The Ishigaki Port Ferry Terminal serves as the bustling gateway to the Yaeyama Islands. For travelers visiting for the first time, there are many points you’ll want to know in advance, such as how to buy tickets, seasickness prevention, and how to spend your waiting time.
Based on real-life experience, I will thoroughly explain the “Remote Island Ferry Strategy” for those traveling with children. After reading this article, the transit itself will surely turn into one of your best memories.
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When traveling with children, boat travel can be as fun as an attraction, but there are also specific points to consider. Let’s first organize the merits and demerits.
The base for sightseeing the remote islands of Ishigaki is the “Ishigaki Port Ferry Terminal,” located in the center of Ishigaki City.
Prime Location
In front of the terminal, there are hotels popular with families, such as “Minami no Churahana Hotel Miyahira” and “Hotel Cucule.” Staying in this area on the morning you head to the islands makes movement significantly easier. Additionally, the “730 Crossing” is within walking distance, featuring a concentration of restaurants, drugstores, and souvenir shops, so you won’t have trouble with last-minute shopping or meals.
Access Methods
Access via Public Transportation (Bus) From New Ishigaki Airport (Painushima Ishigaki Airport), a direct bus via “Karrie Kanko” takes about 30 minutes (500 yen for adults). The local “Azuma Bus” takes about 45 minutes (540 yen for adults). The bus stops are right in front of the terminal, providing peace of mind even for families with lots of luggage.Access via Car/Rental Car There are several paid parking lots around the terminal. The closest is the “Yashima No. 2 Parking Lot.” It is reasonably priced at around 100 yen per hour, but it often fills up by the morning during tourist seasons. I strongly recommend arriving at least 45 minutes before boarding.
How to Buy Tickets and Latest Fare Guide
Upon entering the terminal, you will see the large counters of the two main companies: “Anei Kanko” and “Yaeyama Kanko Ferry.”
Smart Ticket Purchasing
For those with children, online booking is definitely recommended. By completing the payment in advance on your smartphone, you won’t have to wait in long lines at the counter on the day of travel. Simply show the QR code sent after booking on your phone screen to head straight to the boarding gate. Carrying heavy luggage with a 5-year-old and waiting in line is more exhausting than you might imagine, so this “time-saving” is very important.
Ferry Fares (Including Fuel Surcharge)
The latest accurate fares are as follows. Please note that fares for Kohama Island may be updated due to fluctuations in fuel prices.
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Destination Category One-way Round-trip Taketomi Island Adult 790 yen 1,520 yen Child 410 yen 790 yen Kohama Island Adult 1,400 yen 2,700 yen Child 710 yen 1,360 yen
Includes fuel oil price fluctuation adjustment surcharge, but subject to change in the future. Regarding Fares for Infants (Preschoolers) Normally, one preschooler is free (on lap) per one adult. For a 5-year-old, it is basically free, but if you want to “secure a seat properly” during crowded times, you can pay the child fare to guarantee a seat.
How to Spend Your Waiting Time
The Ishigaki Port Ferry Terminal is an entertainment facility that goes beyond being just a “station for remote islands.”
Gourmet: Mastering the Tastes of Okinawa
Blue Seal Ice Cream : This is the place for Okinawa! There is a shop inside the terminal, and it’s always bustling with families. Let’s heighten the travel mood by eating classic flavors like “Sugar Cane” or “Blue Wave.”Seven People Honpo (Nanapi) : You absolutely cannot miss the “Maria Shake” here when visiting Ishigaki Island. This shake, made with fresh milk from Ishigaki, is rich yet has a clean aftertaste. You can also add free toppings (like mango or passion fruit), which is a point children love.Jushi Onigiri : The shops have “Jushi” (Okinawan-style seasoned rice) rice balls lined up. Sometimes you might end up as a “lunch orphan” once you cross to a remote island, so it’s a good idea to procure your lunch here.
Activity: Ishigakijima Hoshinonumi Planetarium
This might be the biggest surprise. There is a full-scale planetarium inside the terminal! At the “Ishigakijima Hoshinonumi Planetarium,” you can experience the beautiful starry sky of Ishigaki and the mysteries of the universe with Japan’s first full-sky 8K imagery. Many programs are about 30 minutes long, so you can enjoy them while cooling off during the wait for boarding. Looking at the starry sky while telling my 5-year-old, “The stars you’ll see on the island tonight look like this,” makes for a truly luxurious time.
Tips for Choosing Seats and Riding Comfortably
Seasickness—the greatest enemy of remote island travel. High-speed boats, in particular, cut through the waves, so they can shake violently depending on the sea conditions.
The Strongest Seats are “Rear/Center”
The rocking of a boat physically has the characteristic of being “large at the front and small at the back.” Since high-speed boats racing at high velocity have bows that move up and down significantly, those prone to sickness should definitely secure a seat in the “rear of the hull, and near the center rather than the left or right edges” where shaking is minimal. Window seats at the front have a good view, but be careful as the rocking is also “first-class.”
