About Kohama Island, which can be reached by ferry from Ishigaki Island!

Hello everyone! Have you ever heard of "Kohama Island", a remote island that can be reached from Ishigaki Island, the gateway to Yaeyama?

While retaining the original landscape of Okinawa, there are resort hotels where you can experience a wealth of leisure activities, and for a relaxing and luxurious experience, Kohama Island is the place to go.

This article introduces Kohama Island.

For those who want to go around Kohama Island!
Click here to read about transportation and popular attractions.

How to get to Kohama Island

There is no airport on Kohama Island, so you must first go to Shin-Ishigaki Airport.

Then head from Shin-Ishigaki Airport to Ishigaki Port Remote Islands Terminal (about 30 minutes) and take a ferry to Kohama Island (about 25 minutes).

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Directions to & around Ishigaki Port Terminal Contents1 Using the Ishigaki Port Terminal2 What is the Ishigaki Port Terminal3 Location and access4 Routes and landmarks to the Ishigaki Port Terminal5 Parking at the Ishigaki Port Terminal6 Notes on using the terminal7 [...]

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What is Kohama Island?

Kohama Island is a compact island with a circumference of 16.6 km and few people, so it is an island rich in nature where visitors can enjoy a private atmosphere.

A wide range of resort hotels and facilities are available for you to enjoy a comfortable vacation.

The island is also famous as a filming location for NHK's television series "Churasan," and there are many sightseeing spots and filming locations on the island, allowing visitors to relax and enjoy sightseeing.

Churasan" means "beautiful" in the island dialect, and indeed, everything you see is beautiful.

In the center of the island rises Odake, from which you can see the surrounding remote Yaeyama islands and a panoramic view of the island's townscape and sugarcane fields.

Find Activities at Kohama Island Tours

Features of Kohama Island

Kohama Island is a small island with an area of 8 km2, a circumference of 16.6 km, and a population of just over 550. The highest point on Kohama Island, Oodake, is a modest 99 meters above sea level.

The streets of Kohama Island retain a strong Okinawan flavor, with red-brick roofs and stone walls.

Traditional events and festivals are held frequently, and the Yugan Festival, the biggest event on Kohama Island, is designated as an important intangible cultural asset by the national government, attracting many visitors from Japan and abroad. It is also known as a popular resort area in Yaeyama while preserving its history and culture.

A resort hotel utilizing a vast site, Haimurubushi offers a variety of leisure activities typical of a resort area, such as golf and swimming pools.

Compared to places like Ishigaki Island, crowds are kept to a minimum, so you can fully enjoy the freedom of the resort space.

For those who want to go around Kohama Island!
Click here to read about transportation and popular attractions.

Five beaches on Kohama Island

(1) Tumal Beach

Tumar Beach is a shallow beach located about a 10-minute walk from Obama Port.

A great spot to kill some time while waiting for the ferry at Obama Port!

On the way from the beach to the ferry terminal, there is a pavilion that is a perfect place to take a relaxing break after playing in the ocean. You can also watch the ferries departing and arriving, so it is relaxing to watch them sail by while feeling the sea breeze.

(2) Kubazaki Coast

Hosozaki Beach is located at the tip of a cape extending to the west of Kohama Island, with Iriomote Island on the opposite shore and Yonara Channel in between.

In Kaijin Park adjacent to Hosozaki Beach, there is an observatory with a roof in the shape of a manta ray, offering a panoramic view of the ocean stretching to the horizon.

(iii) South Wind Flower Coast

Minamikazehana Beach is a tideland-like rocky beach on the south coast of Kohama Island.

The coast is bay-shaped, making the sea very calm, and the shallow waters offer opportunities for swimming.

Even during the crowded tourist season in the summer, there are few people at Nampuhwa Beach, making it a perfect beach for a relaxing time.

4) Hotel Alamanda Kohama Island Beach

The private beach managed by the Hotel Alamanda Kohama, a luxury resort hotel located in the southeastern part of Kohama Island, isPrivate beach for the exclusive use of guestsIt is.

