Taketomi Island, only 10 minutes from Ishigaki Island, is thoroughly explained!
Table of Contents
- 1 What is Taketomi Island?
- 2 How to get to Taketomi Island from Ishigaki Island (Ferry)
- 3 10 Sightseeing Spots on Taketomi Island
- 3.1 (1) Private Houses and Villages on Taketomi Island (Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings)
- 3.2 (2) Nagomi Tower
- 3.3 (iii) Star Sand Beach (Kaiji Beach)
- 3.4 (4) Kondoi Beach
- 3.5 (5) Nishitang Utaki
- 3.6 6) Kihoin Shushukan (Collection Museum)
- 3.7 (7) Ngubuhuru Observatory
- 3.8 Taketomi Post Office
- 3.9 (9) West Pier
- 3.10 ⑩Taketomi Folk Art Museum
- 4 Recommended gourmet food in Taketomi Island
- 5 4 recommended activities on Taketomi Island
- 6 summary
Let's go to "Taketomi Island" where the original landscape of Okinawa remains☆.
Click here for ⬇︎ recommended sightseeing tour feature of Taketomi Island.
What is Taketomi Island?
Taketomi Island is surrounded by beautiful beaches.A small island where the original landscape of Okinawa remainsIt is Located about 6 km from Ishigaki Island, it is a high-speed ferry toAccessible in just 10 minutesThe following is a list of the most common problems with the
Therefore, you can easily leave Ishigaki IslandDay tripis also attractive!
Taketomi Island is known as an island where ancient traditions are preserved. You can enjoy many photogenic sceneries that are typical of Okinawa♪
In this article, we will introduce in detail the basic information of Taketomi Island and how to enjoy it. Please take a look at it for your reference!
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How to get to Taketomi Island from Ishigaki Island (Ferry)
Taketomi Island can be reached by ferry from Ishigaki Port Remote Islands Terminal on Ishigaki Island.
(2) Purchase a ferry ticket to Taketomi Island
➡︎Click here to purchase
(iii) Approximately 10 to 15 minutes by ferry.
The latest timetable is also available at
◆Click here for today's operation
*There are many flights, but it is recommended to make reservations in advance as it is expected to be very crowded.
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10 Sightseeing Spots on Taketomi Island
Now, here are 10 sightseeing spots on Taketomi Island, and we will show you the many attractions packed into this small island.
1) Private Houses and Villages on Taketomi Island
(Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings)
Taketomi Island is the most pristine island in Okinawa and has been designated as a national Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings. The roofs of private houses are particularly noteworthy, and are characterized by their red-tile roofing style!
This roof was designed to suit the climate of Taketomi Island and serves to protect the tiles from the wind. The red tiles of the roof and the white of the plaster create a beautiful contrast, creating a unique landscape throughout the island.
A stroll around Taketomi Island will warm your heart.
Access: 15 minutes on foot from the port
(2) Nagomi Tower
One of the main tourist attractions on Taketomi Island is an observation tower overlooking the village with its red-tiled roofs. This tower is 4.5 meters high, and by climbing it, visitors can enjoy a panoramic view of houses and the coastline.
Installed in 1953, the tower was initially used to contact residents. It is also a simple tower made of concrete, with steep stairs that require great care when ascending and descending.
*Currently, due to its decrepit condition, it is not safe to climb.
Location: Taketomi, Taketomi Town, Yaeyama County, Okinawa Prefecture
Access: 15 min. walk from Taketomi Port
Parking: None
Meals (nearby): None
Toilet: None
(iii) Star Sand Beach (Kaiji Beach)
Hoshi-suna beach, also known as Kaiji beach, is a beautiful sandy beach. This name comes from the star-shaped foraminifera shells buried in the white sandy beach.
Star sand is one of the typical souvenirs of Okinawa, and many people take it home with them. Please note, however, that star sand is protected and cannot be taken home!
Star sand is sold at souvenir shops, so check it out☆.
Location: Aza-Uehara, Taketomi-cho, Yaeyama-gun, Okinawa
Access: 10 minutes by car from Uehara Port
Parking: Available
Meals (nearby): Available
Toilet: Yes
(4) Kondoi Beach
The white sandy beaches and emerald green sea stretch out and can be seen all the way to the horizon. Its sparkling sea and pure white sandy beaches are as beautiful as glasswork, a typical scene of a tropical island.
