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Fun in Iriomote Island
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Let's enjoy Iriomote Island, the last unexplored island in Japan!
Iriomote Island is about 2,000 km away from Tokyo in a straight line.
And although it is the largest island in the Yaeyama Archipelago, it has a population of only about 2,000.
Iriomote Island, an island with a subtropical climate where more than 901 t3t of the island is covered with mangrove forests, is truly the last unexplored region in Japan.
Let's play around Iriomote Island where you can feel the untouched nature and the beauty of the earth itself.
Iriomote Island is a World Heritage Site!
Iriomote Island was selected as one of the World Heritage candidate sites in 2003 by the national "Study Group on World Natural Heritage Candidate Sites.
In 2018, the registration was postponed, but it was to be reviewed again by the World Heritage Committee in June 2020.
However, although the 2020 Commission itself was postponed by Corona, the site was officially registered as a World Natural Heritage site the following year in 2021.
Iriomote Island, the last unexplored island in Japan, is also called the "Galapagos of the East," and is attracting attention as to whether it will be registered as a World Heritage site.
Play to the fullest on Iriomote Island
Iriomote Island has a mild climate throughout the year, so you can enjoy outdoor activities in any season.
Iriomote Island, with its pristine nature, is full of outdoor spots such as the sea, rivers, and waterfalls.
You will surely be able to enjoy activities you have never experienced before on Iriomote Island.
Here, we introduce typical games in Iriomote Island.
The most popular fun in Iriomote Island! Mangrove SUP/Canoe
SUP stands for "stand-up paddle.
This is a recently popular activity in which you stand on a surfboard and paddle forward with a single paddle.
The paddles allow the boat to move stably over the water and change direction easily.
For spots with less wind and waves, such as mangroves, SUP or canoeing is recommended to take your time and enjoy the scenery.
Exhilarating play to the max! Canyoning
Canyoning is a popular adventure sport that involves sliding down rock faces and jumping off rock walls into rivers in upper river canyons.
Canyoning has all the best of water activities: trekking, swimming, canoeing, and diving.
Iriomote Island is truly an island for canyoning, as there are many rivers with high and low elevations.
Swim around the Miracle Island! Barras Island Snorkeling
Barasu Island is composed of pieces of coral reef (barasu).
It is called a miraculous island that is not on any map because it changes its shape under the influence of seasonal winds and waves.
If you go snorkeling at Barasu Island with its high transparency and white coral reefs, you will be able to see the unique sights of Iriomote Island.
If you are lucky, you may even see sea turtles.
A spectacular view created by the great nature of Iriomote Island! Exploring limestone caves
Iriomote Island has a series of three limestone caves in a mangrove forest.
The third and smallest cave, with the smallest entrance, is about 100 meters long, with a narrow area in the middle where the sun does not penetrate.
With Iriomote Island's limestone caves, you can truly experience authentic caving.
Since this is an exploration-like activity, safety precautions such as helmets, knee and elbow protectors, and flashlights are required.
You may also encounter bats that live in the dark.
Play around in the sea of Iriomote Island! Diving
Typical images of Iriomote Island are coral reefs spreading all over the island, the clear blue ocean that looks endlessly deep, and fish of various colors swimming in the sea.
Divers may even encounter manta rays.
The sea of Iriomote Island is the best environment for diving than ever.
Whether you want to swim leisurely, enjoy fish watching, or take pictures, the sea of Iriomotejima will fulfill any of your wishes.
Get a big fish! Iriomote Island Fishing
On Iriomote Island, you can enjoy various styles of fishing such as fly fishing, lure fishing, and fishing while riding a canoe or kayak.
Iriomote Island has a lot of fresh water flowing in from the Nishida River and the Hinai River, making it one of the best spots in Japan for the abundance and variety of fish.
Even children can play safely! Star Sand Beach Snorkeling
Hoshisuna beach is a very popular snorkeling spot.
As the name suggests, the beach is made of star sand.
Here, you can see coral reefs in the shallows, emerald green waters that are among the clearest in the world, and more than 100 species of fish.
The water temperature is high and the waves are calm, so even children can safely enjoy themselves.
We hope you will make wonderful family memories at Hoshisuna Beach.
The largest waterfall in Okinawa! Pinaisara Falls Canoeing
Pinaisara Falls is a narrow waterfall with a steep drop that is rare in Okinawa.
