Taketomi Island

The island is a paradise. Not big but is full worth a day or 2, you can visit the jungle , swim in the crystal clear waters, admire the big trees close to the shore , and see the life of the locals. Just remember to take sun screen even if it is not a shiny day.

We came to Taketomi Island in July 2025. The other ferries were cancelled due to high winds/waves, but the ferry to Taketomi is short (only 15 minutes), cheap, and frequent, so luckily it was not cancelled. The ride was bumpy, however. In addition to the price of the ferry (1520円 round trip), you should pay the conservation fee (300円) at the machine in the ferry terminal to help preserve the island. Like all of the Yaeyama islands, please note there are no bins for trash, so be prepared to carry it with you. Although we did not initially plan on going, Taketomi was a wonderful place to visit! You can walk or rent a bicycle. The roads are made of sand but they are not soft, so it is probably good for cycling, but we went around on foot. You can meander or follow one of the walking courses on the island’s website. We walked through town, enjoyed watching the water buffalo-drawn carts, had lunch, then went to Kondoi beach and Kaiji beach before catching the last ferry. Please note Kondoi Beach is the only beach on Taketomi where swimming is allowed, and it is very shallow. Even at high tide you are standing, so at low tide it is too shallow to swim. I recommend going as close to high tide as you can. There are good shower facilities. At Kaiji beach you can purchase star sand. All the beaches have tons of adorable hermit crabs, and clever crows who will notoriously steal anything including clothes. We also enjoyed seeing the ruddy kingfisher multiple times on Taketomi.

The island offers a wonderfully authentic look at remote life, with charming traditional homes that feel very real. It's a little worrying, though, that the entire residential area seems to be on display, raising questions about privacy. Still, a memorable visit.

Very peaceful Island.about 15 minutes away from Ishigaki Island. The Island have several nice beaches.several small cafe and restaurant have there. Visitors can rent bicycles.you can spend a few hours to see everything.Good place to relax.

It's a tranquil and peaceful island. You can relax on the beach, take a water buffalo ride, and explore the old town, among other enjoyable activities.

Taketomi island is a beautiful island that’s about 20 minutes away by a Ferry from Ishigaki Island Japan. The island have several nice beaches that are walking distance from the ferry terminal. Quaint town with traditional Okinawan style homes and architecture. There are several cafes and small restaurants in the islands serving traditional Japanese foods and desserts. A nice place to visit if you’re in Ishigaki Japan.

We went to Taketomi island. There were cloudy and rainy days, but on sunny days, the scenery sparkled and made us very happy. We went sightseeing by buffalo cart. Bougainvillea and amaryllis were also in beautiful bloom.

A must see place for anyone who wants to experience what “real Okinawa” felt like for hundreds of years. Traditional Okinawan style homes and architecture, beautiful beaches, delicious quaint little cafes. This residential little island is no Disney theme park. Aside from the ox driven carts and couple cafes catering to tourists, most of the island is made up of the homes of locals living their peaceful island life. A beautiful place to to spend a day.