You can do Ishigaki without a car if you stay in town near the ferry terminal: the islands need boats, not cars, and Azuma buses run to the airport, Fusaki and Kabira Bay. What you give up is the north: buses there are few, and cape sunsets need a car, a taxi or a tour.
The car-free plan in one line
Sleep near the ferry terminal, take boats on island days, take the bus to Kabira once, and book tours with pickup for the rest. Hotels by area are on where to stay. Ferry days are in the island-hopping planner.
Airport to town
Take Azuma route 4. It leaves the airport every 30 minutes from 07:15 to 21:45 and reaches the ferry terminal stop in about 32 minutes↗. The fare is ¥550; a return ticket costs ¥1,000 for adults and ¥500 for children↗.
- Late arrivals: buses leaving the airport from 19:30 skip the ferry terminal stop and end at the Bus Terminal, a short walk away↗.
- Going to the airport: buses leave the Bus Terminal every 30 minutes from 06:30 to 21:00 (same source).
- Resort hotels on the way: route 10 runs five times a day each way via the Art Hotel and the ANA InterContinental; from the airport at 08:45, 11:45, 13:45, 14:15 and 15:45↗.
- Other options: Karry Kanko runs route 55, a direct bus to the port↗.
More on the arrival side: ferry terminal guide.
The buses that matter
Buy a pass on your first ride. The 24-hour pass costs ¥1,000 for adults and ¥500 for children, and the 3-day pass ¥2,000 and ¥1,000, both sold on every bus↗. Pay fares in cash or by contactless credit card, not IC cards such as Suica. The fare box gives no change, so use the change machine on board↗.
| Route | Goes to | Buses | Use it for |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | Airport | Every 30 min | Arrival and departure |
| 9 | Fusaki, Kabira Bay | 6 a day, 06:15 to 18:15 | The Kabira day |
| 11 | Airport, Yonehara, Kabira | From the airport at 12:15 and 15:00 | Kabira straight from a flight |
| 5 and 6 | The north, to Hirano | 3 to 5 a day | Not much: too few to be useful |
Kabira by bus: route 9 takes 43 minutes from the Bus Terminal and costs ¥770; it stops at Fusaki Beach Resort on the way, ¥360↗↗. Go out on the 09:45 and come back on the 13:59. The full table is on the Kabira Bay page.
The north: routes 5 and 6 take about 1 hour 25 minutes to Hirano, and the two early runs skip Sundays and holidays↗. That makes a return day trip hard to time.
The island tour bus
See the north in one morning without driving. Azuma's sightseeing bus leaves the Bus Terminal at 09:15 every day and is back at 14:00. It stops at the limestone cave, Kabira Park, lunch and Tamatorizaki, and passes the Yonehara palm grove. It costs ¥6,500 for adults and ¥4,800 for children aged 6 to 11, lunch included. Book by 17:00 the day before, and arrive 20 minutes early↗. At Kabira, passengers can add the glass-bottom boat for ¥2,000 (same source).
Ferries: the islands need no car
Island days are the easiest car-free days. Every boat leaves from the terminal in town, and Taketomi alone has boats roughly every half hour (which island).
- Taketomi: walk, cycle or ride the buffalo cart. The town and JNTO name those three ways and no bus or rental cars↗↗. Book the cart with the return ferry.
- Kohama: the information centre at the port rents cars, motorbikes and bicycles↗.
- Iriomote: the route bus runs four times a day each way and is not timed to the ferries; a one-day pass costs ¥1,500, as published on 3 Nov 2026↗. For one day, a tour with transfers is simpler; see the Iriomote guide.
Tours with pickup
Fill the gaps with tours that collect you. Each of these shows hotel pickup on its listing:
- A guided day around the island in English: the best-of-Ishigaki day tour, six hours.
- The sea: the Blue Cave tour with turtle snorkel, three hours, or the half-day Blue Cave trip on Klook.
- The night sky: the jungle walk and stargazing tour, two hours.
Taxis: the airport's published fares
Use a taxi for the odd trip the bus cannot do. The airport publishes these estimates for a standard taxi from the terminal↗:
| From the airport to | Time | Fare, about |
|---|---|---|
| Ferry terminal | 25 min | ¥3,500 |
| Fusaki Beach Resort | 30 min | ¥4,300 |
| Tamatorizaki | 25 min | ¥3,600 |
| Kabira Park | 40 min | ¥5,600 |
| Hirakubo | 45 min | ¥7,100 |
Taxi fares in Yaeyama were revised on 14 August 2023 (same source). The airport lists the call centres, including Yaeyama Kyodo Musen on 0980-83-3355.
Bikes and small electric cars
In town and on the small islands, cycle. On Ishigaki itself, distances defeat a bike for most visitors: the road round the island is 160 km↗. The tourism association lists Emobi at the ferry terminal, which rents a small three-wheeled electric car for up to three people with a range of about 40 km↗. Ask the shop which licence it accepts before you go; the licence rules for visitors are on car rental.
What you cannot reach easily
- Cape Hirakubo and the far north at sunset: the timetable ends at Hirano village, with no stop listed at the cape↗.
- Beaches between stops, and evenings in the north, when the last buses have gone.
- Uehara and Iriomote's north on a day trip, because the island bus is too sparse to link both ports.
If those matter, rent a car for one day only. Car rental has the licence check.
Trips with hotel pickup
Questions
Is Ishigaki doable without a car? Yes, for town, the islands, Kabira Bay and sea trips. Rent a car for one day if you want the north capes at sunset.
How do I get from the airport to the ferry terminal without a car? Azuma route 4, every 30 minutes, ¥550, about 32 minutes↗↗. A taxi costs about ¥3,500↗.
Is the bus pass worth it? Yes, on a Kabira day. The return fare from the Bus Terminal is ¥1,540, and the 24-hour pass is ¥1,000↗↗.
Can I pay the bus with Suica? No. Azuma buses take cash or contactless cards, not IC cards↗.