Three days of island hopping from Ishigaki

One sheltered two-island day, one Iriomote day, and a third that can absorb a cancellation. Put the open-sea islands on the calmest forecast day.

Day 1: Kohama and Taketomi

1. 07:30Ishigaki → Kohama YKF; there by 08:00.
2. on arrivalWalk about 50 m from the boat to the Kohama Island General Information Center, which rents cars, motorbikes and bicycles (Taketomi Town Tourism Association). Bikes can also be rented at many places to stay (Visit Okinawa). (source)
3. first stopClimb Ufudaki, the 99 m hill that the town calls the place to see nearly the whole archipelago (Taketomi Town). (source)
4. late morningRide Sugar Road through cane fields and pastures (Visit Okinawa). (source)
5. 10:55Kohama → Ishigaki YKF; back by 11:25. 2 h 55 min on Kohama.
6. 12:30Ishigaki → Taketomi Anei; there by 12:45.
7. on arrivalTake the free shuttle that the cart and bike operators run from the port to the village, or walk about 15 minutes (JNTO). Taketomi Kanko Center says its shuttle is for buffalo cart customers (Taketomi Kanko Center). (source)
8. first hourRide the buffalo cart through the village. The tour lasts about 30 minutes with a guide playing the sanshin (JNTO). If you also want a bike from the same shop, finish the cart ride before you register for the bike (Taketomi Kanko Center rental sheet). (source)
9. late morningCycle to Kondoi Beach on the west side, about 15 minutes on foot from the village or a short ride (JNTO). It has toilets, changing rooms, picnic tables and a shallow sandbar (Visit Okinawa). (source)
10. 15:50Taketomi → Ishigaki Anei; back by 16:05. 3 h 05 min on Taketomi.

Day 2: Iriomote

1. 07:30Ishigaki → Ohara YKF; there by 08:15.
2. the day beforePick one side. From Ohara Port the plan is Yubu Island plus the Nakama River mangrove cruise. From Uehara the plan is a guided Pinaisara tour or the Urauchi River cruise. The route bus runs only four times a day each way and is not timed to the ferries (Iriomote Kotsu timetable), so mixing both sides in one day trip needs a rental car or a tour with transfers. (source)
3. on arrival at Ohara PortTake the route bus to the Yubu Suigyusha stop. The fare from Ohara Port is ¥450, as published on 3 Nov 2026, and the timetable shows 20 to 40 minutes (Iriomote Kotsu fare table). Buy tickets for the cart at the Tabibito-no-eki counter at least 10 minutes before departure (Yubu Island). (source)
4. late morningCross to Yubu Island by buffalo cart. The cart round trip with admission costs ¥2,000 for adults and ¥1,000 for primary school children; walking over with admission costs ¥700 and ¥350; under primary age is free, as published on 3 Nov 2026 (Yubu Island). The island opens 9:15 to 16:30, last entry 15:45, and can open later at high tide. (source)
5. middayHave lunch on Yubu Island, which has a restaurant, a tea house and a shop (Yubu Island). Then take the bus back towards Ohara Port. (source)
6. afternoonJoin the guided Nakama River mangrove cruise from Ohara Port; the ticket office is about 30 seconds from the terminal. The mangrove course takes 50 to 60 minutes and costs ¥3,500 for adults and ¥1,750 for children, as published on 3 Nov 2026 (Iriomote Kotsu cruise). Departures change day by day, booking is online only, and low tide can cut the route short. (source)
7. alternative day from UeharaPinaisara Falls needs a registered guide, and entry is capped at 200 people a day (Ministry of the Environment). One operator, Pisces, charges ¥15,300 per adult for a day of about 7 hours, with the ¥500 entry fee, lunch and transfers included, for ages 10 to 65, as published on 3 Nov 2026 (Pisces). Without a booking, the Urauchi River cruise plus falls trek costs ¥3,500 per adult and needs no reservation (Urauchigawa Kanko). (source)
8. before the boat backLeave time for the bus or car back to your port. If you drive, go slowly everywhere, because Iriomote cats can run onto the road, especially at night, dawn and dusk (Okinawa Prefecture). (source)
9. 16:30Ohara → Ishigaki YKF; back by 17:15. 8 h 15 min on Iriomote.