The beach is equipped with an infinity pool, and beyond the pool is a white sand beach and a beautiful ocean with coral formations.

(5) Murumurubushi Beach

This beach is managed by the resort hotel "Haimurubushi," which is arguably the most popular beach on Kohama Island.

Haimurubushi means Southern Cross in Yaeyama dialect. It is one of the most popular beaches on the island that does not lose its name.

5 Sightseeing Spots on Kohama Island

Sightseeing Spots on Kohama Island (1) Kohama Sugar Refinery

The Kohama Sugar Refinery is located on the way to the village from Kohama Port. It is about a 7-minute walk from the port.

Although reservations are required, please take advantage of this opportunity to observe the process from sugarcane to brown sugar production.

(2) Oyake-Kachibachi Forest

This is where the islanders of Kohama Island gathered in support of Oyakeakahachi, a hero from Hateruma Island who rebelled against the Ryukyu Kingdom in the late 15th century.

Why don't you feel the unique atmosphere in the legendary land where people dreamed of independence from Yaeyama?

The unique subtropical flora and fauna inhabit and grow here, making it a great place for observing living creatures.

3) Churasan Plaza

The grassy Churasan Plaza is located on the way to the Odake Observatory in the center of Kohama Island. Although the name suggests that it has something to do with "Churasan," it actually has nothing to do with it.

A stage is set up in the plaza, and every event on Kohama Island is often held here.

4) Obama Port

Kohama Port is the gateway to Kohama Island accessed from Ishigaki Island. It can be accessed from Ishigaki Island in 25 minutes by high-speed boat.

There are souvenir stores, car rental stores, and cafes around the port, perfect for waiting for the boat.

(5) Xidatake Observatory

The West Odake Observatory is the highest observatory on the island, located to the west of Odake.

The observatory has a monument to Churasan, a roof, and benches, so it is a good place to spend time. The spectacular view from Seodake is the best on the island, so it is a must for mountain lovers!

Five recommended activities on Kohama Island

(1) Snorkeling

The area around Kohama Island is home to the largest coral area in Japan, called Ishinishi Jagako, making it a great place for snorkeling.

Snorkeling is one of the essential marine activities on Kohama Island, where you can observe colorful corals and colorful tropical fish in the emerald green waters with outstanding clarity.

More about Kohama Island Snorkeling

(2) Fishing

The sea of Kohama Island, where corals grow in colonies, is inhabited by many fish, and many fish that are not accustomed to being fed are swimming in the sea, making it a feeding ground for fishing!

Fishing near the beach is fun, but there are also boat fishing tours that take you offshore to target big fish and high-end fish!

More about Kohama Island Fishing

(3) Diving

Coral and fish are abundant around Kohama Island.

The Shihsi lagoon is home to about 400 types of coral reefs such as eda coral and table coral, and the amount of fish is extraordinary. If you are lucky, you may even encounter sea turtles!

More about Kohama Island Diving

4) Canoe (kayak)

Canoeing is a popular activity on the remote Yaeyama islands, including Kohama Island!

There are sea kayaking on the ocean and river kayaking on the river, both of which can be enjoyed on Kohama Island.

More about Kohama Island Kayak

(5) SUP

SUP is an activity that has been rapidly gaining popularity in recent years and is often featured on some social networking sites because of its stylish and beautiful form, which makes it a good photo-op.

Kohama Island is 16 km in circumference, and you can take a SUP tour around the island (about 1/4 of the island), which you cannot experience on other remote islands.

More about Kohama Island SUP

summary

This article introduced Kohama Island.

Kohama Island was the location for "Churasan" and is very attractive in that it combines the original landscape of Okinawa and the characteristics of a resort area.

Although it is a small island with a circumference of only about 16 km, it is said to offer a wide variety of tourist attractions and activities, allowing you to spend a relaxing time at a resort in Yaeyama! Please visit there!

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