Pinay means beard, and saala means something that hangs down.
There is no way to reach the waterfall basin by land, so it is best to take a canoe through the mangrove forest.
It is a popular spot for canoeing around the waterfall basin as well as trekking over the falls.
For environmental protection reasons, the Pinaisara Falls can only be visited by tours led by guides registered with Taketomi Town.
Transportation for Iriomote Island Fun
Iriomote Island is the largest island in the Yaeyama Islands and is so large that it takes a couple of hours to drive around it.
Spots for fun are scattered throughout the island, so be sure to plan your transportation in advance.
Here we introduce the means of transportation on Iriomote Island.
Participate in tours with pick-up and drop-off
For day trip to Iriomote Island, there are tours that meet at Ishigaki Island's Remote Islands Ferry Terminal or Ohara Port and Uehara Port in Iriomote Island.
Also, if you stay overnight on Iriomote Island, there may be tours that pick you up and drop you off from your lodgings.
We recommend that you join a tour that includes transportation, as this will not only ensure transportation to and from the tour, but will also allow you to travel more efficiently.
rent-a-car
Iriomote Island is an island with a large area and many hills.
Sightseeing spots are located throughout the island, so renting a car to move around freely is an option.
There are not many car rental companies, so early reservations are necessary, especially during the busy summer season.
The only major road in Iriomote Island is Prefectural Road No. 215, which is about 50 km long.
Please note that the prefectural road does not circle the island.
There is no prefectural road leading to Funauki village and it is not accessible by car.
rent-a-cycle
Bicycle rentals are operated by each inn.
Because Iriomote Island is rugged and hilly, long-distance travel by bicycle is not recommended.
Bicycles can also be loaded onto the ferry to the Funauki area, where there are no prefectural roads, but a cargo fee will be charged in addition to the boarding fee.
scheduled bus
Iriomote Kotsu buses run on Iriomote Island, but they only operate once every few hours.
If you can get on the bus at the right time, you can easily travel by bus without having to drive.
Iriomotejima Kotsu's local buses allow passengers to get on and off at non-bus stops, and there is also a 3-day unlimited ride pass.
Things to keep in mind when playing on Iriomote Island
Iriomote Island is a subtropical island.
The intensity of the sun and rainfall cannot be compared to the mainland.
In addition, Iriomote Island is accessible only by ferry, so you need to be careful how to cross to the island, especially during the busy summer season.
Watch out for squalls during play!
Iriomote Island has an annual precipitation of 2,200 mm.
Tokyo has about 1,500 mm of rainfall, so in comparison, it rains about 1.5 times as much.
Especially during the rainy season, squalls like overturned buckets will fall almost every day.
Squalls are possible even outside of the rainy season, so rain gear should be prepared regardless of the season.
Watch out for ferry times!
There are not many ferry services per day.
In addition, especially the first ferry to Iriomote Island in the morning is often crowded due to the large number of pick-up and drop-off tourists.
Therefore, it is recommended to make reservations in advance.
Tickets are only sold on the day of boarding, so it is recommended to buy tickets as early in the day as possible.
There are three shipping companies, and ticket offices differ depending on the company.
You can board the boat about 15 minutes in advance, so it is safe to line up at the pier on the same day after you buy your ticket.
Let's consider alternatives in case of ferry cancellations!
Between Ishigaki Island and Iriomote Island, typhoons in summer and strong north winds in winter cause many cancellations, especially on the Uehara Port route.
When the Uehara Port route is cancelled, the only alternative is to "change the date" or "go to Ohara Port and take the overland route to Uehara Port.
The weather is changeable on the island, so be sure to allow plenty of time for your schedule.
Be aware of the intensity of the sun!
Iriomote Island, with its low latitude, has many times more sunshine than the mainland, apart from the heat.
It is very dangerous to walk around with exposed skin on Iriomote Island, and we even recommend wearing a T-shirt for snorkeling.
Be careful to avoid fever and dehydration caused by sunburn.
summary
We introduced mainly the fun of Iriomote Island, the Galapagos of the East.
There are so many unique ways to play on this tropical island that you may find it hard to decide which activity to try.
Since it is the last unexplored island in Japan, let's enjoy Iriomote Island without destroying the environment.
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