Ishigaki-jima Getting there & around

Getting there & away

Boat

Long-distance ferries to/from Miyako-jima (¥1890, five hours) and Naha (¥5350, 14 hours) depart/arrive at a terminal west of the harbour (a 15-minute walk along the water­front). The Okinawa–Taiwan ferry also operates via Ishigaki. Note that these services are not daily, and travel times vary depending on the season and the weather. Ferries are culled in the winter months and cut out completely at the first sign of bad weather. Telephone Arimura Sangyō (098-860-1980) or Ryūkyū Kaiun (098-868-1126) for the weekly schedules.

Ishigaki-jima is also the centre for all the Yaeyama-shotō ferries, and its small boat harbour south of the city centre is a real hive of activity. The two main ferry operators are Yaeyama Kankō (82-5010) and Anei Kankō (83-0055).

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Air

Ishigaki-jima is serviced by JTA and ANK, and has direct flights to/from Tokyo (3½ hours, three daily), Nagoya (three hours, one daily), Osaka (2¾ hours, three daily) and Fukuoka (2¼ hours, one daily). In summer, there are also several daily flights to/from Naha (one hour), Miyako-jima (30 minutes), Yonaguni-jima (25 minutes) and Hateruma-jima (25 minutes).

Fares are dependent on availability and seasonality – as a general rule, prices are the highest in summer, and you can save a considerable amount of money if you book two weeks prior to your flight. Flights to the mainland range from ¥15, 000 to ¥40, 000 while inter-island flights are typically ¥10, 000 to ¥20, 000.

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