DiscoverYaima

An independent island guide
Ishigaki, Okinawa, Japan

Island stories

Tag: <span>ishigakijima</span>

Island life

Hounensai: harvest and community in Yaeyama.

Hounensai brings harvest, prayer and community together. It is part of the life of the islands, with ceremonies and celebrations that differ from village to village.

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.

Restaurant Kagi Ishigaki

Today we decided to go for a lunch spot we never tried before, close to our house. For homemade kishimen at restaurant Kagi As a tourist I would have difficulties to find restaurant Kagi. It’s not in Ishigaki city but in the North of the island and hidden between vegetation. Nothing looks like there is […]

Restaurant Dining Shrimper Ishigaki

We wanted to keep restaurant Dining Shrimper in Ishigaki a secret… Dining Shrimper is one of our favourite restaurants in Ishigaki We are regular customers and every time the food is great. Shrimper is a family restaurant, father is chef, mother and daughter serve the guests. That’s one of the reasons, we like to come […]

Culture & community

Obon on Ishigaki.

This archive story follows the remembrance and family traditions we encountered on Ishigaki during Obon in 2017.

Hounensai harvest festival Ishigaki

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

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 […]

Kuroshima Sorakara – Kuro island From the sky

A story on Kuroshima, Kuro island. FROM THE SKY – SORAKARA Kuroshima is one of our favourite Yaeyama islands. Visit our YouTube channel for more videos. https://youtu.be/NNI4AGLiGFU If you plan to visit Kuro island, forget about your busy life. Let your thoughts blow away by the wind.   https://youtu.be/TxozNlorsFo Open your mind for new ideas […]