Day 3: Kuroshima

1. 08:00Ishigaki → Kuroshima Anei; there by 08:30.
2. on arrivalRent a bike at the port. Kuroshima Rental Cycle opens 9:00 to 17:00 and charges ¥1,200 a day for a standard bike and ¥2,500 for an electric bike, as published on 3 Nov 2026; it is the only shop that also rents by the hour (Taketomi Town Tourism Association). (source)
3. first hourRide to the Kuroshima Research Center to see sea turtles, about 15 minutes by bike or 30 minutes on foot from the port (Kuroshima Research Center). Loggerhead, green and hawksbill turtles nest on the island (Visit Okinawa). (source)
4. late morningGo to Nakamoto Beach, a snorkelling spot (JNTO). The town tourism association notes tropical fish in its tide pools (Taketomi Town Tourism Association). (source)
5. lunchEat at Shima Cafe Heartland by the port, which lists Yaeyama soba and miso soba and is open every day (Heartland). (source)
6. afternoonCycle through the ranches on level roads (Taketomi Town). Stop at Iko Pier, a long pier over shallow sea (Taketomi Town Tourism Association). (source)
7. before the boat backReturn the bike and be at the port in time. Kuroshima Rental Cycle closes at 17:00 (Taketomi Town Tourism Association). (source)
8. 14:10Kuroshima → Ishigaki Anei; back by 14:40. 5 h 40 min on Kuroshima.

Day 3 is the spare: if a boat was cancelled earlier, move that island here. Otherwise Kuroshima is the quiet choice, or stay on Ishigaki itself.

Getting around Kohama

The Kohama Island General Information Center at the port rents cars, motorbikes and bicycles; price not published on that page on 3 Nov 2026. Kohama Kotsu runs a guided island bus tour four times a day. It takes about 1 hour 10 minutes, stops at Hosozaki and Ufudaki, and drops you at your hotel or minshuku at the end. Its price was not in the page text on 3 Nov 2026, and the site looks old, so confirm by phone. Visit Okinawa recommends a bike from the port or your accommodation (Visit Okinawa).

Where to eat

Food is limited outside the resorts, so bring something or plan around it. The town tourism association lists a food truck, MUSUHI, with irregular hours, closed on Wednesdays, about 15 minutes by bike from the port. Visit Okinawa names no restaurants on Kohama (Visit Okinawa).

Getting around Taketomi

The town and JNTO describe three ways to get around: on foot, by bike and by buffalo cart; neither mentions a bus or rental cars (Taketomi Town, JNTO). Bikes can be rented at the port and in the village (Visit Okinawa). At Taketomi Kanko Center, as published on 3 Nov 2026, a standard bike costs ¥2,500 from pickup to return, or ¥2,200 if you start from 13:00. A geared bike costs ¥3,700 (¥3,300 from 13:00) and an electric bike ¥4,900 (¥4,400 from 13:00). Buffalo cart customers pay less: ¥2,200, ¥3,300 and ¥4,400 for a full day. The shop rents by the day only, not by the hour, and takes cashless payment only. Its buffalo cart costs ¥3,900 for ages 12 and over, ¥2,900 for ages 6 to 11 and ¥1,900 for ages 3 to 5, as published on 3 Nov 2026. One child aged 0 to 2 rides free per adult. Payment is cashless only. Carts run in turn: you register, wait inside, and are called by name.

Where to eat

Food is in the village, not at the beaches. Kanifu at Taketomi Kanko Center opens 11:00 to 15:30 (last order 15:00), takes no reservations or takeaway, and is cashless only, as published on 3 Nov 2026. Its closing days are set month by month on its calendar. The town tourism association lists Soba-dokoro Takenoko, open 10:30 to 15:30 with irregular closing days; it says soba ends when sold out. Visit Okinawa mentions beach stalls at Kaiji Beach but does not say they sell food (Visit Okinawa). Carry water if you plan to cycle around the island.

Getting around Iriomote

One main road links Uehara and Ohara (Visit Okinawa). The route bus by Iriomote Kotsu runs between Toyohara and Shirahama, four times a day each way on the winter timetable from 1 Oct 2026. As published on 3 Nov 2026, Ohara Port to Yubu costs ¥450, Ohara Port to Uehara ¥1,070 and a one-day pass ¥1,500 for adults (¥750 for children), sold on the bus. Children pay half fare. The bus does not enter Uehara Port; use the Uehara stop. It takes contactless cards and does not change ¥5,000 or ¥10,000 notes. Yamaneko Rent-a-car has offices at Ohara and Uehara with free port transfers. As published on 3 Nov 2026, a K-class car starts at ¥5,500 for 3 hours and ¥7,500 for 24 hours, fuel included, with a ¥1,500 fee to return it at the other office. For the Urauchi River, Urauchigawa Kanko runs a free shuttle from Uehara Port once each morning and back once after midday, which may not run on some days; the route bus between Uehara Port and the river costs ¥310 (Urauchigawa Kanko). In rough weather the Uehara route can be cancelled; Anei's timetable then adds Ohara sailings with a connecting bus to Uehara (Anei timetable).

