Ishigaki, Okinawa · Things to do
Things to Do in Ishigaki: 10 Places with Hours, Prices and Access
10 things to do · checked October 20, 2026
10 things to do in Ishigaki, from the town outward
Hours, prices and access checked against each place's own page on October 20, 2026. They change; check before you go.
1Euglena Mall and Ishigaki City Public Marketユーグレナモール・石垣市公設市場
Covered shopping street and public market · Ishigaki town
The island's only arcade street, lined with souvenir shops and restaurants. The city public market stands in the middle of it, a three-storey building with a half basement that sells fresh fish, meat and produce, with a specialty-products sales centre and a restaurant.
- Access
- The public market is about 5 minutes on foot from the Azuma Bus terminal and the Ishigaki Port Ritou Terminal.
2Island ferries from the Ritou Terminal: Taketomi, Kohama, Iriomote石垣港離島ターミナルの離島航路（竹富・小浜・西表）
Ferry day trips · Ishigaki Port (Misaki-cho)
Yaeyama Kanko Ferry and Anei Kanko both sail from the Euglena Ishigaki Port Ritou Terminal, 1 Misaki-cho, to Taketomi (about 15 minutes by boat), Kohama, Iriomote (Ohara and Uehara ports), Kuroshima and Hatoma. Anei Kanko also sails to Hateruma.
Fares are from the two operators' own pages, with the fuel surcharge included; it can change with fuel prices.
- Access
- The terminal is next to the Azuma Bus terminal. From New Ishigaki Airport, about 30 minutes by car or 30 to 40 minutes by bus. Boarding starts 15 minutes before departure; Yaeyama Kanko Ferry electronic-ticket holders go straight to gates 3 and 4.
- Hours
- Yaeyama Kanko Ferry timetable for October 2026 to February 2027 is on its site; the period and the number of sailings may change. Anei Kanko online booking closes at 18:00 the day before sailing.
- Closed on
- Sailings are cancelled in rough seas and typhoons; both operators post the day's operation status on their sites.
- Price
- Adult one way / round trip (junior high and over, fuel surcharge included): Taketomi ¥970 / ¥1,880; Kohama ¥1,720 / ¥3,340; Iriomote Ohara ¥2,520 / ¥4,880; Iriomote Uehara ¥3,290 / ¥6,370. Elementary school children, Taketomi: ¥510 / ¥990.
3Ishigaki Island Limestone Cave石垣島鍾乳洞
Limestone cave · North of Ishigaki town
A cave of about 3.2 km, of which 660 m is open to visitors, with formations that took about 200,000 years to form. It has an illuminated route, a restaurant and a shop. The cave's own site warns that a similar cave is nearby and asks visitors to check the name.
- Access
- About 4 km north of central Ishigaki on Route 208: about 8 minutes by car from the town, about 10 minutes from the ferry terminal and about 30 minutes from the airport. Parking available.
- Hours
- 9:00–18:30 (last entry 18:00); the cave may change its hours when a typhoon approaches
- Price
- Adults ¥1,200; children (age 4 to junior high) ¥600
4Banna Parkバンナ公園
Prefectural park · Central hills (Banna-dake)
A large prefectural park of subtropical forest in the middle of the island. The Zone B viewing towers look over the sea, Ishigaki town, Taketomi and the Sakieda Peninsula, and the World Insect Museum shows insects from the island and the world.
- Access
- About 15 to 25 minutes by car from the airport or the ferry terminal, depending on the entrance. Zone B is a walk straight on from the south entrance.
- Hours
- Park closes at 21:00; reception 9:00–17:00
- Closed on
- 28 December–4 January. World Insect Museum closed Thursdays. Facilities may close in severe weather.
- Price
- Park entrance and parking free; the World Insect Museum charges admission (amount on the park's site)
5Ishigaki Island Observatory石垣島天文台
Observatory with tours and stargazing sessions · Arakawa, in the hills by Banna Park
An observatory of the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan. Facility tours run on open days, and a stargazing session is held on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays. Since June 2025 the sessions use the rooftop 40 cm telescope because the main telescope is out of order.
Stargazing is Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays only, by phone reservation.
- Access
- By car from the town centre, take Prefectural Route 208 towards Banna Park and turn into the Maesegidake forest road opposite the park's south entrance. Drive about 3 km to the first car park, then about 500 m uphill to the second (8 spaces) and walk about 50 m. About 20 minutes from the town centre. The site says walking or cycling there at night is not permitted.
- Hours
- Facility tour 10:00–15:30 (last entry 15:00), Wednesday to Sunday and holidays. Stargazing session 20:00–20:45 (August–May) or 20:15–21:00 (June–July), Saturdays, Sundays and holidays; cancelled in rain or bad weather. Reservation required by phone, 0980-88-0013, 10:00–17:00; booking opens about one month ahead.
