Ishigaki, Okinawan Islands

From my first glimpse of Ishigaki from the airplane window, I knew it would be something special. 

We saved the Okinawan Islands for the last leg of our trip, so that we could relax and unwind after so many adventures in Taiwan, Japan, and Korea. Well, technically Okinawa is part of Japan, but it was once an independent domain — the Ryukyu Kingdom — until the 1870’s. 

It definitely feels different from mainland Japan here — while still very Japanese in language and etiquette, there is much more of a laidback and fun-loving vibe here.

We rented a car, and since Kevin had to endure the craziness of driving back on Jeju Island, I thought it was only fair for me to have the fun of driving on the lefthand side of the road on this leg of the trip. (I did end up getting pretty good at back-in parking, which is how it’s done in Japan). Meanwhile Kevin could enjoy riding along as the passenger for once! 

Anyway, having a rental car allowed us to really explore the island during our six-day stay. I was mesmerized by the turquoise and ultramarine blue hues of the sea, peppered with coral heads. This is the view from Hirakubozaki Lighthouse, on the northern coast of the island. 

Unlike the Hawaiian archipelago, which was created by volcanoes, the Okinawan islands are predominantly made up of limestone. Since limestone is so porous, it can be easily eroded by the elements which creates dramatic cliffs and caves. Just south of the lighthouse is Sabichi Cave, which is a pretty substantial cave with lots of stalactites, stalagmites, and other formations. 

Even though it was hot and a bit muggy outside in the sun, the temperature in the cave was a lot cooler (although still humid). You can walk through the length of the cave for about 20 minutes before exiting onto a nearly deserted beach. 

The beach looks out over the East China Sea. You can’t see it from the beach, but Taiwan is just 170 miles away as the crow flies. Surprisingly, Ishigaki island is closer to Taiwan than it is to the Okinawa main island. 

From Sabichi Cave, we hopped back into the car and drove to the eastern side of the island to see the views from the Tamatorizaki Observation Platform. On this side of the island, you are looking down the coast with a wider view of the Western Pacific. 

Another great spot for blue-water views is Kabira Bay. This gorgeous mangrove-lined bay is an iconic spot on the island because the clear water is so many hues of blue. You can’t swim here due to strong currents, but there are glass-bottom boats that will take you out to look at the sea life.

The Okinawan Islands are one of the world’s “Blue Zones”. Not because of how blue the water is, but because of the longevity of the local people — they eat a very healthy diet full of superfoods with lots of nutrients and antioxidants. And they stay very active right up into their 80s and 90s due to their healthy lifestyle. We’ve been able to try a few of the superfoods including: beni-imo (purple sweet potato), goya (bitter melon), and umi-budo (sea grapes). Surely eating like this for a few weeks will add years to our lifespans, right?! Unfortunately we have counteracted that by also eating lots of fried foods, noodle dishes and sweets. At the Kabira Bay food truck stand we had some Blue Seal Beni-imo Sweet Potato Ice Cream, does that count as a superfood or just a super-junk food?

Thanks to the rental car we were able to go to parts of the island and snorkel on our own. We particularly liked Yonehara Beach.

But we also really enjoyed going on a guided snorkel tour around the Blue Cave area, which would’ve been harder to get to without a 4WD vehicle. Our tour guide, Yuki, was great - very enthusiastic and full of energy. 

The coral reef here was in such good condition, teeming with iridescent fish and brightly colored corals! 

The water was crystal clear and our group even saw a couple of sea turtles as well as a venomous sea snake! Luckily we all lived to tell the tale. (Sea snakes are among the most venomous snakes on earth but they are notoriously shy and never swim up to humans. They only bite if you mess with them.) It was a great day out on the water!

In fact, we had such a great time with our guide Yuki, that we signed up for his Night Jungle and Stargazing Tour later that night. 

Our walk took us through the dense jungle vegetation on the far western, less-inhabited side of the island. On our walk we saw the nocturnal Habu viper. (Less dangerous than the sea snake, but still something to be avoided!) We were grateful that Yuki had given us tall rubber galoshes to protect our feet!  We also came across another nocturnal creature — the coconut crab. In this picture you can really see the indigo blue color — it almost looks fake but I assure you it was real!

Out on the beach we all turned off our flashlights and were amazed by the limitless expanse of sky and starlight above us. Kevin and I were very glad we took both of these tours to experience the natural beauty of Ishigaki. 

Speaking of Habu vipers, one "must try" on the island is Habushu sake - a liquor made by infusing awamori (a local distilled spirit) with herbs, honey, and a whole snake. The alcohol breaks down any venom, so it's safe to drink. We tried it at dinner one night. I'm not 100% sure, but I don't think it counts as a superfood unfortunately. Oh, well. Kanpai!

The main industries on Ishigaki are agriculture (they grow sugar cane, tobacco, pineapples, mangoes), cattle ranching, tourism, and fishing. As I mentioned, the island has a very laid-back vibe and it isn't yet over-developed. There are only a handful of resorts on the island and unlike Hawaii none of the resorts are high-rises (yet). It is kind of how I imagine the Hawaiian islands would have been like in the 1930s. 

We were so glad we included Ishigaki as a stop on our Okinawan itinerary. It was a magical place with just the right combination of water activities and scenic beauty to completely charm us. Hopefully someday we'll make it back here!