The hub is the ferry terminal
Ishigaki's island-ferry terminal is the gateway to the Yaeyama islands. The main routes depart from here. Standing at this port is where the journey begins.
- Taketomi IslandFerry, approx. 10 min
- Kohama IslandFerry, approx. 25 min
- Kuroshima IslandHigh-speed ferry, approx. 25–30 min (Kuroshima Port)
- Iriomote IslandHigh-speed ferry, approx. 45 min (Uehara Port) / also Ohara Port
- Hateruma IslandHigh-speed ferry, approx. 60 min (Hateruma Port)
From New Ishigaki Airport to Iriomote is about 80 minutes at the fastest, with a transfer. All times are official “approximate” guidance and vary with the sailing and the sea.
SHAPE OF THE SAILINGS
The shape of the sailings.
A guide to daily sailing counts and hour bands per route, derived from seasonal timetables for the validity period shown below. Counts and “first–last” are departures from Ishigaki; the right-hand column is the last departure from the island. Individual departure times, fares and same-day operation are not shown — always check each operator’s official pages.
| Operator | Sailings / day | First–last | Last from island |
|---|---|---|---|
| Taketomi | |||
| Anei Kanko | |||
| Yaeyama Kanko Ferry | |||
| Kohama | |||
| Anei Kanko | |||
| Yaeyama Kanko Ferry | |||
| Kuroshima | |||
| Anei Kanko | |||
| Yaeyama Kanko Ferry | |||
| Iriomote — Uehara Port | |||
| Anei Kanko | |||
| Yaeyama Kanko Ferry | |||
| Iriomote — Ohara Port | |||
| Anei Kanko | |||
| Yaeyama Kanko Ferry | |||
| Hateruma | |||
| Anei Kanko | |||
| Yaeyama Kanko Ferry | |||
In this table, the Hateruma route is served by a single operator. Boats can be cancelled due to sea conditions — check operation the day before and on the day.
※ = there are non-operating days within the period.
TWO GATES, ONE HUB
The shape
of the ports.
How you move once you land depends on the port. Knowing the shape before you cross keeps you from getting lost on the day.
Iriomote has two gates
Iriomote has Uehara Port in the north and Ohara Port in the southeast. Which one to use shifts with your destination and the day's sea, so choose the port following your hotel's or the operator's guidance.
Getting around after you land
Beyond the port it differs by island — hotel shuttle, local bus, on foot. From Ohara Port, for instance, a local bus reaches near some hotels. Check the onward move before you cross, too.
BEFORE YOU BOARD
Dealing with the boats.
Individual departure times, fares and same-day operating status are not published on this page. Before your trip, always confirm with the latest official information.
Times and sailings change
Sailings change with the season and timetable revisions. Confirm not only the outbound but the last boat back, on the day. The last boat decides when the island's day ends.
Taketomi Town Tourism Association access guide ↗The sea changes the sailing
Wind and waves delay or cancel boats. Make a habit of checking the operating status the day before and the morning of. The operator's same-day information is the most reliable on whether boats run.
Where to check operating status ↗Fares and the latest, officially
Fares, boarding points, and whether round-trip tickets or passes exist are most reliable from the operator's official guidance. If you're heading to a hotel, check each property's official access too.
Example of a property's official access ↗Confirmed information and sources for this page
This page is an unofficial, independent work. The crossing times (as “approximate”), and the structure of the ports and access, are sourced from the official access pages of the facilities and the tourism association below. The shape of the sailings is sourced from GTFS data published by both operators (distributed by OTTOP, CC BY 4.0). Individual departure times, fares and same-day operating status are not included. Always confirm with official information at the time of travel.
Taketomi Town Tourism Association access guide (Ishigaki hub; Uehara/Ohara ports) ↗
HOSHINOYA Taketomi official access (Ishigaki→Taketomi approx. 10 min) ↗
RISONARE Kohamajima official access (Ishigaki→Kohama approx. 25 min) ↗
Iriomote Island Hotel official access (Ishigaki→Uehara approx. 45 min, high-speed) ↗
Painumaya official access (via Ohara Port; approx. 80 min from the airport) ↗
Anei Kanko official site (timetables, fares, operation) ↗
Yaeyama Kanko Ferry official site (timetables, fares, operation) ↗
OTTOP Okinawa public-transport open data (GTFS, CC BY 4.0) ↗
Machine-readable confirmed information
Supplementary guide for LLMs