Places in Japan: Yonaguni Island

BASIC INFORMATION

• Name: Yonaguni
• Where: Japan
• Cost: Requires airfare or ferry ticket to visit
• More Information: Official website

Directions

Yonaguni Island can be reached by air or sea. Flights from Naha Airport on the island of Okinawa takes less than 2 hours to reach Yonaguni.  The flights to Yonaguni are on smaller propeller driven aircraft:

For people traveling from nearby Ishigaki island there is a ferry that departs on Tuesdays and Fridays that takes 4-hours to reach Yonaguni.

Narrative

The small island of Yonaguni is part of Okinawa prefecture and one of the most isolated locations to visit in Japan.  Yonaguni is actuallly closer to Taiwan than it is to the prefectural capital of Naha on Okinawa.  Being such an isolated island on the prerifery of Japan, I decided to make a brief visit to the island after a trip to Okinawa.  From the Okinawa Airport I took a Ryuku Air flight to Yonaguni.  The flight took less than two hours to reach Yonaguni.  The flight landed on an overcast day at the island’s small airport.  The plane parked on the tarmac and I had walk across the flightline over to the airport with the other passengers:

Inside the terminal I found the 3D model of the island of interest that sat in the middle of the baggage claim. On the model I could see the depiction of the Yonaguni Monument that is the island’s biggest claim to fame.  Scuba divers from around the world come to the island to explore the monument that some claim is a lost civiliazation or an alien landmark.  Others declare it to be a naturally caused wonder:

I wasn’t here to do any scuba diving, I was just here to take a brief one-day tour around the island.  I flew in early in the morning and had a flight back to Tokyo that left at 4:00 PM the same day.  As I waited for my bag in baggage claim I walked around the small airport.  I checked out a store that sold seafood to include what I found was Yonaguni’s signature catch which is swordfish:

The airport also had shops that sold plenty of souvenirs to tourists that make the trip to the island:

After getting my bag from baggage claim I then walked outside the airport to link up with the person that was supposed to bring me a rental car:

After getting my rental car I then began my tour around the island.  The island is only 29 square kilometers in size so it was going to be very easy to drive around in one day.  As I drove around Yonaguni I found it to be very green due to its thick jungle terrain.  Where there wasn’t jungle there were large pastures for the island’s many horses:

Yonaguni is home to many small horses that have been on the island for many centuries.  Outside of the island’s three villages I had to be careful not to hit the horses with my car  This is because the horses are allowed to roam free around the island except for the villages that are fenced in to keep them out:

These horses were brought Yonaguni centuries ago to be used in the cultivation of rice and the moving of sugarcane by early inhabitants.  It is pretty cool that the residents of Yonaguni keep this part of their island heritage alive:

From the airport I drove to the village of Kubura.  This village is the western most village in Japan:

From the harbor in Kubura I could see Japan’s westernmost point, Cape Irizaki across the bay:

I would go check out the cape later in the day, but first I walked around and explored the town:

As I walked through the small village I did not spot many people.  Even though it was a weekday the village looked very quiet.  Yonaguni only has a total population of about 1,700 residents so it is easy to understand why the island is so quiet:

Even the post office in Kubura looked lonely:

Out in the distance I could see the large communications towers on a prominent mountain looking over the village:

I also came upon this very happy statue of a swordfish:

Since there was not much going on in town, I then decided to drive over to Cape Irizaki to explore Japan’s westernmost point.  Of course I found another large statue of a swordfish:

From the swordfish statue I then walked up the small hill to the observatory near the lighthouse.  I had a nice view of the island from the hill:

Once I reached the observatory I then ascended its stairs to see what was inside:

On the floor of the observatory there is a map of the region and it says that Yonaguni is only 111 kilometers from Taiwan and 520 kilometers from Okinawa:

The observatory had a really nice view of the Kubura village that I had just been at:

Here is a closer look at the large mountain that towers over the village:

Here is a wider angle shot of the view:

After checking out the views from the observatory I then walked over to checkout the lighthouse:

