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Westernmost island of Japan
Photo: (WT-en) Jpatokal at English Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Yonaguni (与那国) in the Yaeyama Islands is the westernmost point on an island of Japan.
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西崎
Yonaguni's main aboveground sight of any interest is the marker for the westernmost point of Japan (日本最西端の碑) at the westernmost tip of the island, about a kilometer from Kubura (15 minutes on foot). Despite the marker being located on the island, the official westernmost point of Japan and the closest point to Taiwan is Tuishi (トゥイシ), a rocky reef about 120 m northwest of the shoreline that remains barely above sea level at high tide. It's 107.3 km from there to swim directly across to Wuyanjiao (烏岩角) in Suao, Taiwan.
東崎
The kanji mean East Cape, but the reading of the name refers to the rising sun. You can observe it from a cliff. On a clear day, if you're lucky, you can see the coast of Iriomote. Also a grazing area, many Yonaguni horses can be found here.
久部良バリ
This cliff near the northern side of Kubura's port offers views of the last sunset in Japan, and on a good day it is possible to see the shadow cast by Taiwan in front of the setting sun from here. This is also the site where, in the rough period when residents of the island were forced to pay an alarmingly expensive head tax after the Ryukyu Kingdom was conquered by the Satsuma clan from the Japanese mainland, pregnant women were sometimes made to jump to their death to avoid an increase in population.
ウブドゥマイ浜
From the cliffs here, there's an impressive view of much of Yonaguni's beautiful northern coastline.
比川浜 Hikawahama
Shaped like a crescent, it is the island's largest beach. Suitable for swimming. Very quiet, little-to-no waves because of a coral reef.
久部良岳
Kuburadake is a Natural Conservation District in the west of Yonaguni, about 188 m above sealevel. It is valuable because it contains a Chinquapin mountain forest and a lowlands forest, home to such natural monuments as the colorful Emerald Dove (リュウキュウキンバト), Japanese Wood Pidgeon (ヨナグニカラスバト), Ryukyu Robin (ウスアカヒゲ), and others. From about halfway up the mountain to the summit, the trees are mostly date palms. Lower than halfway, you can find Javanese bishopwood trees (アカギ) and other diverse plants which the Atlas moth eats.
ティンダバナ
Tindabana is a natural rock formation with a nice view. About 70 m tall. From Tindabana, you can see the entire village of Sonai, and Nandahama. According to tradition, the great empress of Yonaguni, Sanai Isoba, resided here.
人面岩
Jinmen-iwa is a big rock in the forest that resembles a human face. Requires 12-20 minute hike up the hill by a forest trail. No parking, nearest parking is at Tatigami-iwa.
軍艦岩
The "Battleship Rock", about 2 km south of Agarizaki, is a series of peculiarly-shaped reef rock formations. Supposedly, the main rock bears a close resemblance to the shape of a battleship, and that's how it got its name. It can be observed from Sanninudai.
サンニヌ台
Believed by some to be an above-water portion of the mysterious undersea ruins (different from the Yonaguni Monument) because it is shaped almost like a sort of stairway. The strangely-shaped rocks of Gunkaniwa can be easily seen from here. Also, there's a rock here with some writing on it which is mysterious. It bears little resemblance to kaida-dii, the island's indigenous writing system, and some have even suggested that it is Phoenecian.
立神岩、タティガミイワ
The "Standing God Rock", at the southeast tip of the island, is also noted for the underwater ruins nearby (see Do, some with what appears to be indigenous writing. Also, it's considered a spiritual site for followers of Yonaguni's indigenous traditional religion.
トゥングタ
Tunguta is a rice field in the middle of the island, of historical interest. In the period when a head tax was enforced by the Shimazu clan of modern-day Kagoshima prefecture against the people of the southern islands, causing much pain and suffering, all the inhabitants of the island were suddenly called to this ricefield. Those who did not get there by a certain time were slaughtered. This was one of a few horrific stories of population reduction which was carried out on Yonaguni by the order of the local elders.
与那国民俗資料館 Yonaguni Minzoku Shiryōkan
This museum, at No. 49 in the Sonai area, is run by 100+ year-old "island auntie", Ikema Nae. There's a lot of information about the island's history, culture, and even language. If you want information about the island's indigenous writing system, kaida-dii, this is probably the place to go. Their informational pamphlets can also be very enlightening, but they are only occasionally offered in English. The museum also sells the Dictionary of the Yonaguni Tongue (与那国語辞典 Yonaguni kotoba jiten), the only available dictionary of the local language (to and from Standard Japanese), also with a little bit of information about the native writing system. Incidentally, the dictionary is written by Ms Nae, and the entire museum is mostly the result of her work. If you have any questions, she's usually there and is very knowledgeable about the history, culture, language, and traditions of Yonaguni.
