Ishigaki Airport (ISG) is the largest airport in the Yaeyama Islands. In March 2013 the old airport was closed and a new airport - farther out of town and with a longer runway - was taken into service. As a result there have been major changes to the flight connections: in addition to regular connections to [wiki=ee76845fa192195aab77ab21c1f0b49d]Naha[/wiki] and [wiki=741949c6b98e38c463117ac6df2d9419]Miyako[/wiki], an increased number of direct flights from/to various airports in Japan has become available, and between April and October there are also direct flights from/to Taiwan's international airport at [wiki=3d708eee2c01d5f423f759d4aa488ded]Taoyuan[/wiki], near [wiki=7a4e1add2047d025b98f55dbb33382b5]Taipei[/wiki] (2 airlines with 2 flights a week each). The new airport can accommodate larger airplanes than the old airport, and therefore two additional domestic carriers (Skymark and Peach) have joined the original two carriers (JTA and ANA) - as a consequence, air fares are now substantially lower than before (for example, outside of the peak travel times a return ticket to [wiki=ee76845fa192195aab77ab21c1f0b49d]Naha[/wiki] can be had for less than 10000 Yen). The bus connection from the airport to the bus terminal at the center of town (next to the ferry terminal) costs about ¥550, and the trip takes about 40-50 minutes. Multi-Day Passes for the bus system are also available (see [wiki=045c2dcf8d906eb69c98df725016943f]#Get around|Get around[/wiki]). A taxi trip to town will cost you about ¥3000.
There is currently no scheduled passenger ferry connection to Ishigaki Island: Ryukyu Kaiun discontinued passenger service in September 2007, and Arimura Sangyou went out of business in May 2008. Star Cruises [url=http://www.starcruises.com/]]operates luxury cruises from [[Keelung[/url]] (near Taipei) between late April and the end of October. Although this is not a ferry service, rumour has it that relatively cheap passage can be bought at the last minute on trips that are not fully booked.
Inter-island connections:
There are extensive services (daytime only) to the other islands in the Yaeyama group:
* [wiki=5d27b60fc4964f0c4f4e271393831c74]Taketomi[/wiki] (¥580, 10 min), departures every 30 minutes
* [wiki=6ecd326f0139bf8629e880241142dfb5]Iriomote[/wiki] Ōhara Port (¥1540, 40 min) and Uehara Port (¥2000, 50 min; summer months only), departures roughly hourly
* [wiki=bf98f90e9b89dcc54ce603aafc14bd96]Kohama[/wiki] (¥1030, 30 min), departures roughly hourly
* [wiki=d06ddbf2ef1a12432c3fe5f7544e5d5f]Kuro[/wiki] (¥1130, 25 min), 5 departures daily
* [wiki=89848540c68cd5a641dc468b2ba0a2b0]Hateruma[/wiki] (¥3000, 70 min), 7 departures daily
Prices and times above are one-ways on fast ferries and may vary slightly from company to company. Return fares are usually 10% cheaper.
Slower service with regular ships is somewhat cheaper but connections are less frequent:
* [wiki=89848540c68cd5a641dc468b2ba0a2b0]Hateruma[/wiki] (¥3000, abt. 2 hours), 1 departure per day (weekdays only)
* [wiki=b30eff8d67fd20d4ebe187e34bac8617]Yonaguni[/wiki] (¥3400, 4-5 hours), 2 departures weekly
The major operators are Anei Kankō [url=http://www.aneikankou.co.jp/index1.htm],] Hirata Group [url=http://www.hirata-group.co.jp/tourism/ferry/[/url]]and Yaeyama Kankō Ferry [url=http://www.yaeyama.co.jp/timetable.htm[/url].] There are free courtesy buses from the larger resorts to some ferries, enquire locally.
Ishigaki Port (石垣港) is located at the center of the city near the bus terminal. There are two parts: the central Ritō-sanbashi (離島さんばし), for services to nearby islands, and a second unnamed pier at the southeast corner of the port for long-distance services to [[Yonaguni[/url]] and [wiki=89848540c68cd5a641dc468b2ba0a2b0]Hateruma[/wiki]. The port information office is next to Ritō-sanbashi pier 1.
[url=http://www.cosmos.ne.jp/~bus/]Azuma Bus[/url] operates services throughout the island radiating from the bus terminal on Sanbashi-dōri, just across the street from the port. The most useful services connect to the airport (¥540) and Kabira (¥700).
Two multi-day passes are available for frequent bus users: a 5-day pass ("Michikusa Free Pass"; whereby "free" in Japanese means "can be used freely" and not "free of charge") for ¥2000 and a 1-day pass for ¥1000. Both passes can be used on all scheduled buses.
