Hotel Nikko Yaeyama - One Day Tour

ISHIGAKI ISLAND OKINAWA JAPAN 2020 - Boat Tour To Abandoned Yaeyama Island! 石垣島沖縄

Planning your Japan 2020 trip? Visit Okinawa in Japan! With pristine beaches better than Thailand, Ishigaki island and Yaeyama islands (八重山諸島 ) are called the Hawaii of Japan for a reason!

There's more to your visit in Japan apart from the obvious: Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Himeji, Kobe, Nikko or Kamakura. Try Okinawa and Ishigaki,, one of Asia secret destinations for the off-the-beaten-track Japan with almost NO INHABITANTS and pure nature.

Where is Hawaii of Japan and is it better than Thailand? The truth is, some of Japan's Tropical Paradise Islands near Ishigaki are Asia most beautiful places. They are by far most beautiful places in Japan and are also Japan hidden places.

What if you could completely detach yourself from the rest of the world? If you ever thought you lived in the middle of nowhere, stop here and try again!

Visit remote islands south of Japan, so remote that you will find it hard to comprehend you are still in Japan!

Panari island near Ishigaki near Okinawa is an island with only 10 registered inhabitants and virtually no contact with the outside world!!!

That's right, no one even knows about this place, there's no transport to the island unless with an adventurous boat captain who will take you there.

It's easiest to get there directly from Ishigaki island. Just check out Ishigaki Okinawa Japan guide on our website for more details. If you worry about the language barrier, you can rest assured. Nao from Jiyujin Ishigaki Boat Tour speaks Japanese and English and took us all the way there. We came back in one piece so you can rely on him!

Since it's so isolated, this place brings a lot of interest to anyone who finds out about it. This is why the waters surrounding this island are pristine and abundant in marine wildlife.

Check out our footage from this amazing tour, both on the boat and in the turquoise waters!

Boat Tour Agency Details:
Naohiro Uchida
Jiyujin Ishigaki


FULL ARTICLE ON ISHIGAKI ISLAND - THINGS TO DO IN ISHIGAKI JAPAN:


FULL ARTICLE ON BEST TIME TO VISIT JAPAN:


#okinawajapan #Ishigaki #ishigakiisland

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Check out where we booked our accommodation in Ishigaki where we had a fantastic host!


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---- Music ----
Track 1:
Bensound - Dream


Track 2:
Nick Petrov - Awake my dreams


Track 3:
Paul Werner - Summer journey


Track 4:
Nick Petrov - Tropical vibes


Track 5:
Bensound - Ukuele


Track 6:
Bensound - Endless motion


Track 7:
Bensound - A new beginning


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DYA717 Air & Sea Okinawan Heritage Tour 2015 10 22

Breakfast at the Pacific Hotel Okinawa, a great one with NATTO. We picked up a new local Okinawa,
English speaking guide who will be with us the next 6 days. The group left the hotel at 9 a.m. and took a new route to the airport. We went underwater in a brand new tunnel which took us direct to the airport, cutting out the morning rush hour traffic. Got on a domestic flight which took us about 50 minutes of flying time to Ishigaki Island which is the main business island for the Yaeyama group of islands. This group of islands is the farthest west in the Okinawan chain of 160 islands. It is very close to Taiwan. The guide said that Ishigaki is famous for the Ishigaki wagyu beef. I think she said Kobe buys those young calves from Ishigaki but varies in the way they raise them, such as feeding beer, massaging, etc. The DNA of Kobe beef and Ishigaki beef is exactly the same!

Was after 12 p.m. so we went into town for lunch. Then on to Kabira Bay which is considered Ishigaki’s most scenic view. They cultivate oysters and black pearl in the bay. At the jewelry shop, they had a display of how they cultivate the black pearl oysters and had products on sale. Check out the black pearl necklace – nice item but at 162,000-yen or $1,350, yikes! Next we went to Yaeyama Museum, which displays historical and cultural items of the Yaeyama Islands. On display were wooden canoes, pottery, traditional clothing and household items as well as items from the various festivals and cultural events held among the islands. In some of the important homes, once you get into the gateway, one encounters a stonewall which forces people to go left or right. Ladies traditionally would go left and men and guests would turn right. Since demons can only go straight, they would be stopped by that wall.  kekekekeke The walls are just stacks of Ishigaki limestones using no mortar. In the museum, they had a monkey walk-in enclosure. The area is electric fences which keep the monkeys in and double gates so people can enter/leave the area. Cute little monkeys, so tame, they jump on your backs and if not careful, will climb up ladies clothes and try to look for goodies in their handbags. Monkey snacks are available for sale at 200-yen but watch out as you’ll get swarmed by those cuties!

