An independent island guide
Ishigaki, Okinawa, Japan
Island stories
Hi, thank you for visiting our blog about the Japanese Yaeyama islands! In this article we share with you our ‘fishing in Ishigaki’ video. FISHING IN ISHIGAKI Are you a fishing enthusiast? In The Netherlands, where I come from, fishing is one of popular ways for certain people to enjoy free time. As a country […]
ART IN ISHIGAKI ISLAND You might not think of a vibrant art scene in tropical paradise Ishigaki in the first place. I can acknowledge that. When I arrived here in ishigaki four years ago, my plan was to relax from the impressions of my three months trip through Japan. So thinking of a tropical hideaway […]
When I was younger, my friends in The Netherlands loved surfing. They took every opportunity to ride the waves. With their handmade wooden bike carriage they carried the board wherever they wanted. Free minds. Once in my teens I took wind surfing classes on a lake near us. I don’t know exactly why I quit. […]
Culture & community
A documentary about textile maker Akiko Ishigaki on Iriomote, with drone footage contributed by our team.
Culture & community
This archive story follows the remembrance and family traditions we encountered on Ishigaki during Obon in 2017.
Meet Sanpin-chan on Kohama island. He’s one of the endangered Yonaguni Japanese breed ponies. It’s one of the eight pony breeds native to Japan. Yonaguni horses have a very gentle and thoughtful character. If you have the opportunity to travel to Yonaguni island, you’ll meet them free almost everywhere around the island. Such a […]
Don’t miss the traditional Hounensai harvest festival if you’re visiting Ishigaki, Iriomote, or one of the other Yaeyama Islands. The festival is held to thank the gods for the year’s harvest and to pray for abundance in the coming season. Each village organizes its own festivities. Many events are open to visitors, while some ceremonies […]
Juroku-nichi-sai is New Year’s Day for the ancestors. It’s the 16th day of the new year, the day after the first full moon in the moon calendar or lunar calendar. According to this calendar, New Year’s Day in 2017 was on the 28th of January. In the Yaeyama islands the moon calendar is still used […]