Things to do in Ishigaki Jima
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Yonehara Beach
North of Ishigaki City along Rte 79 is Yonehara Beach, a nice sand beach with a good bit of reef offshore. You can rent snorkel gear (¥1000) at any of the shops along the main road.
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Tōrin-ji
Founded in 1614, the Zen temple of Tōrin-ji, near the intersection of Shimin-kaikan-dōri and Rte 79, is home to the 18th-century guardian statues of Deva kings. Adjacent to the temple is Gongen-dō (権現堂), a small shrine rebuilt after being destroyed by a tsunami in 1771.
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Sunset Beach
At the north end of the island, on the west coast, you will find another long strip of sand with a bit of offshore reef. As the name implies, this is a good spot to watch the sun set into the East China Sea.
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Sukuji Beach
On the opposite side of the peninsula is a shallow beach that is good for families with children.
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Paikaji
No relation to Naha's Paikaji, this local favourite serves all the Okinawan and Yaeyama standards. Both the atmosphere and kitchen get top marks. Try the ikasumi chahan (squid ink fried rice; ¥650), the gōya-champurū (gōya stir-fry; ¥700) or the sashimi moriawase (sashimi assortment; ¥750/1300/1800 depending on size). There's no English sign or menu. Look for the traditional front, coral around the entryway and a red-and-white sign.
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Mori-no-Kokage
This little izakaya has warmth and natural ambience. Local treats are ishigaki-gyuu salada (beef salad; from ¥1280) and the microbrew ishigaki-shima-zake (¥500). Look for the plants and tree trunks outside.
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Miyara Dōnchi
The unique home of a Ryūkyū Kingdom official dating from 1819; walk north along Sanbashi-dōri until you see signs in English.
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Minsā Kōgeikan
Also worth a look is the Minsā Kōgeikan, which is a weaving workshop and showroom with exhibits on Yaeyama-shotō textiles. The building is located between the city centre and the airport, and can be reached via the airport bus (tell the driver you want to stop here).
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Kabira-wan
Just west of Yonehara is the equally famous Kabira-wan, a sheltered bay with white-sand shores and a couple of interesting clumplike islands offshore. This is more of a wading beach than a swimming beach and it's usually busy with boat traffic, which detracts somewhat from its beauty.
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Ishigaki City Yaeyama Museum
Located 100m southeast of the post office is this modest museum, which has exhibits on the culture and history of the island.
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Eifuku Shokudō
This hole in the wall is plastered with write-ups from old editions of Lonely Planet. It's also a shrine to 1950s actor Akagi 'Tony' Kei-ichirō. Tony Soba, as it's known, is one of the cheapest places on the island for yaeyama-soba (thin noodles in broth; ¥300), though we recommend the stinky (but tasty) yagi-soba (goat soba; ¥500).
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Asian Kitchen KAPI
Next door to Mori-no-Kokage (look for the English sign), this trendy Pan-Asian bistro is a good choice if your Japanese is limited. In addition to the local cuisine, KAPI also offers an impressive range of Asian favourites, from Korean-style hotpots to fiery Indonesian curries.
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