Here is a guide for things to do in Ishigaki Island – located in Yaeyama area, Okinawa, Japan – surrounded by beautiful blue ocean. It takes a couple of hours by airplane from Tokyo. Many people come visit here for relaxing and enjoying its nature from all over the world.
Things to do in Ishigaki island
What would you like to do in this beautiful place? Going to a beach, having a nice view from a lighthouse, staying and relaxing at resort hotel, enjoying nice local food.. actually anything would be amazing here.
I’ll recommend some what I did.
Drive Around the Island
Ishigaki island is a quite small island such as you can drive around for a couple of hours. Honestly i’d say it’s too difficult to do anything without a car since places for sightseeing are far from another. I highly recommend you to get yourself a car unless you are planning to stay inside your hotel.
There is a lot of rental car shops which are called “rent-a-car”. You can easily find it. Surely you need to show your driver’s license. *it depends on your nationality. so you’d better to check it up before going there.
With a car, you can visit beaches, nice restaurants and cafes, a lot of places to have fun!
Ishigaki Island Drive Route Guide – Beach, Food, Sunset, etc.
Enjoy Local Food in Ishigaki Island
You can try Okinawan food, but also there are many famous and popular foods in ishigaki island.
Ishigaki Beef
Ishigaki beef is my favorite!!!! You can have it in Japanese BBQ at restaurant called “Yamamoto”. Very good place, and i loved it!
Yaeyama Soba (Okinawa Style Noodle)
Yaeyama soba is a local soba noodle dish that is eaten in Yaeyama area including Ishigaki island. Okinawa soba is different from normal Soba in mainland of Japan, and also there are differences in Okinawa soba depending on each area. On Yaeyama style soba, there are thin straight noodle, Kamaboko (fishcake), thin-sliced pork.
It is very different from Ramen or soba (in mainland), not heavy nor greasy. You should try if you like noodles 🙂
Gelato Made From Local Ingredients
You can find a lot of places where you can eat gelatos. There is a gelato shop named “Miru Miru Honpo” in Ishigaki island. They have a cow farm there, and they make fresh gelatos with local ingredients including cow milk which tastes very rich milk 🐄 I fell in love with this and I had to get it again at airport before leaving Ishigaki 😋
Ishigaki Food Guide
Ishigaki Food Guide – The Best Restaurant & Cafe! Okinawa, Japan
More Adventure to Small island
You can also go to other islands from Ishigaki island easily. There are some islands though, i went to Kohama island and Taketomi island by boats.
It is not expensive but you gotta check time schedule since there is a few.
Kohama island
Kohama island became famous for a drama called Chura-san in Japan. I would not say there are many things to do or see, but it is very relaxing.
Taketomi island
If you are interested in star-shaped sand, magic (temporary) beach, buffalo car ride, you might want to go Taketomi island.
Taketomi Island Guide : Things to Do & Food to Eat – Beaches, Star sand, etc
Ishigaki is not big island, but perfect to go and enjoy for 3-4 days 😉