- Closed on
- Mondays, Tuesdays, year-end and New Year, and the second Thursday of each month (maintenance)
- Price
- Facility tour ¥100 (preschool free). Stargazing ¥500; elementary to high school ¥300; preschool children are not accepted for bookings made from 3 September 2026. Cash only.
6Kabira Bay川平湾
Scenic bay and glass-bottom boats · Kabira (north-west)
One of Japan's 100 Scenic Views. Swimming is prohibited, and so are SUP and kayaking in the park. Several companies run glass-bottom boats over the bay; a trip takes about 30 minutes and boats leave every 15 to 20 minutes with no reservation needed.
- Access
- About 30 minutes by car from the airport or the ferry terminal. By Azuma Bus to the Kabira Koen-mae stop: ¥730 one way from the bus terminal. A taxi costs about ¥4,000 from the ferry terminal; the city site advises arranging the return trip, as taxis are scarce at the bay.
- Hours
- Parking 7:00–17:00; the city site gives no boat operating hours
- Price
- Glass-bottom boat: adults ¥1,300, children ¥650. Parking ¥200 for the first hour, then ¥100 an hour (cards and electronic money only).
7Ishigaki Yaima Village石垣やいま村
Heritage village and nature park · Nagura (west)
An experience park of relocated red-tile Ryukyu houses, some registered as national tangible cultural properties. It has a mangrove boardwalk, a water buffalo pond, a squirrel monkey forest and folk performances; feeding the monkeys has been suspended since 20 July 2026.
- Access
- About 30 minutes by car from the airport and about 20 minutes from the ferry terminal; parking for about 100 cars. By bus, a 1-minute walk from the Moto-Namura stop or 7 minutes from the Yaima-mura Entrance stop; buses are infrequent.
- Hours
- 9:00–17:30 (last entry 17:00); hours may change for typhoons
- Closed on
- Open all year with no regular closing day; may close for typhoons
- Price
- Adults (junior high and over) ¥1,200; children (age 3 to elementary) ¥600; 10% off tickets bought online in advance
8Yonehara Yaeyama Palm Grove米原ヤエヤマヤシ群落
Natural monument and walking path · Yonehara (north-east)
A grove of Yaeyama palms, a species that grows wild only on Ishigaki and Iriomote, designated a national natural monument. A wooden walkway leads through it.
- Access
- About 25 minutes by car from the airport and about 30 minutes from the ferry terminal. Parking for 15 cars. The path is slippery and has many steps, and it has no lighting, so visit in daylight in shoes with grip.
- Price
- Free
9Tamatorizaki Observation Deck玉取崎展望台
Roadside viewpoint · Ihara-ma (north-east)
A viewpoint on the north-east coast from which both the Pacific Ocean and the East China Sea can be seen. The view takes in the Hirakubo Peninsula, Ihara-ma Bay and a reef, and the path to the deck is lined with hibiscus.
- Access
- About 20 minutes by car from the airport and about 40 minutes from the ferry terminal. Parking available.
10Hirakubozaki Lighthouse平久保崎灯台
Lighthouse at the island's northern tip · Hirakubo (far north)
A lighthouse at the northernmost tip of Ishigaki, with the Pacific to one side and the East China Sea to the other. It is certified as a Lighthouse of Love (恋する灯台) by the Japan Romanticist Association.
- Access
- About 40 minutes by car from the airport and about 60 minutes from the ferry terminal. Parking available. The city's transport page names it as a place a rental car can reach and does not say whether a bus goes there.
Good to know
Ishigaki's sights are spread around the island, not in the town. The limestone cave and Banna Park are a short drive north of the centre, Kabira Bay and Yaima Village are on the north-west side, Yonehara, Tamatorizaki and Hirakubozaki Lighthouse run up the north-east coast, and the ferries to Taketomi, Kohama and Iriomote leave from the Ritou Terminal in town. By car from the ferry terminal it is about 10 minutes to the cave, 30 to Kabira Bay and 60 to Hirakubozaki.
Getting around: Azuma Bus is the only bus company on the island and its terminal is beside the Ritou Terminal. The city's tourism site gives ¥730 one way to Kabira Bay, with a 1-day pass at ¥1,000 and a 5-day pass at ¥2,000, and describes a rental car as the most flexible way to see the island. It also lists sightseeing taxis by the half or full day. It names Hirakubozaki as a place a rental car can reach and does not say whether buses go there or to Tamatorizaki.
Check before you go: swimming is prohibited at Kabira Bay, and so are SUP and kayaking in the park. The observatory is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, and its stargazing session needs a phone reservation. Ferries are cancelled in rough seas, and both operators post the day's operation status on their sites. Yaeyama Kanko Ferry's current timetable covers October 2026 to February 2027.