Note that while bus service from the city center to the airport and along the southeast coast of the island (as far as Shiraho), is regular and quite frequent (it starts at 6:30am, and then there is a bus leaving every 15 minutes between 7am and 9pm), service on the other lines is not really geared toward tourists, and if you are staying outside the urban part of Ishigaki you may want to rent a scooter or car for the duration of your stay. With careful planning, however, the bus will get you around the whole of the island and let you visit Kabira Bay or the famous snorkeling area at Yonehara Beach for a few hours' stay. At the bus terminal you can get a detailed bus schedule in English that covers all bus lines except the recently established loop line in the downtown area (staff at your hotel or guest house should be able to tell you whic hstops to use and at what time). The downtown loop line has been in service since October, 2013. At least once every hour a bus leaves the terminal to service the downtown area and the adjacent areas to the west (Arakawa, Makira) and the east (Hirae, Maezato). The flat fare is ¥200 per trip. (Fares may possibly go up, since the sales tax was increased on April 1, 2014.)
Taxis are available at the airport, at the ferry terminal, and in front of some of the larger hotels. For other locations, the best way to get one is to make a call to the radio dispatch system that most companies are part of. The dispatchers usually do not speak English, so you may need to ask someone at your hotel or guest house to make a call for you. Flagging a taxi down in the street is perfectly OK but rather unreliable - most taxis that pass by, especially on minor roads, are on the way to an appointment. The only exception is in the late evening hours in the downtown area, because at that time you can see many taxis slowly cruising the streets around the drinking establishments looking for passengers. Flag fall is around ¥450 (it varies depending on the type of car), and the meter ticks at alarming speed after 2 kilometers. (Fares may possibly go up, since the sales tax was increased on April 1, 2014.)
There are many car rental companies in the island and many hotels offer car rental at a discounted price from ¥2000 to ¥4000 per day. Inquire at your accommodation. A drive between Ishigaki and the furthermost point of the island is about an hour and a half. A note of caution: the recent increase in tourist numbers, following the opening of the new airport, means that even outside of the peak season there are days when no car can be had - if it is important that you have a car you may want to book one in advance.
Many hotels offer bicycle rental at about ¥500 per day. Bicycles can be taken in most ferries to the islands at an additional price.
The town area can be comfortably covered on foot, but you'll need another means of transport for the rest of the island.
Ishigaki's beaches are among the most spectacular in Japan.
* Kabira Bay (川平湾 Kabira-wan). At the northwest corner of the island is this stunning emerald blue bay with a perfect yellow-white beach, dotted by craggy islands - but no swimming allowed, so the closest you can get is a glass-bottom boat tour (¥1000, 30 min). You can walk along the coast from bay to bay, but beware of the fast-moving tides that may trap you if you dally too much in the evening.
** The best free landside views are from Kabira Park (川平公園 Kabira-kōen), a promenade complete with viewing pavilion that stretches along the coast above the beach itself.
* Sukuji Beach (底地ビーチ), 2 km west of Kabira. One kilometer of white sand beach, equipped with changing rooms, showers, toilets and other essentials. The view from the beach is stunning and on a clear day Uganzaki lighthouse is visible in the distance. The sea is the shallowest to be found on any of Ishigaki's beaches, which is great if you fancy a relaxing paddle in the ocean, but swimmers should look elsewhere. Trees at the rear of the beach provide partial shade from the sun throughout much of the day.
* Yonehara (米原). Offers nice sand and better coral reefs within easy snorkeling distance. Indeed, the reef begins within meters of the beach and hosts enough life to interest experienced snorkelers and beginners alike. Caution should be taken however as Yonehara's rip currents are notoriously strong. Signs in the parking area describe which areas should be avoided. There is a campsite located behind the beach with the facility to rent gear.
Tōjinbaka (唐人墓), Tōjin no haka stop on the Kabira Resort Line. This ornately decorated Chinese-style "Tang People's Grave" commemorates the sorry fate of some 400 Hokkien Chinese coolies, who mutinied and ran aground on Ishigaki on their way to California. Pursued by the British navy and American slavers, those captured were killed, so many headed into the mountains where they starved or committed suicide, and only a lucky few were taken under the wing of friendly locals and protected.
** Nearby is also a newer (2001) bilingual monument of angular concrete, dedicated to three Americans shot down over Ishigaki in April 1945, during the closing days of World War II. After being captured and tortured, two were beheaded and one was used for bayonet practice, and monument duly notes that such things are not fair play according to the Geneva Convention.
* Kannonzaki Lighthouse (観音崎灯台 Kannonzaki-tōdai). A little lighthouse on a little cape, not open to the public but there's a little park and viewing pavilion next to it. Not worth much of a detour but conveniently located across the road from Tōjinbaka.
* Kannon-dō Temple (観音堂). Rounding out the trio of low-key attractions around Tōjinbaka is this quiet Okinawan-style wooden temple, with a grand lantern-lined staircase but little to see when you get there. The toilets, however, are kept in excellent shape.
Okinawan izakaya that also offers reasonable set meals, open 9 AM to midnight. Try their goya champuru set for ¥750.
* This friendly stucco-walled beach café trapped in a mall offers the Okinawan speciality taco rice in both "standard" (Mexican-ish) and "original" (Asian chicken) versions for ¥800 with tea/coffee or ¥1000 with a draught Orion beer. Open 11:30 AM to 10 PM daily.
