Around 4km northeast of Miyako Island, there is a mysterious small island where the locals believe that gods of nature reside. There are numerous sacred sites where entry is forbidden without permission. It is said that during the Uyagan Festival (祖神祭 (ウヤガン祭)), even the islanders aren’t allowed to enter those areas. In fact, to Miyakojima’s […]
Ōgami Island – The Most Sacred Island in Miyakojima City Read More »
Shimoji-Shima Island (下地島) is one of the eight islands in Miyakojima City. Having one of the only two airports located on the island and with the completion of the 3,540-meter-long Irabu Bridge, Shimoji-Shima is the next most accessible island in the city after Miyako Island. Although its size isn’t the biggest in the region, Shimoji
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The best photogenic beach on Shimoji Island has to be 17END (ワンセブンエンド), which spreads under the road surrounding the runway of Shimojishima Airport. At low tide, the sandy beach appears, and the stunning shallow blue sea spreads!
17END: The Best Photogenic Beach on Shimoji Island Read More »
Lacquerware is a popular souvenir among tourists in the Aizu region. The Aizu lacquer (Aizu-nuri, 会津塗り) is one of Japan’s top lacquerware. If you like the traditional crafts, Nanukamachi-dōri Street in Aizu-Wakamatsu has a couple of places we recommend you to stop by. Whether you like the utensils and vessels that are splendidly decorated or
The Best Places to Get Aizu Lacquerware on Nanukamachi-dōri Read More »
Amongst the three super long bridges that Miyakojima City has, the most magnificent bridge has to be the more than 3km long Irabu Bridge. It is also the landmark of Irabu Island (伊良部島), where the bridge is connected. Thanks to the bridge’s completion in 2015, when we visit Miyakojima today, the stunning spots on Irabu
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Speaking of Blue Cave in Okinawa, the one at Cape Maeda (真栄田岬) on Okinawa’s main island is much more famous, but Irabu Island also has one! The Blue Cave (青の洞窟) on Irabu Island is a sea cave underneath a 70-meter cliff. As you enter the cave, you will enter a world of blue.
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Miyakojima is one of the top destinations in Okinawa. But you might not be aware that there are a couple of smaller islands around Miyako Island, with three of them connected to Miyako-jima by a very long but majestic bridge! Ikema Island is one of the islands that can be reached from Miyako-jima without a
The Complete Guide to Ikema Island and Yabiji Reef Read More »
On the north of Ikema Island, there is a compact beach that includes all the elements of Miyakojima‘s beautiful beaches within a small area. The white sandy beach shore, the crystal clear azure color seawater, coral reefs, and tropical fishes can all be found at Funaks Beach (フナクスビーチ). You can even hide behind the big
Funaks Beach: The Must-Go Hidden Gem on Ikema Island Read More »
You might have heard of the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, the world’s largest coral reef system composed of over 2,900 individual reefs. Well, Japan has something similar, but just smaller in scale. The Japanese version of the Great Barrier Reef is the Yabiji Reef (八重干瀬), also known as Yae-Kise. It is located north of
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The stunning Miyakojima City consists of six islands. Besides the main island, Miyako-jima, the next best island to visit is Kurima-jima. Connected by Kurima Ōhashi (来間大橋), one of Okinawa‘s longest bridges, Kurima Island is just a 15-minute drive from Miyako Airport (宮古空港). In addition to popular attractions such as the Ryūgūjō Observation Deck, there are
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