An independent island guide
Ishigaki, Okinawa, Japan
Island stories
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
Japan is a very safe country to travel. The Japanese people would like to prevent insecurity and choose safe situations first. That makes travelling through Japan enjoyable. We made a list of possible hazards on the beaches and inside the ocean. Don’t worry, this list is mainly to make you conscious and to prevent unnecessary situations. […]