Ishigaki ferry terminal: getting there from the airport
All boats to the islands leave from the Ishigaki Port Remote Island Terminal (離島ターミナル) in town. From New Ishigaki Airport it is about half an hour by bus for 550 yen, or about 25 minutes by taxi.
Bus: Azuma route 4
The main airport line. Get off at 石垣港離島ターミナル, called "Ferry Terminal" on Azuma's English timetable; the Bus Terminal is the next stop.
| 07:15, 07:45, 08:30, 09:00, 09:30, 10:00, 10:30, 11:00, 11:30, 12:00, 12:30, 13:00, 13:30, 14:00, 14:30, 15:00, 15:30, 16:00, 16:30, 17:00, 17:30, 18:00, 18:30, 19:00 |
| 06:33, 07:03, 07:33, 08:03, 08:33, 09:03, 09:33, 10:03, 10:33, 11:03, 11:33, 12:03, 12:33, 13:03, 13:33, 14:03, 14:33, 15:03, 15:33, 16:03, 16:33, 17:03, 17:33, 18:03, 18:33, 19:03, 19:33 |
Timetable in force from March 2026, still current on 3 Nov 2026 (Azuma route 4 PDF). Later evening buses run to the Bus Terminal, 0.1 km from the ferry terminal stop.
Other buses
- Karry Kanko route 55 is a direct bus from the airport to the Ritō Terminal. Adult 550 yen, child 280 yen, prepaid on board by cash or contactless card. IC cards and QR payment are not accepted. (Karry Kanko Ishigaki route bus page)
- Azuma route 10 (via Art Hotel, ANA InterContinental) has five trips each way, valid 令和8年7月~. Bus Terminal departs 07:45, 10:45, 12:45, 13:15, 14:45; the 離島ターミナル stop is one minute later. (Azuma Bus route 10 detailed timetable PDF (file last modified 30 Jun 2026))
- Route 10 airport arrivals are 08:25, 11:25, 13:25, 13:55 and 15:25. Airport departures are 08:45, 11:45, 13:45, 14:15 and 15:45, reaching the 離島ターミナル stop at 09:23, 12:23, 14:23, 14:53 and 16:23. (Azuma Bus route 10 detailed timetable PDF)
Paying and passes
- Azuma buses take cash and contactless credit cards (regular fare only). Transit IC cards, Edy, WAON and non-contactless cards are not accepted. No change is given; use the change machine. No reservations; standing room counts. (Azuma Bus local bus guide (路線バス案内))
- Azuma ticket page: airport to Ritō Terminal or Bus Terminal is 550 yen one way. A round-trip discount ticket is 1,000 yen adult, 500 yen child, sold at the Bus Terminal counter and on airport-line buses. (Azuma Bus ticket page (各種乗車券のご案内))
- Azuma one-day pass (24 hours from purchase) is 1,000 yen adult, 500 yen child, sold on all route buses. A 3-day pass is 2,000 yen adult, 1,000 yen child. (Azuma Bus ticket page)
- Azuma route 14, the 'direct to airport via port' service, stopped on 1 October. The notice is dated 3 Sep 2026, and the year of the stop is inferred from that date. (Azuma Bus notice: route 14 suspension)
Taxi
- Airport's standard-taxi estimate to the Ritō Terminal is about 25 min and about 3,500 yen. The airport says times and fares are estimates, and Yaeyama taxi fares were revised on 14 Aug 2023. (Painushima Ishigaki Airport bus and taxi page (English))
- Anei Kanko Q&A: airport to the Ritō Terminal is about 30 to 50 min by Azuma or Karry route bus, or about 25 to 30 min by taxi. (Anei Kanko Q&A)
Car rental, SIM and stays
Taketomi, Kohama and Kuroshima are easy by rented bike, which you hire at the port. On Ishigaki and Iriomote the sights are spread out, and Iriomote's town site lists buses and rental cars.
Book ahead
Typhoons
When a storm warning is issued for Yaeyama, Azuma stops all departures from the Bus Terminal after the warning time (Azuma Bus). See rough sea and typhoons.