjoy the quiet of Taketomi at night. Open only during high season.
竹富ゲストハウス ジュテーム
With young backpackers lounging in hammocks while reggae wafts in the background, Je t'aime is the probably the closest thing in all of Japan to a Thailand-style guest house. The owner sings and plays the sanshin, and is especially wicked on the sanba (three-leaf Okinawa castanets).
民宿小浜荘
One of the longest-running lodges on the island, with both hotel and hostel style accommodation. ¥500 discount for HI members.
高那旅館
One of the longest-running lodges on the island, with both hotel and hostel style accommodation. ¥500 discount for HI members.
星のや 竹富島
By far the fanciest digs in Taketomi, and quite possibly in all Okinawa, Hoshinoya is a luxury ryokan cunningly disguised as an Okinawan village, with open-air pavilions and low coral walls, plus the standard hotel amenities of pool, spa, etc. The restaurant serves Okinawan-influenced French nouvelle cuisine and even the plates are custom-made, which explains why dinner costs ¥12,000, although at lunch you can get away with ¥1000 for a bowl of noodles.
ホテルピースアイランド竹富島
Opened 2012, this small tropical resort is a low-lying assemblage of Taketomi-style buildings, a short walk away from the village center. The facilities are rather basic for the price (no pool, for example), but the rooms are fairly spacious and come with little outdoor balconies for enjoying the evening breeze. Restaurant, free laundry facilities, and one of the few shops on the island selling takeaway booze.
By bus
Taketomijima Kōtsū runs shuttle bus services from the port to the village to the beaches and back at least once an hour. Fares ¥200/310 by distance, or ¥1030 for a one-day pass.
By taxi
Taketomi has one taxi, which can be booked at +81 80-2751-3229. Starting fare ¥550, and it's a minivan so wheelchairs can be accommodated.
By bicycle
Probably the best way to get around is on bicycle.
On foot
If you're on the island for more than just a day-trip, walking is a great way to see the island.5 km from village to Kondoi Beach).
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