The beach is shallow and the tides are gentle, and there are showers and toilets available, so children can enjoy playing in the ocean without worry.
Location: Taketomi, Taketomi Town, Yaeyama County, Okinawa Prefecture
Access: 25 minutes on foot from Taketomi Port
Parking: Available
Meals (nearby): Available
Toilet: Yes
(5) Nishitang Utaki
Saidang Utaki is the place where "Saidang", a great man born in Taketomi Island, is enshrined.
Today, as the island's guardian deity, he is regarded as an important place to pray for a bountiful harvest, and many people visit the island on New Year's Day to pay their first visit to him. On the island, his spirit is honored and respected as "Seitang spirit". Please stop by and pay your respects.
Address: Taketomi Island, Taketomi Town, Yaeyama County, Okinawa Prefecture
Access: 15 minutes on foot from Taketomi Port
6) Kihoin Shushukan (Collection Museum)
The Shushukan, attached to Kihoin, exhibits folk crafts and other items. Here, you can see "straw arithmetic" using straw, which is rare in the world, basho cloth woven in Taketomi Island, folk tools and farming tools.
The director and staff will also tell you interesting stories about the "warasan (tying rope)," which was used in the days when there was no writing, and the origin of the mincer weaving pattern.
It is a valuable place where you can experience the history of Taketomi Island, so please visit.
Address：108 Aza-Taketomi, Taketomi Town
Access: 15 min. walk from Taketomi Port
Phone number: 0980-85-2424 (fax only)
Fee: Adults 300 yen, children 150 yen
Business hours: 9:00-17:00
(7) Ngubuhuru Observatory
Nbufuru Observatory is located at the highest point on Taketomi Island. Its name comes from the fact that in the past, the residents' cows would make a high hill in the middle of the night by pushing up dirt and stones with their horns, and on top of the hill, they would make "Nbufulu, Nbufulu" sound.
For this reason, a watchtower was built on top of this hill and maintained as an observatory. If the weather is fine, you can see Ishigaki Island and Iriomote Island, and it is a must-see sightseeing spot.
Location: Taketomi, Taketomi Town, Yaeyama County, Okinawa Prefecture
Access: 15 min. walk from Taketomi Port
Parking: None
Meals (nearby): None
Toilet: None
Taketomi Post Office
Taketomi Post Office was relocated to its current location in 1993, at which time the current building was constructed. The building is a one-story structure with a distinctive Ryukyu red tile roof and log pillars, in the style of traditional Ryukyu architecture.
Surrounded by stone walls made of Ryukyu limestone, the red of the roof and the white of the stone walls create a beautiful contrast. In front of the building, a shisa (Okinawan lion) stands guard over visitors, and a round post box serves as a landmark. It is well known as a building with modern functions while respecting the landscape typical of Taketomi Island.
It is also worth visiting the Taketomi Post Office, where you can purchase commemorative stamps and landscape seals that are not available elsewhere.
Location: 500 Taketomi, Taketomi Town, Yaeyama County, Okinawa Prefecture
Access: 5 minutes by car from Taketomi Port
Parking: Available
Meals (nearby): Available
Toilet: Yes
(9) West Pier
Taketomi Island has limited land suitable for agriculture, so rice fields were built on Iriomote Island on the opposite shore, and the West Pier was constructed as a port for Taketomi Island residents to commute by boat.
This stone pier, registered as a Tangible Cultural Property of Japan in 2005, is no longer in use, but is a popular tourist attraction as a sunset spot on Taketomi Island.
When visiting Taketomi Island, we recommend that you take time to stay to watch the beautiful sunset.
Location: Taketomi Island, Taketomi Town, Yaeyama County, Okinawa Prefecture
Access: 15 minutes by bicycle from Taketomi Port
Parking: None
Meals (nearby): None
Toilet: None
⑩Taketomi Folk Art Museum
Taketomi Folk Crafts Museum was established in 1972 and exhibits folk crafts and traditional textiles of Taketomi Island. It is a place where visitors can experience why Taketomi Island is known as an island of folk crafts, and production panels of typical textiles such as Yaeyama mincer and Bashofu are displayed.
When you visit, you can observe the weaving production process and actually try weaving. If you have time to spare, you can also try your hand at traditional weaving.
The facility also sells textiles woven on the island, and admission is free, making it the best place to learn about the traditional culture of Taketomi Island.