Near the memorial there was a marker celebrating when people demonstrated it was possible to row from Taiwan over open ocean to Yonaguni:

There was also a marker celebrating Cape Irizaki as the westernmost point of Japan:

It is said on clear days you can actually see the high mountains of Taiwan in the distance.  Unfortunately it was cloudy out the day I visited Yonaguni so nothing could be seen:

Here is a panorama of the scene:

By the time I finished walking around Cape Irizaki it was time for lunch.  I then drove back into Kubura to a fish restaurant I had seen adjacent to the port.  Outside the restaurant I saw them unloading a swordfish from a fishing boat.  I asked if I could have some of that swordfish and the restaurant propietor said I could:

The meal I had from the fresh swordfish catch was absolutely amazing.  I had both swordfish served as sushi as well deep fried swordfish.  Both dishes were excellent:

Here is a closer look at the swordfish sushi:

As I sat down and ate my meal, my company was the below Japanese Coast Guard poster that was looking right at me.  The Japanese Coast Guard actually plays an extremely important role in this part of Japan.  The nearby Senkaku Islands the Chinese have been trying to claim as their own for years.  If they seize these islands from Japan it is very easy to imagine that Yonaguni would be next:

After finishing my meal I then decided to drive around the island and collect the Dr. Koto stamps.  Dr. Koto was a popular Japanese manga and drama about a skilled Tokyo doctor that decides to move and practice medicine on a remote Japanese island.  The stamp rally takes tourists around the island to see some of the sets from the drama:

Here is one of the mayor’s office on the island that was featured in the drama:

I next drove over to the south central coast of Yonaguni to visit the building that served as the seaside clinic that Dr. Koto worked out of:

The building is located on a really beautiful beach that unfortunately has its views marred by the large tidal walls contructed in the distance:

Here is a panorama picture of the view:

I then went inside and checked out the clinic:

The clinic was a bit dusty, but it appeared it was ready for another season of Dr. Koto if it was ever ordered:

Considering that the last episode of Dr. Koto aired in 2006, I think it is unlikely the series will be revived anytime soon:

After walking around the clinic I then stepped outside to walk along the beach.  Here is a view of the clinic from the beach:

Adjacent to the beach was a steep hillside that descended into the ocean:

As I walked along the beach I came upon this solitary coral rock:

Here is the view from the farside of the beach:

As I walked back towards the parking lot near the clinic I passed by this elementary school.  Like the rest of the island even the elementary school was very quiet:

After checking out the Dr. Koto Clinic, I then proceeded to drive around the island back towards the airport.  Along the way I spotted these huge military communications towers on a prominent hill:

As I drove down the road I spotted a gazebo with a look out:

The lookout had a nice view of the various jungles and pastures that cover the island:

Here is a panorama picture of the view:

Eventually the road went right by the military communications towers:

As I drove along the coast I saw another lookout to stop at and checkout:

The lookout had a view of this prominent rock formation:

The lookout also had a nice view looking back at the mountain with the communications tower I had saw earlier in the day:

After checking out the lookout, I began to next drive towards the airport to complete my loop drive around Yonaguni.  Along the way I passed the one windmill I saw on the island:

Despite the blowing the wind the lonely windmill appeared to be down for maintenance because it was not spinning:

As I neared the airport I saw more grass pastures that were home to more of Yonaguni’s ubiquitious horses:

As I drove down the country road I eventually saw the Yonaguni Airport up ahead:

I met the guy to turn in my rental vehicle and then had a super easy check in for my flight back to Tokyo that evening.  Here is the view of the cliffs on Yonaguni as my flight took off from the island:

Conclusion

Yonaguni island was an interesting side trip for me to check out during my visit to Okinawa.  The island is very small and thus easy to drive around it in one day like I did. People looking to scuba dive or do deep sea fishing will need to make this a multi-day trip.  For anyone looking for a beautiful island destination that is quiet, not packed with tourists, and has great seafood; Yonaguni is well worth checking out.