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Nature in The Yaeyama Islands
Pinch me, I'm in Heaven...
The fascinating island nation of Japan sparks the imagination. It’s a country that blends modern life with a deep, ancient culture. Large cities coexist with beautiful natural landscapes. Japanese food is refined, shaped by local ingredients and the seasons, offering many unique flavors. Did you know this country also has peaceful white beaches, lined with palm trees and pineapples, beside clear blue waters?
Southernmost archipelago
The Yaeyama archipelago is Japan’s southernmost archipelago. This tropical collection of islands is part of Okinawa province and has 12 inhabited islands. Ishigaki island is home to the most people. Yonaguni island is Japan’s westernmost island.
Coral islands
The direct translation of Yaeyama in kanji is eightfold mountains. In particular, Ishigaki, Iriomote and Yonaguni island are mountainous coral islands.
Miles away from the main island
The archipelago is remote and although there is good air service, it is miles away from Okinawa and main island Japan.
From the serene beauty of grasslands under blue skies, with cows grazing and sugarcane fields encircled by the clear waters of smaller islands like Taketomi, Kohama, and Hatoma, to the rich green tones of the mountains, including the sacred Omoto (526m), Okinawa’s highest peak.
Ishigaki Island offers endless dreamy views stretching far beyond the horizon. Hidden beaches glimpsed through caves, scattered waterfalls nestled within deep forests, and vast mangrove swamps sheltering endangered creatures like the Iriomote wildcat on Iriomote Island.
The region’s flora and fauna are both captivating and diverse.
ISL& Natural Guides Ishigaki Okinawa Japan
Help us guide you on your journey to Ishigaki Island with our new ‘ISL& Natural Guides Ishigaki Okinawa Japan’.
Many endemic plant and animal species, live only here. Examples are the Kishinoue’s giant lizard and the Iriomote Yamaneko.
Due to nature conservation reasons, large parts of Ishigaki and Iriomote are designated to a national park.
The Sekisei lagoon lies between Ishigaki and Iriomote. At about 20 hectares, it is the largest coral reef in Japan and is part of the Iriomote Ishigaki National Park. More than 300 different species of coral live here.
The lagoon is home to schools of manta rays. It is an important and essential balanced ecosystem for the environment but also for the earth as a whole.
