A list of places to go, things to do, and recommendations for Hatoma Island!
Table of Contents
- 1 The "lapis lazuli island" where Okinawan sentiment remains What is Hatoma Island?
- 2 How to get to Hatoma Island from Ishigaki Island
- 3 Ferry tickets must be purchased in advance!
- 4 How to get around Hatoma Island?
- 5 Main areas and popular spots on Hatoma Island
- 6 Four recommended guest houses
- 7 Recommended Activities on Hatoma Island
- 8 summary
Check out the column below for great ferry deals!
◆Featured Hatoma Island tours to/from Iriomote Island arethis way (direction close to the speaker or towards the speaker)
The "Island of Ruri," where the Okinawan sentiment remains.
What is Hatoma Island?
It is a small island with an area of about 1 square kilometer and a population of about 40 people, floating on the north side of Iriomote Island.
The beauty of the lapis lazuli-colored sea, also known as "Hatoma blue," is one of the clearest in Yaeyama.
With little tourism, unspoiled coral reefs, and the old-fashioned Okinawan culture that remains on this idyllic island, you can lose yourself in time and take a leisurely stroll around Hatoma Island at your leisure on this small island.
How to get to Hatoma Island from Ishigaki Island
There is no airport on Hatoma Island, so you must first go to Shin-Ishigaki Airport. Then, from Shin-Ishigaki Airport, head to Ishigaki Port Terminal (about 30 minutes) and take a ferry to Hatoma Island (about 50 minutes).
(2) Purchase a ferry ticket to Hatoma Island
➡︎Click here to purchase
(3) Arrival by ferry
The latest timetable is also available at
◆Click here for today's operation
Ferry tickets must be purchased in advance!
In recent years, with the spread of the new coronavirus, ferry tickets have shifted from paper tickets toElectronic tickets (QR codes) are the mainstreamThe company is now in the process of
Please refer to the online reservation system, which is easy even for first-time visitors!
(2) Select a departure point
Press [View Reservation Availability].
Date and time selection
(5) You will receive a reservation completion e-mail (QR code)
(6) Show the completion e-mail (QR code) on the day of embarkation and board the ship.
*Please open the QR code just before boarding.
↓Click here for the Ishigaki Island Ferry Congestion Column
How to get around Hatoma Island?
Hatoma Island is so small that it can be circled on foot in about one hour.
Bicycle rental is also recommended! Some inns rent bicycles not only to overnight guests but also to day-trippers.
The roads outside the village are not paved. If you use a rented bicycle, please be careful not to get caught by the handlebars!
A major event on the island! Hatoma Island Music Festival
It is held every year on May 3 during Golden Week.
On a newly renovated outdoor stage, island residents and a variety of guests perform! This is the most popular event on the island, where people sing, dance, and get excited together with the audience.
Drama "Ruri no Shima" stage
Ruri no Shima" was broadcast on NTV in 2005.
Ruri (Riko Narumi) transfers from the mainland to an elementary school on an island in danger of being closed, and the film depicts her growing up on a small island while interacting with the people.
Many tourists come to Hatoma Island to see the location of Ruri no Shima.
Click here to book a ferry to Hatoma Island
Main areas and popular spots on Hatoma Island
shimanaka (Brassica rapa var. nipposinica)
Source:knowledge gained (information acquired) from various sources
A beach with excellent transparency with star sand surrounded by rocky shores.
The distance to the reef is short, and swimmers need to pay attention to the ebb and flow of the tide.
Coral reefs stretch out right in front of you, so playing on the shore is recommended.
For more information, click here↓.
Shimanakahama Beach
Hatoma Nakamori
Source:knowledge gained (information acquired) from various sources
Hatoma Nakamori is located on a 33-meter-high hill and offers a 360-degree panoramic view from the island's landmark "Hatoma Island Lighthouse" and the restored "Monomidai" in Hatoma Nakamori.
Hatoma-bushi, a classical folk song representative of Yaeyama, describes the wonderful scenery that can be seen from here.
On the way to the high plateau, a 5-minute walk away, you may see wild goats, which are fun to stroll around.
A good place to start is to come here and take in the panoramic view of the island and the surrounding ocean.
For more information, click here↓.
Hatoma Nakamori
sand beach in front of a temple's main hall
Source:knowledge gained (information acquired) from various sources
The beach stretches just in front of the port and village.
The white powdery sands and crystal clear waters, and the shallow waters make it a safe beach to play in.
Surrounded by breakwaters, the waves are calm, but be careful when swimming because of the fast currents offshore!
The kareyoryu boat races of the Harvest Festival are held here.
For more information, click here↓.
Mae no Hama (beach in front of the city)
Yara Beach
Source:knowledge gained (information acquired) from various sources
The longest wide white sand beach on the island.
The waves are calm and you can enjoy swimming and snorkeling while watching Iriomote Island lying in front of you.
It is a quiet beach for relaxing and reading. You can also enjoy beautiful sunsets.
For more information, click here↓.
Yara beach
Barras Island
An uninhabited island made entirely of coral fragments. It is called "Miracle Island" because it appears and disappears depending on the tide level.
It is close to Uehara Port in Iriomote Island, about 2 km from the port, and the coral is very beautiful, so snorkeling and other activities are popular.
When you stroll on a one-day tour of Hatoma Island from Iriomote Island (Uehara Port), you will generally visit Barasu Island as well.
For more information about the tour, click here↓.
Ishigaki Island] "Miracle Island" Barasu Island Tour
Kohama Island] "Miracle Island" Barasu Island Tour
marital rock
Married Couple Rock is located 10 minutes by boat from Uehara Port and 15 minutes on foot from Hatoma Port, and is a rock of marital bliss in the northwestern part of the circling road.
