Japan (Lonely Planet, 11th Edition) - Chris Rowthorn [612]
EATING & DRINKING
Ishigaki City has a good mix of boutique tourist restaurants, cheap but atmospheric local dives and boisterous watering holes.
Eifuku Shokudō (Map; 82-5838; 8.30am-11pm) This hole in the wall, one block northwest of the covered arcade, is easy to find: the owner has posted a write-up from an old edition of Lonely Planet in the window. Eifuku is one of the cheapest places on the island for yaeyama-soba (thin noodles in broth; ¥300), though we recommend the stinky (but tasty) yagi-soba (goat soba; ¥500).
Asian Kitchen KAPI (Map; 82-2026; lunch/dinner about ¥1000/3000; 11.30am-3pm & 6.30-11pm; closed Thu) Next door to Mori-no-Kokage (look for the English sign), this trendy Pan-Asian bistro is a good choice if your Japanese is limited. In addition to the local cuisine, KAPI also offers an impressive range of Asian favourites, from Korean-style hotpots to fiery Indonesian curries.
Paikaji (Map; 82-6027; 5pm-midnight) It’s worth the wait to get into this deservedly popular local restaurant that serves all the Okinawan and Yaeyama standards. Both the atmosphere and kitchen get top marks. Try the ikasumi chahan (squid ink fried rice; ¥650), the gōya-champurū (gōya stir-fry; ¥700) or the sashimi moriawase (sashimi assortment; ¥750/1300/1800 depending on size). There’s no English sign or menu. Look for the traditional front, coral around the entryway and a red-and-white sign.
Mori-no-Kokage (Map; 83-7933; Yui Rd; 5pm-midnight closed Tue) Just north of the covered arcade on Yui Rd, this fine little izakaya has great warmth and natural ambience. There is a generous selection of local specialities on offer, including Ishigaki-gyuu salada (Ishigaki beef salad; from ¥1280) and the local microbrew, Ishigaki-shima-nari (¥650). Look for the plants and tree trunks outside.
SHOPPING
A good place to shop for omiyage (souvenirs) is the main shopping arcade, which also has a public market. Upstairs from the market is the Ishigaki City Special Products Centre (Map; 88-8633; 11am-7pm), which lets visitors sample traditional herbal teas, and browse textiles and pearl jewellery.
Also worth a look is the Minsā Kōgeikan (; off Map; 82-3473; 9am-6pm), which is a weaving workshop and showroom with exhibits on Yaeyama-shotō textiles. The building is located between the city centre and the airport, and can be reached via the airport bus (be sure to tell the driver you want to stop here).
GETTING THERE & AWAY
Air
Ishigaki-jima has direct flights to/from Tokyo’s Haneda airport (JTA; ¥54,000, 3½ hours, two daily), Osaka’s Kansai International Airport (JTA; ¥44,400 2 hours 50 minutes, one daily), Kōbe (JTA; ¥44,400, 2¼ hours, one daily), Naha (JTA/ANA; ¥21,100, one hour, 20 daily), Miyako-jima (JTA/RAC; ¥10,900, 35 minutes, three daily), Yonaguni-jima (JTA/RAC; ¥29,100, 30 minutes, one or two daily) and Hateruma-jima (Air Dolphin; ¥8500, 25 minutes, four weekly, more in summer).
Boat
Ishigaki-jima Rittō Ferry Terminal (Map) is located on Ishigaki-wan, a short walk southwest of the city centre. Countless daily ferries operate between here and outlying islands in Yaeyama-shotō each day. Destinations include Iriomote-jima, Kohama-jima, Taketomi-jima and Hateruma-jima (see the relevant sections for details). Departures are frequent enough that you can usually just turn up in the morning and hop on the next ferry departing for your intended destination (although you might want to stop by the day before to make reservations during the summer high season). The three main ferry operators are Yaeyama Kankō Ferry (82-5010), Ishigaki Dream Kankō (84-3178) and Anei Kankō (83-0055). All three have ticket offices inside the ferry terminal.
GETTING AROUND
The bus station is across the road from the ferry terminal in Ishigaki City. There are hourly buses to the airport (¥200, 20 minutes), as well as a few daily buses to Kabira-wan (¥700, 50 minutes), Yonehara Beach (¥800, one hour) and Shiraho (¥400, 30 minutes).
Rental cars, scooters and bicycles are readily available at shops throughout the city centre. If you’re comfortable