Location: Taketomi Island, Taketomi Town, Yaeyama County, Okinawa Prefecture
Access: 10 minutes from Taketomi Port by other means, 10 minutes by rented bicycle
Parking: None
Meals (nearby): Available
Toilet: Yes
Recommended gourmet food in Taketomi Island
Soba Restaurant Takenoko
This specialty soba restaurant has been in business for 40 years. Yaeyama Soba," which has inherited the taste from the previous generation, is the signature dish. It is recommended to taste the soba with a sprinkling of piyashi (island pepper), which enhances the flavor of the soba. We recommend that you come early during lunch time to avoid the crowds. At night, the restaurant is open as an izakaya (Japanese-style pub) boasting local cuisine.
(2) Café Tadeung Shidameikan
This is a restaurant where you can enjoy local cuisine of Taketomi Island. The specialty of this restaurant is "Taketomi Soba". Taketomi Soba originated from this restaurant and is characterized by the inclusion of Chomeiso (long-life grass) as well as Sanpei (three slices of meat). It is said that eating long-life herb will help you live longer. All the dishes are hearty, and since the restaurant is open as an izakaya (Japanese style bar) in the evening, there is a wide variety of menu items.
(5) "Does it look good?
Yarabo, located near the West Pier, has long been a favorite of locals in the Taketomi Island area. The restaurant has a homey atmosphere and is so popular that it is said that there is no one who does not know about it in Taketomi Island. The restaurant's favorite menu item is "Vegetable Soba with Shrimp". The prawns are fresh and the taste of the prawns soaks into the noodle as you bite into it. It has been introduced in a local tourist magazine, and there are many repeat customers not only from Taketomi Island but also from far away. Please visit there by all means.
Click here for the popular tour ranking of Taketomi Island
4 recommended activities on Taketomi Island
Yaeyama Remote Islands Tour
For those who want to efficiently tour the remote Yaeyama islands from Ishigaki Island, the Remote Islands Tour is the best choice.
You can fully enjoy the charms of the remote Yaeyama islands, such as Iriomote Island covered with nature, Taketomi Island with its traditional townscape, and Yubu Island where you can cross the sea by buffalo.
Unlike marine activities, there is a wide age range for participation, and you don't get wet.Recommended for those who don't like the ocean.It is.
↓Click here to see the plans for which you are eligible.
Now on SALE only! Taketomi Island Sightseeing Tour
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(2) Taketomi Island Sightseeing & Snorkeling 1 Day Course
The waters near Taketomi Island are designated as Iriomote-Ishigaki National Park, and its beautiful clear waters can be fully enjoyed.
You can observe colorful tropical fish and beautiful corals vividly by snorkeling. After enjoying fun in the sea, enjoy sightseeing of Taketomi Island with a free-skate tour.
Lunch is included in the tour, so there is no need to worry about lunch☆.
↓Click here to see the plans for which you are eligible.
(3) Free time for bicycle rental on Taketomi Island
This is a very economical, rent-a-cycle course that includes a round-trip ferry ticket from Ishigaki Island to Taketomi Island.
I went there on the day of the event and couldn't rent it, so I had to walk there... It is unbearable in the intense heat! Make a reservation in advance!
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4) Taketomi Island Sightseeing & Experience Diving 1 Day Course
In this tour, you can fully enjoy the beautiful sea of Taketomi Island by experience diving. You can participate even if you do not have a diving license, so beginners are also welcome.
Why don't you observe beautiful corals and other marine life in Taketomi's sea at close range? After that, enjoy the culture and nature of Taketomi during your free time.
Lunch is included in the tour, so there is no need to worry about lunch☆.
↓Click here to see the plans for which you are eligible.
5) Phantom Island + Experience Diving + Taketomi Island Sightseeing Tour
On this tour, you will land on Hamashima Island, known as the "Phantom Island," and experience its mysterious atmosphere.
In addition, after enjoying the experience diving in the nearby sea, you can freely explore Taketomi Island on a free-skate tour. You can freely choose and enjoy sightseeing spots according to your own tastes and interests.
You will also be given a return ticket to Ishigaki Island, so you can choose your return time freely.
↓Click here to see the plans for which you are eligible.
Click here for the popular tour ranking of Taketomi Island
summary
Your commentary on Taketomi Island in this issue is very thorough and comprehensive in introducing the island's attractions.
The various aspects of Taketomi Island, including its nature, history, and culture, have been carefully explained. It will help readers to better understand and enjoy the charms of Taketomi Island when they visit the island.