アヤミハビル館 ayamihabiru-kan
Has live caterpillars in season as well as various displays of local insects and other critters. You won't be able to see the adult moths, though, as the cocoons are returned to the forests. ayamihabiru is the local name for Yonagunisan moth.
アンボイナ amboina
A very beautiful — but also very poisonous — seashell. See here for more information on how to watch out for them.
Open Coast Travel is the only US based travel agency specializing in guided scuba tours to Yonaguni for Western travelers. All bilingual guides have lived in Japan.
Kubura. The oldest and largest dive shop on the island, quite professionally run: they will cater to your experience level and will not head out to sites if the weather does not permit (in which case your money is refunded). Two boat dives start from ¥12000, full gear rental for a day is ¥6500. No credit cards accepted and only limited English spoken. Quite popular, so book ahead.
Yonaguni. The dive shop of Mr. Kihachiro Aratake. Mr. Kihachiro Aratake is a diving instructor who first discovered the underwater ruins.
海底遺跡 kaitei iseki
Dryly but diplomatically referred to by the government as the "Underwater Landscape Resources" - which lie off the southern coast of the island
アーチ門
A passage 1 m in width and 2 m in height that looks like a tunnel.
二枚岩
Two huge stone slabs standing parallel to each other.
メインテラス
Relatively wide flat area with vertical wall.
メインテラス階段
Formation that looks like giant stairs at the Main Terrace. There are some photos of these stairs on the internet, taken here from a specific angle, such that the stairs look like a pyramid going up high. In reality that is not the case.
ループ道路
A 5 m wide ledge that encircles the base of the formation on three sides.
石垣
A straight row of huge stones along the south (outer) edge of the "Loop Road".
排水溝
A long narrow cavity with flat parallel walls that looks like a water trench.
三角プール
A triangular depression with three large holes at its north edge.
亀のモニュメント
A low star-shaped platform.
トーテム
A stone column about 7 m tall, to the south of the monument.
太陽石, Goshintai
An isolated boulder was resting on a low platform to the east of the monument. That boulder has been washed away from the platform.
カジキ釣り大会 Kajiki-tsuri taikai
Yearly in July.
一周マラソン大会 Isshu Marason Taikai
Every November. Despite the name, the race is either 10 km or 24 km (around the island), not a full marathon.
フィエスタ
Probably the cheapest accommodation on the island. Dormitory rooms separated for men and women, with shower rooms and toilets outside the rooms but also separated between men and women. Its kitchen and laundry machine are available for public use (¥100) to use the laundry machine). Run by very friendly and gregarious woman from Osaka, this is the kind of place where you're immediately treated as a friend.
こみね旅館
旅の宿かふう
No bathrooms in the rooms, as it's a minshuku. You can take a bath between 16:00-20:00, although they'll usually let you take a bath outside of these times if you ask. Private rooms, nice meals also included. Washing machine costs ¥100. No phones in rooms, but there's a green-phone (public telephone) in the lobby you can use. There is a danger of theft because there are no keys to the rooms.
民宿さきはら荘
The interior is much better kept than the backpacker-style Kafuu but the food may or may not match up. Amenities include a large television and a small manga library; ideal for elderly visitors not used to roughing it.
よしまる荘
Operated by Yonaguni Diving Service, this standard-issue minshuku offers shared lodging in Japanese-style rooms for ¥5000/¥3500 with/without meals, ¥1000 extra if you want your own room. Expect some noise in the evenings from boozing divers, but it's lights-out by 23:00.
アイランドホテル与那国
"Temporarily" closed from 2021. Pool, bath house, and restaurant. They also have wireless internet in the lobby only along with a computer for those that don't want to bring their laptop with them. Close to the airport. Very attentive staff make it very nice. Without meals it is ¥15000 per night.
大朝商店
One of Kubura's two general-goods stores. Has a pretty good range of hanazake tucked away in the back.
与那国海塩
This store sells salt harvested from Kuroshio Current. The best stuff comes in big crystals several millimeters in size, and supposedly tastes somewhat sweet.
There are 9 buses per day between Sonai and Kubura, 3 of which continue on to make a full circuit of the island of the west half of the island, but there is no public transport on the eastern side.
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Yonaguni · Regional · OGN
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