From life here
People, places and everyday life.
Food, craft and village traditions are part of daily life on the islands. These selected stories introduce the people, work and knowledge behind them.
Island stories
Archives
Self-guided travel
Routes for Ishigaki and the Yaeyama Islands.
Choose a one-day drive around Ishigaki, a three-day introduction to the island or a longer island-hopping itinerary.
Weather & seasons
Best time to visit Ishigaki
For a varied first visit, we usually favour March and April or late October and November. Those months suit the kind of days we enjoy on Ishigaki: time outdoors, local food and exploring beyond the city. Summer appeals if warm days by the sea are your priority, while winter suits a stay centred on food, craft and island life. Rain is possible throughout the year, and ferry services depend on sea conditions in every season.
Get in touch
Contact DiscoverYaima.
Send us a message about the website, a correction or editorial collaboration. For questions about the Ishigaki guidebook or an order, contact ISL&.
Island life
Art, craft and creative life in Yaeyama
Look at the weave of a cloth, the shape of a cup or the choices in a photograph. The islands offer more than objects to take home: there are materials, skills and individual ways of seeing to get to know.
Ishigaki & the Yaeyama Islands
Local guidance for exploringIshigaki and Yaeyama
Independent travel advice and first-hand island stories from Ishigaki. Plan your first visit, choose an island and discover Yaeyama food, nature and culture.
Plan your trip
Plan your time in Yaeyama
A few good decisions make the rest easier. Give yourself time, choose a base that fits your interests and understand the journeys between places. Then leave room to discover what you enjoy once you are here.
Plan your trip
Getting around Ishigaki and Yaeyama
You can spend a holiday in Ishigaki City or at a resort without keeping a car for the whole stay. For exploring the countryside, a car gives you more freedom. Buses, taxis, bicycles and ferries each suit different parts of the trip.
Plan your trip
Hiking in Ishigaki
We have walked Omotodake, Nosoko Mape and Buzamadake on Ishigaki. Here we bring those outings together with our original GPS map, followed by Banna Park for walking, running and time outdoors with children.
Made on Ishigaki
About DiscoverYaima.
DiscoverYaima brings together practical travel information, photography, film and stories from Ishigaki and the Yaeyama Islands.