Taketomi Island - Kitocchi Beach -
Early reservations are recommended as they fill up quickly.
◆Tuk-tuks and electric trikes are also popular!
What Is Kitochi Beach?
Kittochi Beach is located in the eastern part of Taketomi Island, halfway between Aiyaru Beach and Narasa Beach. It is known for its white sand and crystal-clear waters, and it is said that the sand most suitable for this beach is the sand scattered on the village roads. For this reason, it is also a place where people pray to the gods for sand to be scattered on the village roads.
How to Get to Kitochi Beach
Kittochi Beach is located about a 28-minute walk or an 8-minute drive from Taketomi Port.
From Taketomi Port, head straight toward the village. Pass the Taketomi Island Bike Rental on your right and continue straight; after passing the T-intersection, turn left at the first intersection. Turn left again at the next intersection. Continue straight along the road for a while, and you’ll see Kittochi Beach on your left.
How to Have Fun at Kitochi Beach
As you head further out to sea, where the white sand is mixed with fragments of coral, you’ll find coral reefs and tropical fish. While it’s not impossible to go snorkeling there, very few tourists visit the area, and since it’s unmanaged and there are no lifeguards, you’ll be responsible for your own safety in the event of an emergency. If you do decide to go, we recommend visiting in a group.
Details on Kitochi Beach
Kittochi Beach is located east of Narasa Beach and is said to be the easternmost beach on Taketomi Island. It lies between Aiyaru Beach and Narasa Beach, just north of Aiyaru Beach. Be sure to take a stroll along both Aiyaru Beach and Narasa Beach.
As mentioned earlier, the white sand scattered along the village roads on Taketomi Island is so beautiful that it’s said the sand from Kitochi Beach is the most suitable for this purpose.
Since this beach is located at the eastern tip of the island, there aren't many tourists, but if you visit early in the morning, you might even have the sunrise—rising gradually from the horizon—all to yourself!
You'll often find them along the coast, but inland, there's a bit more vegetation and the paths are set back a bit, so they might be a little harder to spot.
Recommended Sightseeing Spots Near Kitochi Beach
sandbar that projects into the ocean, particularly in a lagoon, etc.
Ayarl Beach stretches south from Kitocchi Beach and, like Kitocchi Beach, is a quiet beach that sees very few tourists. It’s perfect for relaxing and taking in the beautiful scenery rather than for swimming or other activities! Since there are no large buildings in the area, you can enjoy an unobstructed view of the ocean stretching out to the horizon. At night, you can also gaze up at a star-filled sky.
Location: Taketomi, Taketomi Town, Yaeyama County, Okinawa Prefecture
Access: 12 minutes by car from Taketomi Port
Parking: None
Meals (nearby): None
Toilet: None
Nalasa Beach
Narasahama Beach is located along the coastline north of Kittochi Beach; if you divide the island vertically, Kondoi Beach is on the opposite side, to the west.
Since this beach is far from the city center and the roads leading to it are mostly unpaved, it’s a spot that few tourists visit. Even locals don’t go there very often, so it feels like a private beach.
Just like at Star Sand Beach, you’ll find star sand here too, so be sure to look for it while you’re beachcombing. It makes a perfect souvenir, too.
Address: Taketomi, Taketomi Town, Yaeyama County, Okinawa Prefecture
Directions: About a 24-minute walk from Taketomi Port
Hanack On
Hanack On is a sacred site dedicated to the god of the sea, located along the road leading from the village to Kitocchi Beach.
Since there were almost no Shinto shrines in the Yaeyama Islands, including Taketomi Island, Utaki were established as sacred sites dedicated to the gods of Okinawa. There are 28 Utaki scattered across Taketomi Island. While on the main island of Okinawa, Utaki are called "Utaki” or “Otake,” on Taketomi Island they are called "On."
Hanack On is known as the founding deity of Hanack Village on Taketomi Island and is said to be one of the Six Mountains (Mūyama), which serve as the focal point of the Shinto rituals held on the island. It enshrines Takindun, the tutelary deity of Hanashiro Village, and a deity invited from Okinawa Island, the ancestral homeland of the island’s inhabitants. As this is a sacred site, visitors are not permitted to enter beyond the torii gate. Please admire it from the outside only. The origin of Hanashiro Utaki is recorded in the *Ryukyu Kokudairiki* (Chronicles of the Origin of the Ryukyu Kingdom), compiled by the Ryukyu Kingdom in 1713.
Address: Taketomi, Taketomi Town, Yaeyama District, Okinawa Prefecture, Taketomi Island
Directions: About an 18-minute walk from Taketomi Port
Toilet: None
Restaurant: None
Details on Kitochi Beach
| Location | Taketomi, Taketomi Town, Yaeyama County, Okinawa Prefecture |
| Access | About a 28-minute walk from Taketomi Port |
| parking lot | nashi (Pyrus pyrifolia, esp. var. culta) |
| toilet | nashi (Pyrus pyrifolia, esp. var. culta) |
| Business Hours | - |
