*This article confirmed the information in June 2023.
Contents
♦ Welcome to Taketomi Island
♦ How to get to Taketomi Island
♦ Rental bicycles are convenient
♦ Restaurants are often crowded
♦ There are no supermarkets
♦ There are even resort hotels
♦ Taketomi Island ATM information
♦ Emergency medical care
♦ There are no trash cans
♦ How to pay the Entrance Fee
♦ Free Wi-Fi
Welcome to Taketomi Island
Taketomi Island is a small island with a circumference of about 9km, which can be reached in about 15 minutes by ferry from Ishigaki Island. The island, which has a population of about 350, is visited by about 500,000 travelers annually.
This island is famous for its scenery of traditional Okinawan houses with red roofs.
There are no modern buildings in the village of the island, the buildings are unified with traditional red roofs, and colorful flowers bloom along the white sand road made of coral fragments.
The standard plan for sightseeing on Taketomi Island is to take a buffalo tour to see the beautiful village and then rent a bicycle to visit the sightseeing spots. If you are sightseeing on this standard plan, it will take 3, 4 hours even if you travel slowly.
The climate is the same as Ishigaki Island.
How to get to Taketomi Island
There is no airport on Taketomi Island. The only way to get to the island is by ferry from Ishigaki Island. Therefore, you need to fly to Ishigaki Island first and then transfer to the ferry. It takes about 15 minutes by ferry from Ishigaki Island.
It takes about 30, 40 minutes by bus or taxi from Ishigaki Airport to the ferry terminal (Ishigaki Port Ferry Terminal). The ferry terminal is far from the airport, so plan your trip considering the travel time.
How to get from Ishigaki Airport to Ishigaki Port is summarized on another page.
More information about the ferry, such as how to take the ferry and discount tickets, is summarized in “How to take a ferry from Ishigakijima to other islands“.
How to get to Taketomi Island
1. Ishigaki Airport (Ishigaki Island)
2. Ishigaki Airport (about 30,40 minutes) Ishigaki Port (Ferry terminal for Taketomi Island)
3. Ishigaki Port (about 15 minutes) Taketomi Island
*Ferries to Taketomi Island are rarely canceled except during typhoons.
Ishigaki Port Taketomi Port Ferry schedule
Ferries to Taketomi Island are operated by two companies. It is Anei Kanko Ferry and Yaeyama Kanko Ferry.
Both companies operate ferries that travel between Ishigaki Island and Taketomi Island approximately once an hour. However, the departure times of both companies are slightly different, so please check the schedule of each company.
Anei Kanko Ferry : schedule, ferry operation status
Yaeyama Kanko Ferry : schedule, ferry operation status
Ishigaki Port Taketomi Port Fare
The ferry to Taketomi Island is operated by two companies, but the fare is the same.
The fare changes according to the fuel price. Please check the fare of each company.
Anei Kanko Ferry : fare
Yaeyama Kanko Ferry : fare
Adult fare
one way : 700yen～／round trip : 1,340yen～
Child fare
(Elementary school students)
one way : 360yen～／round trip : 690yen～
*If you make a reservation from each company’s website, you will get a 5% discount on the fare.
Anei Kanko Ferry reservation
Yaeyama Kanko Ferry reservation
Rental bicycles are convenient
Transportation on Taketomi Island is by rental bicycle, bus, taxi, or on foot.
The beautiful village with red roof is about a 15 minutes walk from Taketomi Port, where the ferry from Ishigaki Island arrives. Therefore, If you are only sightseeing in the village, you can walk from the port.
However, if you plan to rent a bicycle or take a buffalo tour, the shuttle cars at each shop are waiting at Taketomi Port (pictures below), and you can take them to the village. You don’t need a reservation to use them.
Rental bicycle
Many people who visit tourist attractions along the coastline as well as villages use bicycle rental. Taketomi Island has almost no slopes, so you can ride a bicycle comfortably.
There are several rental bicycle shops on Taketomi Island, and you can rent a bicycle without reservation.
“How to rent a bicycle on Taketomi Island” is summarized on another page.
