Destinations

Taketomi

"Taketomi island has a very laid back tropical and traditional Ryukyu atmosphere. The island gives you an idea how island life in the the Ryukyu kingdom would have been. A very very pleasant day trip from Ishigaki"

Simon King - Director

A short boat ride from Ishigaki will bring you to the small island of Taketomi. The island is populated by approximately 300 over an area of just 5.4 sqkm.

This tiny subtropical island has an example of a perfectly preserved traditional Ryukyu village which would have been found all over Okinawa in days gone by. The traditional Ryukyu one-story houses are charchterised by their red tiled rooves, stone walls and the lion-like Shiza at the gates whose duty is to ward off evil spirits. The village adds to the quaint small island atmosphere which is also helped by the water buffalow drawn carts that trundle around the island with their masters singing traditional Taketomi folk songs as they go.

The size of the island makes it easy to navigate by foot. As part of the Yaeyama islands there are a number of golden beaches each with coral rich sea and the opportunity for some excellent snorkelling. Taketomi is a very worthwhile day trip from its larger neighbour, Ishigaki.