We had time to kill before dinner so we went to a shopping strip mall for the locals. Only thing, they seemed to have more foreigners than locals. There were quite a few buses which brought foreign visitors from the cruise ships to this mall. They had an Aeon store and a Daiso 100-yen store among other smaller businesses. Shopping at Aeon, you need to bring your own shopping bag. They charge 3-yen if they have to provide a bag for you to carry out your purchases. According to our guide, the cruise ship visitors buy a lot at this mall and thus helps the local economy.

Dinner was at an Izakaya. It was mostly sashimi and sushi but we had one small dish of Ishigaki wagyu beef. Checked into the Hotel Nikko Yaeyama. Phew, what a long day!

ANA InterContinental Ishigaki Resort - Japan Maesato -

???? The best hotel deals:
Get the celebrity treatment with world-class service at ANA InterContinental Ishigaki Resort

ANA InterContinental Ishigaki Resort is a 25-minute drive from New Ishigaki Airport. It features a fitness centre, spa, outdoor swimming pool and 6 dining options. Rooms have ocean and garden views.
The spacious rooms at ANA InterContinental feature free wired internet and equipped with a cable TV, DVD player and a minibar. Each features a cool wooden floor and large windows.
Guests can unwind at the Thalasso Spa or relax in the sauna. There is also a business centre, a recreation and sports court and a whirlpool at ANA InterContinental. Travel services and marine activities such as snorkeling, diving and kayaking and are offered at the tour desk. A golf course and tennis courts are on site.
Suncoast Cafe serves international cuisine. Japanese dishes are available at Yaeyama Japanese Restaurant. Tropics Lounge and Bar offers local beers and tropical cocktails.
Ishigaki Port is a 10-minute drive and Banna Park is a 25-minute drive away. 907-0002 Okinawa, Ishigaki Island, Maesato 354-1, Japan

Japan 2018 Trip

Our trip to Japan featuring places in Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka

DYA717 Air & Sea Okinawan Heritage Tour 2015 10 23

NATTO breakfast at the Hotel Nikko Yaeyama Restaurant Aquarius.

We left the hotel at 9 to catch the 9:45 speedy ferry to Iriomote Island – took us around 40 minutes. It is the largest island of the Yaeyama Island group and is the 2nd largest Okinawan island next to Okinawa HON-TO (main island). 80% of the island is covered by dense jungle and mangrove swamps which are either part of the state lands or National Park area and funded and managed by the Japanese government. Upon docking at Ohara Port, We boarded a bus and toured the east side of Iriomote. After about a coupla minutes driving, we encountered a traffic signal. They really don’t need one for this island but a 2nd one was added on the west side. If interested, read the tidbits section below. We visited the wildlife museum, also funded and maintained by the Japanese government. Again see tidbits section if interested in more.

We got to the point where we catch the water buffalo right to Yuba Island. The water buffalos were initially brought over from Taiwan to work the fields but now the farmers used machines. So the water buffalos now work towing tourists across the shallow waters to get to Yuba Island. Rude buggah ours was – in da middle of the ride, she spread her butt and did her #2 in da water! On another cart, one buffalo stopped to make #1. Gave everyone something to laugh about!  kekekeke The island is mainly a garden and some tourist shops and a restaurant where we had lunch.

Drove further north on the east side to Hoshi-no-hama beach famous for star sand. Actually, the stars are skeletal remains of tiny sea animals. Really hard to find. I found one on the beach but too tiny to photograph. Better to buy some at the souvenir shops – cost about 100-yen for a small bottle. Drove back down to the pier and boarded a river boat to cruise the mangrove fields along the Nakama river. Didn’t see much wildlife.

Caught the speedy ferry back to Ishigaki where we had dinner and then called it day. Another looooong day!

Japan Trip 2017

Bart and Lauren's Trip to Japan.