Bus
There is a route bus on Taketomi Island that runs between Taketomi Port, village, and beaches. However, if you want to get on this bus from a bus stop other than Taketomi Port, you need to make a reservation. The reservation is only accepted by phone.
“How to get on a route bus on Taketomi Island” is summarized on another page.
Bus reservation
Taketomijima Kotsu : 0980-85-2154
Taxi
There are taxis on Taketomi Island, but you need to make a reservation to use them and there is no taxi stand. The reservation is only accepted by phone.
Taxi reservation
Tomori Kanko : 080-2751-3229
Restaurants are often crowded
There are many restaurants in the village. However, many restaurants close around 3 pm and are closed irregularly.
Taketomi Island is visited by many travelers, so you may have to wait to enter the restaurant at lunch. We recommend that you have lunch early.
There are no supermarkets
There are no supermarkets, convenience stores or drug stores on Taketomi Island. There are several small stores (called Shoten) on the island, but there aren’t many items for sale and the prices are high.
When it comes to drinks, there are many drink vending machines so you don’t have to worry. However, if you need something on Taketomi Island, we recommend that you buy it on Ishigaki Island before you go.
Taketomi Island does not have much shade, so sunscreen is essential when you walk around the village or cycle through the island. You should buy it on Ishigaki Island before you go.
There are even resort hotels
Most of the visitors to Taketomi Island are day trips. However, there are scenery that can only be seen if you stay at Taketomi Island, such as the sunset seen from Nishi Pier and the starry sky seen from the village.
Most of the accommodations on Taketomi Island are *Minshuku, but there are also resort hotels such as Hoshinoya.
When you book accommodation on this island, we recommend an accommodation plan with dinner. There are not many restaurants on Taketomi Island where you can eat dinner.
Furthermore, there are no supermarkets or convenience stores too. Therefore, if you have what you need for your stay, you should buy it on Ishigaki Island before going to Taketomi Island.
*Minshuku
Minshuku is a small accommodation, similar to a B&B. Minshuku often have owner living with guests and often serve breakfast and dinner.
Taketomi Island ATM information
There are no banks on Taketomi Island and no place to exchange foreign currency. But you can withdraw money with the credit card or cash card issued by overseas financial institutions at the post office.
There is an ATM in the Japanese post office, and there is also one post office on Taketomi Island.
Taketomi Island Post Office
| Business Hours | 8:45 to 5:30pm (Weekday) 9:00 to 5:00pm (Sat.) |
|---|---|
| Closed | Sun., Holiday |
| Address | 500,Taketomi,Yaeyama-gun Taketomi-cho,Okinawa |
| Web | Post Office Website |
Emergency medical care
There is only one clinic on Taketomi Island. The doctor is examining the patient alone, and it is not a 24-hour medical examination system.
You will call the clinic directly during the office hours and the Ambulance Service (119) during the non-office hours.
The clinic is located near Taketomi Elementary and Junior High School in the village.
Office Hours
Weekday : 9:00 to 12:00pm、1:00pm to 4:00pm
Closed
Sat., Sun., Holiday
Phone Number
0980-85-2132
119 (Ambulance Service)
There are no trash cans
There are no trash cans on Taketomi Island. There are no it put even at Taketomi Port. There is no garbage disposal site on this island, so you will need to bring back any garbage you bring in.
You should take a garbage bag to this island and bring your trash back to Ishigaki Island to keep this beautiful landscape.
How to pay the Entrance Fee
Taketomi Island is requesting cooperation in paying the entrance fee of 300 yen from September 2019. Payment of the entrance fee is optional, but this money will be used to protect the beautiful nature of Taketomi Island.
You can pay the entrance fee at the ticket vending machines (pictured above) installed at Ishigaki Port Ferry Terminal and Taketomi Port Ferry Terminal.
When you visit Taketomi Island for the first time, you will be impressed by its beauty. Would you like to support it to protect the beautiful Taketomi Island?
Free Wi-Fi
Taketomi Island has free public Wi-Fi. It is convenient because it can be used even in the village.
Wi-Fi hotspot : Taketomi Port Ferry Terminal, Village, Kondoi Beach, Former visitor center
Taketomi Town Free Wi-Fi ID ： Taketomi-Free-Wi-Fi
PASSWORD : No password
