Taketomi Island

What to know

Taketomi Island (竹富島, Taketomijima) lies just off the coast of Ishigaki Island and is home to a wonderfully preserved traditional Ryukyu village. Because it is quite small, most visitors come as a day trip from Ishigaki.

Thanks to conservation efforts, the tiny village is made up almost entirely of traditional single-story houses surrounded by stone walls, topped with red-tiled roofs, and adorned with lion-like shisa statues to ward off evil spirits. Some of these houses operate as minshuku guesthouses.

Other traditional homes in the village serve as restaurants and shops selling local food and crafts. There are no rental cars on Taketomi; most people walk or rent bicycles to explore the white sand roads and reach the nearby beaches.

Taketomi Island offers both sandy and rocky beaches where you can swim and snorkel. Except for Kondoi Beach, the beaches have no public facilities.

When using the beaches, always be aware of strong currents that can pull you out to sea and poisonous creatures like Habu jellyfish (a type of box jellyfish), most common from June to October. Signs in English warn of dangers, and some beaches have netted swimming areas. Although stings are rare, if stung, pour vinegar over the sting, remove any tentacles, and seek medical help as it can be life-threatening.

Three ferry companies operate high-speed ferries and an infrequent car ferry between Ishigaki Island and Taketomi Island. Boats depart every 30–60 minutes from 7:30 to 17:30 with a short break around noon. The one-way trip takes 10 minutes by high-speed ferry or 15 minutes by car ferry. A round trip costs 1700 yen. Online reservations can be made through Direct Ferries.