An independent island guide
Ishigaki, Okinawa, Japan
Island stories
THE THINGS YOU HOPE TO SEE ONCE IN YOUR LIFE One of them is a tiny glowing beetle. Fireflies in Japan are called Hottaru. The magical Hime bottaru can be seen from late February until late April in Iriomote island. Fireflies in Ishigaki island show up from March until June. During this season the tiny […]
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.
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 […]
Locals know where to go when it comes to farmers markets and where it’s best for shopping. Sometimes it can be a bit difficult to find just te right place to go when you’re not a local resident. Are you the kind of person, that likes to search for specialty stores, loves to try local fruit and never wants […]
For breakfast & lunch in Ishigaki Shunka Banchan breakfast & lunch restaurant is truly a hidden gem. Located near the ocean in Shiraho, this is a good spot to escape the city and visit this peaceful area in Ishigaki. The restaurant serves natural Japanese food on pottery produced by local potters. The menu changes regularly. For the […]