Yaeyama Islands’ Remote Paradise - JAPAN AIRLINES (JAL)
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Yaeyama Islands’ Remote Paradise

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Yaeyama Islands’ Remote Paradise
Dynamic Iriomote Island Adventure to Nara Waterfall
HOSHINOYA Taketomi Island
Breathe deeply under the stars
Hoshino Resorts RISONARE Kohamajima (Gajumaru Tree Terrace)

Escape to the Yaeyama Islands, a cluster of 23 diverse islands, home to untouched nature, unique ecosystems, and traditional Okinawan charm.

The islands of Yaeyama are 400 to 500 kilometers from the main island of Okinawa. There are 23 large and small islands, including Ishigaki Island, the gateway to Yaeyama, Iriomote Island, and Taketomi Island. Iriomote Island maintains a unique ecosystem and rich nature unlike any other in the world. Taketomi Island retains the original scenery of Okinawa, such as the roofs of Ryukyu red tiles and the white sand road. Kohama Island is located in the center of Yaeyama and has an impressive view of the sea and sugarcane fields.

Package Highlights

Destination: Okinawa

Nearest Airport: New Ishigaki Airport

Seasonal charms: Yaeyama firefly on Iriomote Island (February - April), Sagaribana on Iriomote Island (June - July), Marine Activities (Year round), Viewing the Southern Cross (December - June)

Iriomote Island

Why is Iriomote Island registered as a Natural World Heritage Site?

Located at the southwest end of Japan, Iriomote Island has a circumference of about 130 km and an estimated population of 2,400.

Most of the island is covered with subtropical forests fed by various river systems. These rivers flow through Japan's largest mangrove forest, wetlands, paddy fields, and communities before reaching the sea featuring coral reefs and tropical fish. Iriomote Island is home to a wide variety of animals and plants, including endangered species such as the Iriomote wildcat, the Crested serpent eagle, the Yellow-margined box turtle, the Bamboo orchid, and the Silver-leaved mangrove.

Biodiversity, which is nurtured by the connections between various natural environments, is a major reason why Iriomote Island has been nominated as a Natural World Heritage Site.

Why is Iriomote Island registered as a Natural World Heritage Site?
Iriomote wildcats

Iriomote wildcats

The Iriomote wildcat lives only on Iriomote Island and is a subspecies of the Bengal wildcat from Mainland China. With a weight of 3-5 kg, it has features such as a thick and long tail, a long body, short legs, and round ears. The population is estimated to be about 100, making it a special natural monument of Japan and an endangered species.

Iriomote Hotel by Hoshino Resorts offers opportunities during check-in and host programs for guests to learn about the Iriomote wildcats, while also relaying important information about roadkill.

Nature tours to appreciate the charms and value of the island

To protect and preserve the nature of the island, which is designated as a Natural World Heritage Site, Iriomote Hotel by Hoshino Resorts will conduct a nature tour in collaboration with a passionate naturalist guide who lives on Iriomote Island. This tour will allow guests to better understand the charms of the island and the value of biodiversity.

Nature tours to appreciate the charms and value of the island

Taketomi Island

Protected island of Okinawan heritage

Taketomi Island is an island in Okinawa with just three villages, featuring bright white paths of coral sand, one-story houses with red-tiled roofs, and gentle breezes carrying the colorful melodies of sanshin lutes. These traditions have gone unchanged for centuries, not simply for historical preservation, but because they have proven over time to offer the greatest comfort to residents and visitors alike. HOSHINOYA Taketomi Island incorporates these very same traditions, infusing them with a measure of elegance and sophistication so that guests may experience the same level of absolute comfort that islanders do--without sacrificing contemporary pleasures.

Protected island of Okinawan heritage
Where the Milky Way fills the sky to the horizon

Where the Milky Way fills the sky to the horizon

The Yaeyama Islands are unaffected by westerlies or southern trade winds, while the clear air makes them ideal for observing the starry sky. These islands are renowned for having the best stargazing conditions in Japan, where you can observe 84 of the 88 constellations in the sky.

Architecture that preserves the way of life on the island

The red-tiled buildings are often used to symbolize the Okinawa scenery. Around the buildings, coral stone walls called "Gukku," built with Ryukyu limestones, and Happiness trees help provide a windbreak from typhoons and north winds, as well as fire prevention.

Architecture that preserves the way of life on the island

Kohama Island

A beachside getaway on a coral island

Kohama Island is located about halfway between Ishigaki Island and Iriomote Island.

The sea around Kohama Island is a coral reef area, the largest in Japan.

The island has a circumference of about 16.5 kilometers, which is large enough to take a bicycle ride around the main spots, but within it lies beautiful waters, mangrove forests, and sugarcane fields.

A beachside getaway on a coral island
Japan's southwesternmost barrel sauna

Japan's southwesternmost barrel sauna

Located on the beach next to the hotel, this barrel sauna features large windows. You can experience the sauna while looking out the window at the beautiful blue ocean. The location of Kohama Island is surrounded by Sekisei Lagoon, the largest coral reef in Japan.

Access

  • Gateway to the Yaeyama Island

    The gateway to the Yaeyama Islands is Ishigaki Island. From Ishigaki Port, ferries and high-speed boats leave for various remote islands. It takes about 30 minutes to travel by taxi from Ishigaki Airport to Ishigaki Port.

    Gateway to the Yaeyama Island