How to Spend 2 Days in Ishigaki, a Paradise Island in Japan
Last Updated on 11th March 2025 by Sophie Nadeau
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A tropical paradise overflowing with life and culture, surrounded by crystal clear waters, beautiful beaches and views that are sure to steal your heart! Here’s your guide on how to spend 2 days in Ishigaki, one of Okinawa’s sub-tropical islands, as well as top tips to know before you go!
Contents
Where is Ishigaki?
Ishigaki, 石垣, also known as Ishigakijima, is a Japanese sub-tropical island located southwest of Okinawa Hontō. It is the main and second-largest island of the Yaeyama Island group and has a population of around 49,000 people.
What is Ishigaki known for?
Ishigaki Island is the centre of the Yaeyama Islands group. It is a major resort area that attracts tourists for its relaxing plush beaches and crystal clear waters that are perfect for snorkelling, diving and various other water activities.
Also, many heartfelt traditions make this island special, known as “the country of poets, the island of songs, and the land of dance”, it has a vibrant entertainment culture.
Thanks to its tropical climate, the island is brimming with wildlife, including being surrounded by Okinawa’s famous coral reefs. From the Ryukyu flying fox, crested serpent eagles, yellow-margined box turtles and Manta rays, it’s truly a pocket of wonder!
Ishigaki is also known as a destination where black cows graze under the warmth of the sunshine. These Japanese Black cattle are a sought-after breed for the fact they make wagyu beef, which is one of the most expensive types of beef in the world.
Is 2 days enough time in Ishigaki?
Yes, two days is more than sufficient to get a good overview of Ishigaki. This is especially the case if you rent a car to get around (which I highly recommend you do because buses run pretty infrequently and so you won’t be able to complete this entire itinerary without your own vehicle).
If you want to go on day trips to surrounding islands like Taketomi or Kuroshima, then you’ll want to plan to stay for four or five days. Add on an extra day if you’d like a beach/ resort hang out day as well.
Day one in Ishigaki suggested itinerary
Nosokodake Observation Deck
Of course, any great day of exploration starts with a fantastic bird’s eye view. I recommend heading to the Nosokodake observation deck to enjoy picture-perfect views of the island. From here, you can enjoy the lush verdant landscape this subtropical island is famous for.
Fukidogawa Mangrove Community, 吹通川のマングローブ林
Next, just a 16-minute drive away, head to see some local wildlife and a mangrove community!
Mangroves are tropical plants that have adapted to grow on loose wet soils, they grow where the land meets the sea and are the only trees to survive in salty water. This spot of the island, several different species of mangrove can be found here, including one which is endemic to Okinawa, the Hirugimodoki mangrove.
Fukidogawa Mangrove Community is situated in an estuary, where the Fukido River pours out onto the ocean. At low tide, you can walk out onto the sand and spy an abundance of small sea creatures. This is also a popular spot on the island for water sports, where you can enjoy kayaking or canoeing along the tranquil river.
Giving Tree Home
Then, stop for lunch at the cosy café, Giving Tree Home, which only opened in 2020. It serves up a variety of fresh dishes with a focus on vegetarian food, and it also has several vegan options. The café is set against the backdrop of a beautiful, serene garden.
Priding themselves on being a place where you “can spend a peaceful time in your mind and body” this tranquil café sells homemade delights and uses local ingredients, sourcing everything from nearby farms to create delicious food.
Ibaruma Sabichi Cave
Located a 12-minute drive away towards the northern part of the island is a stalactite cave (an icicle-shaped formation that hangs from the roof of the cave). There’s a fee to enter the cave, at 1,200 yen it is quite pricey, but well worth exploring for an enchanting experience!
Inside you can visit two beaches, one of which is considered to be a “power spot” and endows visitors with its healing energy, another is filled with interesting geological rock formations which are made by stacked up ancient coral reefs over time.
Upon arrival, you will trade your shoes in for flip flops as you have to walk through water in some parts of the trail. I would suggest wearing shorts or a skirt to avoid getting wet, and also be sure to try visit at low tide so you can see both beaches.
Warning, there are lots of bats that inhabit the cave so keep this in mind if you have a fear of them!
Hirakubozaki
Following along the road to the northernmost end of Ishigaki Island is where the Hirakubo Peninsula lies and, where you can spot a white lighthouse. This spot offers refreshing views overlooking the crystal clear waters of the Pacific Ocean on the right, the East China Sea on the left, and the surrounding islands.
From here, you can also see the coral reefs that Okinawa is so famous for. More than 200 of the world’s 800 coral species can be found in the sea surrounding the islands of Okinawa.
Hirano Beach
Hirano beach is a short drive away from the lighthouse but isn’t necessarily one I would have out of your way to see. There was unfortunately quite a bit of trash on the beach, the road to get to it was pretty full of pot holes, and there were warnings about various dangers of swimming in the water.
Tamatorizaki Observation Platform
Another elevated observation deck from which to soak up sweeping panoramic views of the bay. Tamatorizaki Observation Platform offers especially vast water vistas of the azure sea, it’s truly magnificent!
