In-depth information on flying to Ishigaki Island! Information on travel time and transportation from the airport!
Table of Contents
What kind of island is "Ishigaki Island" by plane?
Many people may think of Okinawa Prefecture when they think of popular tourist destinations in Japan. Okinawa Prefecture is characterized not only by the main island of Okinawa, but also by a large number of remote islands suitable for sightseeing scattered over a wide area.
Ishigaki Island is one of the most popular tourist islands, where you can encounter white sand beaches, blue sea, and a tropical paradise. The overwhelming beauty of the island, which looks like a scene from a movie, lit by the beautiful tropical sunlight, is a tourism resource unique to Ishigaki Island.
Ishigaki Island also has a well-developed urban area, where visitors can enjoy not only natural scenery and activities, but also shopping and other resort-like tourist attractions.
How to get to Ishigaki Island
When you hear the word "remote island," you may imagine traveling by ferry, but you cannot go to Ishigaki Island by boat.
Ishigaki Island belongs to the Yaeyama Islands, which are separated from the main island of Okinawa by a distance of 410 km.
If we say that the same Yaeyama Islands also include Yonaguni Island, the westernmost island of Japan, it is easy to imagine how far away it is.
It is separated by an endless sea that stretches longer than the distance between Tokyo and Osaka, making it unsuitable for travel by boat.
Ishigaki Island is accessible only by air!
Therefore, the only means of transportation to Ishigaki Island is basically by air.
Keep in mind that if you are considering a sightseeing trip to Ishigaki Island, you must first take a flight.
Features of Nannujima Ishigaki New Airport, the gateway to Ishigaki Island
The current gateway to Ishigaki Island is the Nannujima Ishigaki New Airport, which opened in 2013.
The old Ishigaki Airport was closed in exchange for the opening of the current airport, so please be careful not to make a mistake in the address.
Nannu Island Ishigaki New Airport is home to many stores selling goods and restaurants, where you can shop for local specialties and taste local cuisine as soon as you exit the lobby. The number of stores is especially large, and features a variety of local foods such as Ishigaki beef and Ishigaki salt, as well as Ryukyu glass and other specialty items available for purchase.
The lineup of numerous stores will surely make your eyes wander. New Ishigaki Airport is located 15 km northeast of Ishigaki city center, about 30 minutes drive one way.
You can also rent a car at the airport, so you can enjoy flexible sightseeing with the airport as your base.
How to get to Ishigaki Island by plane from various cities
Ishigaki Island is served by direct flights from various cities throughout Japan. It is not difficult to get to Ishigaki Island from airports located in large metropolitan areas.
If you depart from an airport that does not have a direct flight to Ishigaki Island, you can still reach Ishigaki Island without any problem once you pass through Naha.
There are many flights to Ishigaki Island from Naha Airport, so choose an option that is easily accessible from your area.
Which airports have direct flights to Ishigaki Island?
As of 2022, there are five airports that offer direct flights to Ishigaki Island: Haneda, Narita, Chubu, Kansai, and Fukuoka.
If you live in or near a prefecture with one of these airports, using them will make your trip smoother.
The following items summarize the means of direct travel and should be checked for each region.
How to fly from the Kanto region
When flying from the Kanto region, Haneda and Narita airports can be used respectively.
From Haneda Airport, JAL and ANA offer two flights a day each, giving you a choice of four flights a day, so you can be relatively flexible. The travel time will be a little over 3 hours.
In addition, Peach operates one flight a day from Narita Airport, which takes 3 hours and 40 minutes.
How to fly from the Kansai region
When flying from the Kansai region, we recommend using Kansai Airport. JAL and ANA offer one flight a day from Kansai Airport, and Peach offers two flights a day, for a total of four flights a day.
However, Peach does have days when it is out of service, so please check well in advance before using this service. The trip takes about 2 hours and 20 minutes.
How to fly from the Chubu region
ANA and Peach operate one flight a day from Chubu Airport, and JAL also operates one flight a day only during periods of increased tourism. Again, Peach has a service suspension day, so please check carefully.
The time required is almost the same as that of Kansai Airport, about 2 hours and 20 minutes.
How to fly from Kyushu area
Although Kyushu is the closest in distance to Okinawa, ANA offers only one flight a day from Fukuoka Airport. Since the time zone is limited, time schedule adjustments should be made carefully.
Because of the close distance, the travel time is the shortest, taking almost exactly two hours.
How to get to Ishigaki Island with cheap flights?
Flying is essential for sightseeing in Ishigaki Island, but in order to travel as cheaply as possible, you will want to get a low-cost air ticket.
How can I find cheap airline tickets? The following are some tips for finding relatively inexpensive airline tickets.
Use LCC
For inexpensive airfare, we recommend that you consider using LCCs.
LCC is an abbreviation for low-cost carrier, a term used to describe airlines that promote lower prices through various attempts, such as eliminating or charging for free in-flight services and simplifying in-flight facilities.