Where to eat

Food is spread out and easy to miss, so plan lunch around your activity. Yubu Island has a restaurant and a tea house (Yubu Island). Guided Pinaisara days with Pisces include a homemade lunch and drinks (Pisces). On the Urauchi River no food stop was confirmed; bring something and enough water for the trek.

Getting around Kuroshima

The roads are level, and the town says cycling is the easiest way to see the island (Taketomi Town). Kuroshima Rental Cycle charges ¥1,200 a day for a standard bike and ¥2,500 a day for an electric bike, as published on 3 Nov 2026. It opens 9:00 to 17:00, offers tuk-tuk pickup and has child seats and kids' bikes. Shima Cafe Heartland by the port also rents bikes from the first morning boat until the last boat leaves; its price was not published on 3 Nov 2026. The Research Center says bikes can be rented at Kuroshima Port (Kuroshima Research Center).

Where to eat

There is very little food. The town tourism association lists one food place on the island, Shima Cafe Heartland by the port, open every day with Yaeyama soba, shaved ice and drinks; hours and prices were not published on 3 Nov 2026. Bring water and a snack if you plan to ride all day.

Boat times are the operators' published timetables in force (Anei to 2027-03-31, YKF to 2027-02-28), checked 3 Nov 2026, using the longest printed crossing time and a 30-minute connection at Ishigaki. Tickets work only on the company that sold them.

Tours for this plan

Some include the ferry; check each listing.

GetYourGuideIshigaki and Yaeyama toursAll Ishigaki and Yaeyama listings on GetYourGuide.See all on GetYourGuide →GetYourGuide−46%Phantom Island snorkeling and Taketomi sightseeing7 hours · Pickup · Ferry included★4.4 (42 reviews)Phantom Island snorkel, then a round-trip ferry to Taketomi; seven hours.✓ Free cancellation up to 24 h beforefrom US$127 US$69 per personCheck availability →GetYourGuide price and rating, 3 Nov 2026GetYourGuideTaketomi toursAll Taketomi listings: buffalo cart, village, beach combinations.See all on GetYourGuide →GetYourGuide−50%Barasu Island snorkeling and Yubu Island day trip from Ishigaki6 hours · Pickup · English★4.3 (6 reviews)Barasu Island snorkel and Yubu Island in one day; starts on Iriomote, ferry not included.✓ Free cancellation up to 24 h beforefrom US$165 US$82 per personCheck availability →GetYourGuide price and rating, 3 Nov 2026GetYourGuide−50%Iriomote mangrove SUP or canoe plus Yubu Island6 hours · Pickup · English★4.7 (29 reviews)Mangrove paddle plus the Yubu Island buffalo cart, timed to fit the ferries.✓ Free cancellation up to 24 h beforefrom US$165 US$83 per personCheck availability →GetYourGuide price and rating, 3 Nov 2026KlookIshigaki hotelsHotels on Ishigaki by date, area and price.See all on Klook →KlookTaketomi water buffalo cart ride with round-trip ferry ticketabout 3 hours · Ferry included★4.6 (25 reviews) · 1K+ bookedBuffalo cart ride on Taketomi with the round-trip ferry ticket included.from US$45.19 per personCheck availability →Klook price and rating, 3 Nov 2026

Change the islands or the stay in the planner → · All itineraries →

Photos via Wikimedia Commons: View over southeast Kohama from Ufudaki: Paipateroma, CC BY-SA 4.0; Kabira Bay from above with glass-bottom boats, Ishigaki: 663highland, CC BY 2.5; Hamajima sandbar island seen from the sea, Yaeyama: Paipateroma, CC BY-SA 4.0; Water buffalo cart in Taketomi village: Ken FUNAKOSHI from Yokohama, Japan, CC BY-SA 2.0; Water buffalo cart crossing the shallows to Yubu Island: 663highland, CC BY 2.5; ANA InterContinental Ishigaki Resort, Ishigaki: Syced, CC0 1.0.