Dinner in Ishigaki Port
End your evening close by to your accommodation and enjoy dinner in Ishigaki’s port area. There are several different eateries to choose your pick from!
Thanks to its proximity to the sea, you can probably imagine that the seafood is fresh and a local delight. However, there are several other foods which you should keep an eye out for:
- Goya champuru – This is Okinawa’s most famous dish. Consisting of vegetables stir-fried with tofu, eggs, and meat (the meat is often spam, which is a reminder of America’s presence in the islands post-war).
- Purple Sweet Potato – Now known most commonly as the Okinawan sweet potato, it originated in South America and was brought to Japan in the 1600s. From savoury to sweet, I recommend tasting this in any form as it plays a central role in Okinawan cuisine!
- Taco Rice (タコライス, takoraisu) – Believe it or not, this is a popular dish in Okinawa’s modern cuisine. As the name suggests, it’s taco-flavoured ground beef served on a bed of rice, with shredded cheese, shredded lettuce, tomato and salsa.
- Umibudo Sea Grapes – A sort of green seaweed which has the texture of tiny green grapes and is harvested locally in mineral-rich waters.
- Mozuku seaweed tempura – Another seaweed-based dish, Mozuku is considered to be a superfood and served as tempura is unique to Okinawa.
- Ishigaki beef – Famous for wagyu beef, which is from the black cows produced in Yaeyama district, this beef is said to be so tender that it melts in your mouth.
Day two in Ishigaki suggested itinerary
Yoneko Yaki Kobo Shisa Farm
Start your day by visiting a free sculpture park! This area is filled with lots of amazing brightly coloured, hand-painted sculptures, a lot of which are shisa statues, in Okinawan mythology these guardian lions are said to protect against misfortune and evil spirits. Often found on the rooftops of homes, here you can see them larger than life!
Within the park, there are streams, lush verdant forests and lots of banana plants. You can either drive around via the track that loops around, or opt to walk and see the sculptures up close and personal.
Nearby there’s also a small pottery shop where you can buy replicas of the statues if you wish to take one home with you as a souvenir from your time in Japan.
Arakawa Falls
Only visible thanks to the handful of parking spaces on the roadside, you’ll find this enchanting waterfall spot hidden down a very narrow path. This beautiful waterfall is nestled between the dense foliage and is a great spot to go for a swim!
Joo Chiat Café
Joo Chiat Cafe was by far my favourite place to eat in Ishigaki. They have a mesmerising garden where you can sit and listen to the birds, the ingredients of the dishes are fresh and tasty, and there are even several vegan and vegetarian options on the menu.
Kabira Bay
Located on the north coast of the island, Kabira Bay is one of the most scenic spots of Ishigaki and is famed for its turquoise water and white sand, contrasted by the emerald green of the vegetation that surrounds it. As such, Kabira Bay is a designated place of scenic beauty.
It is also one of two places in Japan where they cultivate black pearls (the other being Iriomote Island). However, because of the black pearl cultivation, you cannot go swimming at this beach. Nonetheless, it makes for a tranquil spot to walk in the sand and there’s a small 17th-century temple atop the hill nearby.
Hirari Island Observation
We visited this observation deck as a recommendation by the café owner. Here, as the name suggests, you can enjoy views overlooking the tiny island of Hirari, which is completely uninhabited.
Oganzaki Lighthouse
End your day with another mesmerising viewpoint on the western side of the island. Home to a lighthouse, this spot is also considered by the local indigenous culture, to be a sacred place where the gods descended to the earth.
Offering a different landscape to the rest of the island, the area is completely flat and grassy with no tall trees in sight and the jagged outcrop juts into the ocean. The crystal clear water below is a popular snorkelling spot and is also one of the best places to see Manta rays floating along the water.
Aim to head here for sunset, as it’s truly one of the most magical spots on the island to watch the orange blob of the sun melt into the horizon as you enjoy soaking up the island life!
Getting around Ishigaki
There is public transportation available in the form of buses but to be honest the timings aren’t very convenient if you want to do more than a few things per day and it’s much easier to get around if you rent your own vehicle.
The only thing that should be noted is that speed limits are set quite low in Japan, particularly in Okinawa and so you should be sure to leave plenty of time between spots in order for you to drive leisurely between destinations.
Where to stay in Ishigaki
When it comes to accommodation you’re pretty spoilt for choice. We opted for a resort in the southwest of the island which gave us easy access to the port and therefore day trips to the smaller surrounding islands.
Hotel Patina – Located a 7-minute walk from the port area and a 3-minute drive from the beach, this hotel is in the perfect location. Offering free WiFi and rooms with a balcony, the hotel also provides free-use bicycles. Check prices and availability here.
Alaise De Bale Ishigaki – Situated 90 meters from the beach, this is perfect for those looking for the ultimate island relaxation experience. A daily breakfast offering both Asian and American options, free WiFi and there’s an outdoor swimming pool. Check prices and availability here.
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