Other features include charges for rescheduling and baggage check-in, but even including the cost of these services, airline tickets are inexpensive.
The four main LCCs in Japan are Jetstar, Peach, Vanilla, and Air Asia, and we recommend using these flights. If you do not insist on direct flights, you can use a variety of LCCs, so you should plan flexibly.
Airports with direct flights between Ishigaki Island and LCC
As mentioned above, there are three LCCs that offer direct flights to and from Ishigaki Island: Narita Airport, Kansai Airport, and Chubu Airport.
Both flights are operated by Peach, with the least expensive flight costing around 7,000 yen.
Since you can cut costs significantly, why not make good use of LCCs?
Travel outside of high season
As with hotel and ryokan accommodations, airline ticket prices fluctuate between peak tourist season and other times of the year.
LCC prices rise and fall depending on how many seats are available, so if you want to enjoy the most inexpensive trip to Ishigaki Island, it is recommended to aim for a time outside of the high tourist season as much as possible.
The high season for travel to Ishigaki Island is first of all the summer season, when the beautiful ocean is perfect for playing.
Especially during summer vacation and Obon, when it is easy to take a large vacation, air ticket prices are likely to skyrocket due to the influx of tourists.
In terms of the ease of taking consecutive holidays, Golden Week and Silver Week are also periods when prices tend to be higher. In addition, Ishigaki Island has a mild climate throughout the year, so many tourists visit during the winter to escape the cold.
The year-end and New Year holidays in particular are the tourist season, so if you want to keep prices low, aim for a trip away from this time of year.
Enjoy Ishigaki Island activities on a floating budget!
If you visit Ishigaki Island when airfare is inexpensive, it is easy to keep accommodation costs low as well.
By greatly reducing costs, you can enjoy Ishigaki Island sightseeing with the money you save.
When it comes to sightseeing in Ishigaki Island, it is recommended to enjoy the beautiful ocean to the fullest through activities such as SUP, snorkeling, and canoeing!
SUP and snorkeling are a great way to immerse yourself in a different kind of ocean scenery than simply swimming in the sea.
For those who are not good at swimming, there are also activity tours that can be enjoyed with guidance, so why not use the money saved to actively participate in such tours? Also, even if you are traveling with children or the elderly, activities such as glass boats can be enjoyed safely.
A glass boat is a boat with a glass bottom, and this activity allows visitors to see the ocean through the transparent bottom of the boat.
Because the waters of Kabira Bay are crystal clear, the glass in the bottom of the boat provides a clear view of the underwater world, and the boat is guaranteed to provide a spectacle similar to an aquarium on board.
We encourage you to check out the various activities and give them a try.
Transportation from the Airport
Ishigaki Island is a tourist island, so there are multiple ways to get from the airport to other locations.
If you are traveling on a trip that requires your own transportation rather than participating in a tour, you will enjoy a smoother trip by planning your transportation in advance.
We have picked out several means of transportation below, so let's check them out in order.
Recommendation! Car Rental
Ishigaki Island is a large island and various sightseeing spots are scattered throughout the island.
If you want to visit not only urban areas but also multiple natural landscapes, the most recommended way to get around is by renting a car.
There are several car rental agencies in and near the airport, so you can quickly rent a car and get around freely. Especially when traveling in the summer, Ishigaki Island is hot and the UV rays can be intense.
With a rental car, you will be able to spend all but the outdoor playtime in the car, and you will be able to use the air conditioning while shielding yourself from the sun, which will reduce your energy consumption.
The natural landscape, including tropical plants, is beautiful and the location is ideal for driving, so Ishigaki Island and rental cars are a perfect match, including this point.
Considering the efficiency of transportation, it is easy to enjoy your trip to Ishigaki Island to the fullest by renting a car.
bus
For those who do not have a driver's license or are not confident in their driving skills, buses can be used to get around the island without any problems.
Buses on Ishigaki Island are used as a transportation network for the islanders and also play a major role in tourism.
For example, Kabira Bay, a popular tourist attraction, has a bus stop just a two-minute walk away, which will allow you to get to the nearest location without much effort.
Many of the other major tourist spots can be reached by bus, so as long as you check the route in advance, you will be able to fully enjoy your visit.
cab
Cabs are also recommended for sightseeing in Ishigaki Island. Although the cost is a little expensive, you will be able to enjoy flexible sightseeing.
Ishigaki Island is a tourist island, so many cab drivers are accustomed to dealing with tourists.
If you can ask for tourist information, you may be able to enjoy your visit in a more profound way.
summary
In this issue, we have focused on information about travel to Ishigaki Island by air, the only means of transportation.
By understanding the planes that connect to and from Ishigaki Island, it is not a dream to travel on the cheap.
Please plan your trip carefully and enjoy Ishigaki Island with its many attractions!
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