Ishigaki

A popular scenic destination. Good views of Iriomote island when the weather is okay.

This ornately decorated Chinese-style "Tang People's Grave" commemorates the sorry fate of some 400 Hokkien Chinese coolies, who mutinied and ran aground on Ishigaki on their way to California. Pursued by the English navy, those captured were killed, so many headed into the mountains where they starved or committed suicide, and only a lucky few were taken under the wing of friendly locals and protected.

A little lighthouse on a little cape, not open to the public but there's a little park and viewing pavilion next to it. Not worth much of a detour but conveniently located across the road from Tōjinbaka.

Rounding out the trio of low-key attractions around Tōjinbaka is this quiet Okinawan-style wooden temple, with a grand lantern-lined staircase but little to see when you get there. The toilets, however, are kept in excellent shape.

The southernmost cave in Japan, created by coral reefs over 200,000 years ago. It's 3.2 kilometers long in total, making it the largest cave on the island, and 660 meters are open to visitors. It's known for its illuminations in the Senkyo area of the cave, but a variety of features throughout the cave are also of interest.

An ill-maintained park with a high entrance fee, there is an unmanned gate where you can purchase a ticket. While the nature part of the park is impressive, overgrowth can make it difficult to see everything. It is sometimes compared to an experience of wandering into the mountains which is appealing to those who prefer a less curated experience. There are two caves on site. Visitors have noted that lighting in the cave may or may not be turned on and it may be sporadic inside the cave, so bring a good flashlight if you are committed to entering. You should not expect to find any employees, so you can explore freely but no one can assist you if you need help. While the site does not have broad appeal, it does have some cult appeal among those who enjoy exploring abandoned or semi-abandoned parks, as well as those who prefer to see local flora in a more wild and unmanicured state. In addition guided tours of the limestone caves allow you to see parts of the cave that are closed off to regular park entrants. Advance reservations are required for these tours.
The most common reason foreigners come here is due to confusion between this cave and the Ishigaki Stalactite Cave, which is larger, safer, fully-staffed and is the cave that is prominently featured in tourist ads. They are located near one another but along two different offshoots from the main road, hence the confusion. Refer to the listing "Ishigaki Stalactite Cave" for information about the other cave.

A large nature park home to a variety of unique plants and wildlife. There are a handful of lookout points from where you can see most of the island, rest pavilions, monuments, and playgrounds. Seishika Bridge, which runs over the largest lake in the park, is also a scenic point. There is a nearby lookout from which you can view and take pictures of the bridge.

A short path that leads to a deck where you can see and enjoy the local Yaeyama Palm Trees.

Home of the "Shisa Garden"; a space featuring large, colorful sculptures of shisa in a variety of poses.

Friendly dive shop that also caters to English-speaking divers. Free transfers from anywhere on the island, Visa, MC, Amex accepted.

This diving shop has a branch at the ferry terminal and offers diving courses, diving, snorkeling and underwater sightseeing cruises. A double dive is ¥13,000 and full diving rental is ¥4,000.

Offering jungle zip line tours around the base of Omoto mountain on Ishigaki. Snorkeling trips on board a 43-foot sailboat or via kayak from the beach. Sunset or nite sailing cruises. All tours conducted in Japanese and English by a native English speaker. Hotel pickup and drop-off in the Ishigaki city area included.

Offers English speaking guided snorkeling, hiking, sightseeing and family oriented tours around Ishigaki island.

At the northwest corner of the island is this stunning emerald blue bay with a perfect yellow-white beach, dotted by craggy islands — but no swimming allowed, so the closest you can get is a glass-bottom boat tour (¥1000, 30 min). You can walk along the coast from bay to bay, but beware of the fast-moving tides that may trap you if you dally too much in the evening. The best free landside views are from Kabira Park (川平公園 Kabira-kōen), a promenade complete with viewing pavilion that stretches along the coast above the beach.

1 km of white sand beach, equipped with changing rooms, showers, toilets and other essentials. The view from the beach is stunning and on a clear day Uganzaki lighthouse is visible in the distance. The sea is the shallowest to be found on any of Ishigaki's beaches, which is great if you fancy a relaxing paddle in the ocean, but swimmers should look elsewhere. Trees at the rear of the beach provide partial shade from the sun throughout much of the day.

Offers nice sand and better coral reefs within easy snorkeling distance, and it's probably the most rewarding place to snorkel near the shore anywhere in the Yaeyama Islands. The reef begins within meters of the beach and hosts enough life to interest experienced snorkelers and beginners alike. Caution should be taken, however as Yonehara's rip currents are notoriously strong. There is a sign facing the beach on the path from the parking area that shows which areas to avoid - just stay by the western portion of the beach, between the stream mouth and the cliff. This area is both the safest and the best for snorkeling. But please, don't stand on the coral! If you're not comfortable floating for a long time without ever standing up, this is not the place for you. There is a shop with snacks and snorkel equipment rental at the main parking lot near the west end of the beach.

Italian chef coming from Rome makes authentic Italian cuisine. He is very friendly and can give you good tips about traveling around. All the ingredients are imported from Italy. If you are tired of eating Japanese foods and being surrounded by Japanese people, this is the place to relax in a lovely atmosphere. good veg menu