In the past, this area was covered with fields, and the couple who cultivated the fields were a very friendly and loving couple, hence the name "Married Couple Rocks" after the couple.
It is a heart-warming power spot!
Ruins of Samurai House, Tachihara Beach
The Samurai House Ruins is a stone watchtower located in the northwestern part of Hatoma Island, a 10-minute boat ride from Uehara Port and a 20-minute walk from Hatoma Port.
It was established to monitor ships at sea, including trading ships and enemy ships.
In the 1960s, the watchtower stones were used to build a pier bridge at the harbor and temporarily disappeared, but were rebuilt by volunteers from the islanders.
Below the ruins of such a samurai house is a small beach called Tachihara Beach.
It is not a large beach, so it is difficult to enjoy many activities, but it is suitable for a little fun in the water and enjoying the beautiful ocean scenery.
Sotowakahama and Funabarahama Beach
Sotowakahama is a small, compact, and private beach located in the northeastern part of Hatoma Island.
The shallow waters of the beach are better suited for swimming than snorkeling.
You can observe living creatures as there are many fish and shellfish.
It is recommended to visit at high tide, as the shallow waters make it difficult to swim at low tide.
In the northern part of the island, east of the circular road, there is a relaxing, compact beach called Funabaru Beach.
Since it is not as famous as Shimanakahama and Tachiharahama, it is best to visit during the hot season or when the crowds are at their peak.
It is also a good beach for beachcombing as there is a lot of flotsam and jetsam.
community
Hatoma Island is a small island of only 3.9 km, with a very small village and a quiet, serene atmosphere.
The village is filled with subtropical monuments and coral stones, which give the village a distinctly Okinawan flavor.
It is good to go around because it takes about 30 minutes to walk around while observing various things.
Four recommended guest houses
(1) Maitreuse
Maitouze is a bungalow-style pension located near Hatoma Port in the southern part of Hatoma Island.
It is only a 5-minute walk to the dining area, and the pension has a great location overlooking the ocean.
By the way, it becomes a yakitori restaurant "yorimichi" at night, so there is no need to walk there for dinner or drinks!
While the private use of a single building ensures privacy, each building is surrounded by a relaxing space where travelers can enjoy a drink with other travelers.
You can observe the stars from the terrace on the second floor of the cafeteria, so be sure to take a look at it at the end of the day.
Address: 46 Hatoma, Taketomi-cho, Yaeyama-gun, Okinawa, Japan
Phone number: 0980-85-6166
(2) Guest House Marudai
Marudai Guest House is a long-established guest house on Hatoma Island, characterized by its quaint old red-tiled house, located up the hill from Hatoma Port toward the lighthouse.
This guest house features rooms with zero privacy, with no partitions between the rooms and the hallway.
If you are looking for privacy, you may be a little reluctant, but the owner is so friendly that you won't mind without a private space.
This guest house is perfect for those who like an old-fashioned atmosphere!
There is also an observation deck on the roof, so please take advantage of it.
Address: 42 Aza-Hatoma, Taketomi-cho, Yaeyama-gun, Okinawa, Japan
Phone number: 0980-85-6557
(c) pattern
Ayagu is an overnight inn on the way from Hatoma Port to Hatoma Nakamori, and is also the Hatoma agent of Yaeyama Kanko Ferry, which rents out bicycles.
There are several dining options around the inn, including the island teahouse and Kushikeya, a light meal and coffee shop in Kushikeya.
Overnight stay with no meal is also recommended at a reasonable price of 3,000 yen.
Address: 39 Hatoma, Taketomi-cho, Yaeyama-gun, Okinawa
Phone number: 0980-85-6627
Charge: 3,000 yen (overnight stay with no meal)
4) Guest House Ruri
The guest house Ruri is a relatively new inn, opened in 2006, and located just after entering the village from the harbor.
There is also an adadanashi (island teahouse) nearby, so there is no better way to savor the island's local beer while overlooking the harbor!
Although it is an overnight stay with no meal, there are other restaurants within walking distance besides Adadanashi (island teahouse), so there is no need to worry.
It is also a good place to base your trip as there are many tourist attractions such as Kawashima Beauty Salon from the drama "Ruri no Shima" (Island of Ruri).
Address: 34 Aza-Hatoma, Taketomi Town, Yaeyama-gun
Phone number: 0980-85-6618
Recommended Activities on Hatoma Island
Most of the activities on Hatoma Island basically depart from and arrive at Iriomote Island (Uehara Port).
Snorkeling tours are generally offered in the sea around Iriomote Island and the sea around Hatoma Island.
There are few ways to get to Hatoma Island, which is difficult to get to and difficult to get around, so why not join a tour?
Hatoma Island Sightseeing & Snorkeling
Recommended for those who want to play immediately after arriving at Iriomote Island.
This is a half-day tour that includes sightseeing and sea turtle snorkeling on Hatoma Island.
It is recommended to play a lot on the day you arrive in Iriomote Island.
For more information about the tour, click here↓.
World Heritage Iriomote Island] Sightseeing and snorkeling at Hatoma Island, the last unexplored island where you can play in the afternoon (lunch included)
summary
Hatoma Island, called the last unexplored island, is a private beach with few people for snorkeling.
You can definitely consider it as one of your travel itineraries if you come to Ishigaki Island on vacation.
All the fun of Ishigaki Island is here↓.
Ishigaki Island Tours
⇒Let's go to remote islands around Ishigaki Island! List of remote islands in Yaeyama!