Other Measures
Look Far Away : Using a smartphone inside the boat is strictly forbidden. I guide my 5-year-old to look at distant scenery, saying, “What can you see on that island over there?” or “Are there any fish?”Choose Large Boats : Large high-speed boats operated by companies like Yaeyama Kanko Ferry have much gentler rocking compared to small boats.
Thorough Review of the Two Ferry Companies
There are mainly two companies operating from Ishigaki Island: “Anei Kanko” and “Yaeyama Kanko Ferry.”
1. Anei Kanko
They boast an overwhelming number of sailings and have a robust network for moving between islands (such as going directly from Iriomote to Taketomi). They mostly use small high-speed boats, characterized by a sense of speed.
2. Yaeyama Kanko Ferry ★ Recommended!
This is the one I most recommend for families with children.
The Hulls are Large and Stable : They have introduced many large boats, and the vertical rocking is relatively gentle.The Interior is Clean and Airy : With high ceilings and large windows, there is no sense of pressure. My 5-year-old was delighted, saying, “This boat is as spacious as a house!”Staff Response : I often feel a high level of hospitality, with staff helping to fold strollers or greeting the children.
Destination Guide: How to Spend Your Time with Children
【Taketomi Island】 A Magical Time Healed by Original Scenery
Just 10 minutes from Ishigaki Island. Stepping off the boat, you’ll find a world apart from the hustle and bustle of the city.
Water Buffalo Carriage Village Tour
This is the iconic activity of Taketomi Island. Shuttle vehicles from various water buffalo carriage companies wait in synchronization with the ferry’s arrival. Spending time touring the village of red-tiled roofs and stone walls while listening to the sound of the sanshin matched to the buffalo’s pace made my 5-year-old lean out in joy. It’s also educational, learning the buffalo’s names and hearing the island’s history from the staff.
To the Beach via Rental Cycle
Bicycles are convenient for going from the village to Kaiji Beach (Star Sand Beach) or Kondoi Beach. Many shops provide bicycles with child seats. It takes a bit of strength because of the sandy roads, but riding while cutting through the sea breeze is pure exhilaration.
Obsessed with Searching for Star Sand
At Kaiji Beach, you search for sand in the shape of a star by pressing your palm against the sand. The time spent competing with my daughter to find one is the best kind of simple treasure hunt. You cannot take the star sand home, but it will be etched in your heart as a memory.
Lunch and Sweets
Shops easy for families to enter are scattered around, such as Yaeyama Soba at “Takenoko” or parfaits at “Parlor Ganjuya.” In particular, walking through the village while munching on traditional Okinawan “Sata Andagi” is a moment of bliss.
【Kohama Island】 The Island of “Churasan” where Resorts and Nature Merge
Kohama Island has an even more laid-back time flowing through it, being slightly further than Taketomi.
Visiting the Filming Locations of the Drama “Churasan”
The famous “Sugar Road” is a straight path with sugarcane fields spreading on both sides. If you rent an electric bicycle and climb the slope, you’ll be moved by the blue sea spreading before your eyes. Feeling the wind on an e-bike with a 5-year-old is the ultimate adventure.
Challenging the Ufudaki Observatory
Ufudaki is the highest point on the island. The stairs are a bit steep, but a 5-year-old should be able to make it to the top with a little effort. From the summit, a “360-degree panorama” awaits, where you can see the islands of Yaeyama, including Ishigaki, Taketomi, Kuroshima, and Aragusuku. Pointing and telling them, “We were right over there just a moment ago,” might even spark an interest in geography.
Resort Hotel Pools and Activities
There are large resorts like “Haimurubushi” and “Risonare Kohama Island” where non-guests can use lunch or activities. Besides playing in the sea, simply moving through the vast hotel grounds in a cart is a special experience for a child. You might even encounter goats or peacocks, a great spot for kids who love animals.
Playing in the Kohama Blue Sea
At calm coasts like Tumaru Beach, you can enjoy quiet sea play, observing small fish in the shallows or picking up pieces of coral. The appeal is the great sense of privacy with fewer people than Ishigaki’s beaches.
Summary
The Ishigaki Port Ferry Terminal is not just a transit point. Enjoying Blue Seal ice cream, wishing upon stars at the planetarium, and then departing on a reliable Yaeyama Kanko Ferry—this entire process becomes a brilliant page in your family’s travel journal.
Worries about “Will they get sick?” or “Will they get bored while waiting?” can be resolved by choosing the right seats, utilizing the terminal facilities, and planning fun activities on-site. Now, check the accurate fares, book your tickets, and head out with your 5-year-old to the other side of that blue sea!
