The islands
Hateruma, for the sea.
For us, Hateruma is about the colour and clarity of the sea, its reef and the quiet of a small island. Give those reasons enough time, and plan the crossing as carefully as the stay.
Island stories
Archives
The islands
Iriomote, beyond the road.
Iriomote is Yaeyama's jungle island: dense forest, mangrove rivers and mountains that change how you travel. The main road gives you a first look. A planned activity with a local guide takes you farther into the landscape.
Ishigaki Island
Begin here. Stay a little longer.
Ishigaki is best enjoyed without rushing. Go into the water with a local guide, follow the road beyond the city and stop when a small shop, pottery studio or view catches your attention. Leave space for good food, conversation and the island's relaxed rhythm.
Plan your trip
Hiking in Ishigaki
A walk in Banna Park and a mountain outing on Ishigaki are not the same thing. Here is how we think about the places we have walked, and what to check before setting out.
Plan your trip
Beaches of the Yaeyama Islands
What kind of day by the sea are you looking for? Yaeyama coasts range from managed swimming beaches to reef edges, long open shores and tide-dependent sandbars.
Food & everyday life
From island to table: Batida.
A visit to Batida in Ishigaki: the ingredients, people and ideas behind a restaurant inside Seven × Seven Hotel.
Food & everyday life
Inside Ikehara Distillery.
A hands-on visit to an Ishigaki distillery, where making awamori brings rice, black koji and three generations of family knowledge together.
Culture & community
Kabira: village, culture and the bay.
Spend time with Kabira beyond the bay viewpoint: its village, food, craft and the landscape around it.
Vegetarian restaurants in Ishigaki Okinawa Japan
There are a few vegetarian restaurants in Ishigaki. I’ll help you find them. Unfortunately their representation is scarce. Which is, I think, slightly against the expectations of Buddhist country Japan. Why is Okinawa different? The Okinawa islands, the Yaeyama islands included, differ from main island Japan. Okinawa is Japanese and it’s not at the same […]
Culture & community
Kitsugansai on Kohama.
An account of visiting Kitsugansai on Kohama, where performance, prayer and harvest traditions come together in village life.