* One of the very few places where you can get a coffee and a sandwich before 10am. 2nd floor of a building directly behind the Yaeyama Post Office. Open daily from 9 AM
* Specializes in Yaeyama soba, ¥500 for a basic bowl, ¥800 for the sōki version with a big hunk o' pork on top. Add your namecard to the vast collection on the walls. Open daily from 11 AM to 9:30 PM.
* A nice izakaya. Good space, good food. Open 5 PM to 12 PM (Closed Sundays).
* Even locals come here for Yaeyama soba (¥400+). Generously sized set lunches from ¥700. Open daily except Monday from 10 AM to 9 PM.
* A bit old-fashioned, but the owners are very personable and can speak some English. Cakes, Japanese style curry, and sandwiches for ¥400-500. Open Tuesdays-Saturdays, noon to midnight. Web:[http://www.cafe-taniwha.com/]
* This is the place to sample milk-flavored ice cream, made only from the milk of local Ishigaki cows. ¥300 per cone, open 11 AM to 7 PM daily.
A hint for shoe-string budget travelers: food is generally not cheap in Japan, but food hygiene rules are strict and certain kinds of foods that spoil easily come with "sell by..." expiry dates. Therefore supermarkets offer items that are about to become unsellable at a discount (20-50%), depending on the urgency (especially in the evenings). Decent quality prepared meals (bento, salads, etc.) as well as sashimi, sushi, and milk can therefore at times be had at a considerably reduced price if one is prepared to go shopping later in the day.
Ishigaki's beef (石垣牛 Ishigaki-gyū) is meltingly smooth and well worth the splurge for meat lovers, although you'll generally be looking at around ¥5000 for something approximating a decent-sized steak. Sampling strips served as yakiniku or even raw sashimi is somewhat more affordable, but if the price seems too good, double-check that it's real Ishigaki beef, not a cheaper import.
* The lunch-only ¥2500 steak teishoku set with 150g of Ishigaki beef to grill by yourself is one of the better deals around, especially when washed down with some Ishigakijima beer. Offers half-price dinner on the first day of the month, but you will have to stand in line for a good hour as that is a very popular night with locals in the know. Open daily 11:30 AM to 3 PM for lunch, 5 PM to midnight for dinner. Kinjo also has other branches around town.
*An izakaya that specializes in tuna fish. Their tuna sushi and sashimi are something to dream for. There are two branches in town. This is a very popular eating place so it is best to book ahead.
Camping: The campsite on Yonehara beach charges roughly ¥600 per person per day (as of June 2009). The campsite owner does not provide tents,and although some of Ishigaki's official tourism websites tell you that a camping licence is required, the owner of the campsite has actually bought the licences himself and provides them when you pay to camp. Camping on Yonehara beach is a very cost effective option for staying on Ishigaki.
Some camping equipment is available at the 100 Yen Shop (upstairs at Maxvalu on Sanbashi Dori) and the 5 day bus pass is definitely recommended if you're going to be camping for a long time, since there aren't many shops near to Yonehara beach and the best supermarkets are on the other side of the island.
*]Two rambling old wooden houses run by an affable if eccentric English-speaking couple, ¥3000 per night gets you a private room with free laundry and internet. The catches are that air-con costs ¥100/hour and only the newer wing (別館 bekkan) has mosquito nets.
*Rooms come with TV, air conditioning (very, very important in summer) and cheap rates at 1800 yen per night. The owners are extremely friendly and so are most of the guests. Excellent place to make traveling friends. Located next to the outer islands ferry termnial, it serves as a great hub for day trips throughout the Yaeyama Archipelago. No internet.
*A short walk from the Small Boat Harbor in Ishigaki city, this hostel provides basic Japanese-style dormitory rooms for around 2500 yen per night. The male dormitory room is busier than the female one which can be a plus for women traveling alone. The staff are extremely hospitable. Breakfast and internet included. Nightly (free) awamori (traditional Ryukyu alcohol).
*¥2500 per night gets you a private room with TV and free Internet. The catch is that air-con costs ¥100/three hours. There is an associated scuba diving shop.
*A clean, spacious "pension" style hotel,¥2400-3300 per person per night. Unique wooden decor and a number of amenities: free laundry (¥100 for dryer), ¥100 for 4 hours of air-conditioning, free bottled water, luggage storage and very friendly staff of varying English levels. The owners' daughter was formerly of the Japanese band Bubblegum, and there are appropriately a number of acoustic guitars available throughout the building. Located approx. 2 minutes by foot from the bus terminal in the entertainment district. There is a grocery store about 30 seconds away.
*The owner has lived in the US and speaks English.
* The multicultural guesthouse Ai no Yado (あいのやど) closed in the summer of 2015; the owners appear to have relocated to Canada.
* The popular Yanbuzeena Hostel (ヤンブジーナ) in Okawa and the associated small restaurant (“Yarabu Shokudo”) closed at the end of 2012.
Club Med Kabira, [http://www.clubmed.co.jp]. One of Japan's two Club Meds, this swanky resort offers beautiful views of Kabira Bay. Last stop on the Kabira Resort line.
* Auberge Kabira (formerly B&B Kabira). Small and friendly hotel right on Kabira Bay, this place does good though expensive food in the evening. Rooms are a little small but they do offer free bike rental. Closing permanently on February 28.