Which Yaeyama island should you visit from Ishigaki?
Taketomi if you have half a day, Iriomote if you have a full one, Hateruma if you can stay a night. The table has the numbers behind that, all from the operators' timetables.
Today's sailings: reading the operators' status pages…
The numbers
| Island | Crossing | Boats a day | Adult from | Longest day | Route | Go for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Taketomi | 10–15 min | 18 | ¥970 | 10 h 05 min | Sheltered | Village, beaches, buffalo cart; the easy half day |
| Iriomote | 40–45 min | 9 | ¥2,520 | 8 h 55 min | Ohara sheltered, Uehara open sea | Jungle rivers, waterfalls, mangroves, Yubu Island |
| Kohama | 25–30 min | 10 | ¥1,720 | 9 h 40 min | Sheltered | Hilltop view, quiet cycling, resorts |
| Kuroshima | 25–30 min | 6 | ¥1,850 | 8 h 40 min | Sheltered | Cattle pastures, turtles, flat cycling |
| Hatoma | 45–75 min | 4 | ¥3,290 | 7 h 40 min | Open sea | Silence, lighthouse walk, empty beach |
| Hateruma | 60–90 min | 2 | ¥4,990 | 6 h 40 min | Open sea | Nishihama beach, stargazing, the southern cape |
Boats a day: scheduled departures from Ishigaki across both operators, excluding backup sailings; Iriomote counts Ohara only. Longest day: first boat out to last boat back, using the longest printed crossing. "Open sea" and "sheltered" are the operators' own descriptions (Anei, YKF).
Getting around, children, rain, food
| Island | Getting around | With small children | If it rains | Food |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Taketomi | Bike, cart, on foot | yes | Village walk, cart ride | Village cafés |
| Kohama | Bike or scooter | yes | Little to do indoors | Few places |
| Kuroshima | Bike | yes | Turtle centre | Few places |
| Iriomote | Tour, bus, rental car | yes | Tours run in rain; river trips can cancel | Near both ports |
| Hatoma | On foot | hard | Nothing indoors | Almost none, bring lunch |
| Hateruma | Bike, scooter, car | yes | Little to do indoors | A few places |
Our judgement from the island facts linked in each guide; "hard" means long open-sea crossings, two boats a day and no shops.
By the time you have
- Half a day: Taketomi. Ten minutes across, boats roughly every half hour, and the village is a 15-minute walk or a free shuttle from the port. The half-day plan.
- One full day: Iriomote with Yubu Island, or Kohama and Taketomi together. Iriomote plan, two-island plan.
- A night away: Hateruma. Two boats a day each way and the open-ocean route mean a day trip is tight and weather-dependent; the night sky is the point. The overnight plan.
- Three days: one sheltered day, one Iriomote day, one spare for weather. The three-day plan.
By what you want
- Beach: Hateruma's Nishihama, Taketomi's Kondoi, Kohama's Coral Beach. Swimming on Ishigaki itself: Ishigaki Island.
- Snorkelling: boat tours from Ishigaki beat any island beach; see snorkelling. Kuroshima's Nakamoto Beach and Kohama's Coral Beach are the shore options.
- Wildlife: Iriomote (mangroves, the Iriomote cat, which you will not see), Kuroshima (sea turtles, cattle), mantas from Ishigaki in season (manta rays).
- Culture: Taketomi's preserved village; Kohama's red-tile village; Tanadui festival on Taketomi in November (dates).
- Quiet: Hatoma, then Kuroshima. Hatoma has almost no services, so bring lunch.
- Winter or windy forecast: Taketomi, Kohama, Kuroshima and Iriomote via Ohara. Leave Uehara, Hatoma and Hateruma for a calm day; see cancellations.
Tours that include the crossing
Sold by GetYourGuide and Klook; check what each one includes.
GetYourGuidePhantom Island snorkeling and Taketomi sightseeingPhantom Island snorkel in the morning, Taketomi sightseeing after; check whether the ferry is included.See dates and price on GetYourGuide →GetYourGuideBarasu Island snorkeling and Yubu Island day trip from IshigakiDay trip from Ishigaki: Barasu Island snorkel and Yubu Island; check whether the ferry is included.See dates and price on GetYourGuide →GetYourGuideIriomote mangrove SUP or canoe plus Yubu IslandMangrove paddle plus the Yubu Island buffalo cart in one day.See dates and price on GetYourGuide →KlookTaketomi water buffalo cart ride with round-trip ferry ticketBuffalo cart ride on Taketomi with the round-trip ferry ticket included.See dates and price on Klook →
Prices and inclusions are as the seller publishes them on its booking page; they change by date and season.
Build your own day in the planner →
Sources, checked 3 Nov 2026
- Anei Kanko: timetable, fares, today's sailing status
- Yaeyama Kanko Ferry (YKF): timetable, fares, today's sailing status