Near the town, the west coast, or the north-east
Drive times are from the ferry terminal unless noted. Adult prices; children's prices are on each card above.
| Where | By car from the ferry terminal | Entry (adult) | Time limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Town: Euglena Mall, public market, ferries | About 5 minutes on foot between the market and the Ritou Terminal | Ferry to Taketomi ¥970 one way | Boarding starts 15 minutes before departure |
| Limestone Cave | About 10 minutes | ¥1,200 | Last entry 18:00 |
| Banna Park and Ishigaki Island Observatory | Park 15 to 25 minutes by entrance; observatory about 20 minutes from the town centre | Park free; observatory tour ¥100, stargazing ¥500 | Park closes 21:00; observatory tour last entry 15:00, stargazing from 20:00 on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays |
| North-west: Yaima Village, Kabira Bay | Yaima about 20 minutes; Kabira Bay about 30 minutes | Yaima ¥1,200; Kabira glass-bottom boat ¥1,300 | Yaima last entry 17:00; Kabira parking 7:00–17:00 |
| North-east: Yonehara palm grove, Tamatorizaki, Hirakubozaki Lighthouse | About 30, 40 and 60 minutes | Palm grove free; no fee is listed for the other two | Palm grove path has no lighting, so daylight only |
By kind of trip
A half day near the town
These are within about 25 minutes of the Ritou Terminal. The cave's last entry is 18:00 and Banna Park stays open until 21:00.
Euglena Mall and Ishigaki City Public Market · Ishigaki Island Limestone Cave · Banna Park · Ishigaki Island Observatory
Sea and coast views
Kabira Bay has the glass-bottom boats and no swimming. Tamatorizaki looks over both the Pacific and the East China Sea, and Hirakubozaki is the northern tip of the island.
Kabira Bay · Tamatorizaki Observation Deck · Hirakubozaki Lighthouse · Banna Park
Without a car
Kabira Bay is on a bus route (¥730 one way, 1-day pass ¥1,000). The Euglena Mall and the Ritou Terminal are 5 minutes apart on foot, and Yaima Village has bus stops a short walk away, though buses are infrequent.
Kabira Bay · Euglena Mall and Ishigaki City Public Market · Island ferries from the Ritou Terminal: Taketomi, Kohama, Iriomote · Ishigaki Yaima Village
Rain or after dark
The limestone cave is indoors, the Euglena Mall is an arcade, and the observatory's stargazing session starts at 20:00 or 20:15 on weekends and holidays (cancelled in rain).
Ishigaki Island Limestone Cave · Euglena Mall and Ishigaki City Public Market · Ishigaki Island Observatory
With children
Banna Park is free. The cave charges ¥600 and Yaima Village ¥600 for children, and the observatory tour is ¥100 (preschool free). The observatory's stargazing session does not take preschool children on bookings made from 3 September 2026.
Banna Park · Ishigaki Island Limestone Cave · Ishigaki Yaima Village · Ishigaki Island Observatory
Questions
Can you swim at Kabira Bay?
No. The Ishigaki City tourism site says swimming is prohibited at Kabira Bay, and SUP and kayaking are prohibited in the park. Glass-bottom boats go out over the bay: about 30 minutes, ¥1,300 for adults and ¥650 for children, leaving every 15 to 20 minutes with no reservation.
How do I get from Ishigaki to Taketomi, and what does it cost?
Take a ferry from the Ritou Terminal. Yaeyama Kanko Ferry gives about 15 minutes by boat. The adult fare, from both Yaeyama Kanko Ferry and Anei Kanko, is ¥970 one way and ¥1,880 round trip, and, from Anei Kanko, ¥510 and ¥990 for an elementary school child. Both operators post the day's operation status, and sailings are cancelled in rough seas.
Can you go stargazing at the Ishigaki Island Observatory?
Yes, on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays, by reservation. The session runs 20:00–20:45 from August to May and 20:15–21:00 in June and July, costs ¥500 (¥300 for elementary to high school age) and is cancelled in rain. Reserve by phone on 0980-88-0013, 10:00–17:00; bookings open about a month ahead. It uses the rooftop 40 cm telescope because the main telescope is out of order.
Do I need a car on Ishigaki?
Not for every stop. Azuma Bus is the only bus company on the island, with 13 routes, and Kabira Bay is ¥730 one way from the bus terminal. The city's tourism site calls a rental car the most flexible option and recommends booking early, since peak-season cars can sell out. It also lists sightseeing taxis by the half or full day.
What can I do near the ferry terminal on foot?
The Euglena Mall arcade and the Ishigaki City Public Market, about 5 minutes on foot from the Ritou Terminal and the bus terminal. The market sells fresh fish, meat and produce, and has a specialty-products sales centre and a restaurant.