The north and Hirakubo area runs from the island’s narrow waist out along the long, thin Hirakubo Peninsula, and it is where Ishigaki’s nature is at its most intact.
Being far from the city center means few visitors, and the beaches here come with white sand and clear water you will often have entirely to yourself. Carry on to Hirakubozaki at the island’s northern tip and a 360-degree view is waiting.
This article covers six beaches in the north and Hirakubo, along with Hirakubozaki and Tamatorizaki Observatory, both well worth adding to the trip.
Here are the six beaches covered below.
- Ishigaki Sunset Beach
- Hirakubo Beach
- Kuura-no-hama
- Hirakubo Sunset Beach
- Akaishi Beach
- Hirano Beach
Let’s take a look.
6 beaches in the north and Hirakubo
Ishigaki Sunset Beach
Ishigaki Sunset Beach is the only properly equipped swimming beach in this part of the island.
It is in the Kuura settlement on the western side of the Hirakubo Peninsula, and during the swimming season it has lifeguards and a box jellyfish net. Showers, toilets, and changing rooms are covered by the entry fee.
The swimming season runs from May 1 to October 15. Outside those dates there are neither lifeguards nor a net, so check the current information before you set out.
| Access | About 35 minutes by car from Ishigaki Airport |
| Address | 234-323 Hirakubo, Ishigaki City, Okinawa |
| Activities | Yes |
| Parking | Yes (paid: 500 yen per day, about 50 spaces) |
| Toilets | Yes |
Hirakubo Beach
Hirakubo Beach is defined by its clear water and its beautiful sand.
It is also known as the location for Namie Amuro’s music video for “Get Myself Back”.
It is not a place that draws crowds, so it suits anyone who wants a slow day on the sand. There are no facilities at all.
| Access | About 35 minutes by car from Ishigaki Airport |
| Address | Hirakubo, Ishigaki City, Okinawa |
| Activities | None |
| Parking | Yes (free) |
| Toilets | None |
Kuura-no-hama
Kuura-no-hama is in the same Kuura district as Ishigaki Sunset Beach, but it is a natural beach with no facilities.
The clarity of the water and the beauty of the sand are among the best in the area, and hardly anyone comes here.
There are no toilets or showers, so bring whatever you need with you.
| Access | About 35 minutes by car from Ishigaki Airport |
| Address | 234-318 Hirakubo, Ishigaki City, Okinawa |
| Activities | None |
| Parking | Yes (free) |
| Toilets | None |
Hirakubo Sunset Beach
Hirakubo Sunset Beach lies on the western side of the Hirakubo Peninsula, where the water stays shallow a long way out.
Entry, parking, and toilets are all free, and with showers, rental gear, and even a food truck on site, you can turn up empty-handed. That is the real draw.
Snorkeling tours and clear SUP are among the water sports on offer. As the name promises, the sunsets here are lovely.
| Access | About 40 minutes by car from Ishigaki Airport |
| Address | 226-559 Hirakubo, Ishigaki City, Okinawa |
| Activities | Yes |
| Parking | Yes (free) |
| Toilets | Yes (free) |
Akaishi Beach (Akaishi Coast)
Akaishi Beach is in Ibaruma, at the base of the Hirakubo Peninsula.
The sand runs for about a kilometer, giving it a real sense of space, and because it is off the tourist route there is almost nobody here.
There is free parking but no toilets or other facilities.
| Access | About 30 minutes by car from Ishigaki Airport |
| Address | Ibaruma, Ishigaki City, Okinawa |
| Activities | None |
| Parking | Yes (free) |
| Toilets | None |
Hirano Beach
Hirano Beach is in the Hirano settlement at the northern tip of Ishigaki Island.
White sand meets cobalt blue water on a beach left entirely to nature, and coral grows even in the shallows, so you can see tropical fish.
Because it opens to the north, the waves get high and dangerous in winter when the north wind blows hard. There are no lifeguards either, so stay out of the water on windy days.
| Access | About 45 minutes by car from Ishigaki Airport |
| Address | Hirano, Ishigaki City, Okinawa |
| Activities | None |
| Parking | Yes (free) |
| Toilets | None |
Worth adding in the north and Hirakubo
Hirakubozaki (Hirakubozaki Lighthouse)
Hirakubozaki is the cape at the northern tip of Ishigaki Island.
The white lighthouse against the blue sea makes a striking contrast, and this counts among the island’s finest views. On a clear day you can sometimes see as far as Tarama Island.
There is parking and a toilet here, which makes it the one place in the area where you will not be caught out.
| Access | About 45 minutes by car from Ishigaki Airport |
| Address | 234-50 Hirakubo, Ishigaki City, Okinawa |
| Time needed | About 20 to 30 minutes |
| Parking | Yes (free) |
| Toilets | Yes |
Tamatorizaki Observatory
Tamatorizaki Observatory stands at the narrow waist of the island, on the way out to the Hirakubo Peninsula.
From the deck you take in the Hirakubo Peninsula and, on either side of it, the East China Sea and the Pacific Ocean at once. Nowhere shows you the shape of Ishigaki Island more clearly.
Hibiscus is planted along the walkway, and 20 to 30 minutes is enough to see it. It makes a good break on the drive north.
| Access | About 20 minutes by car from Ishigaki Airport |
| Address | Ibaruma, Ishigaki City, Okinawa |
| Time needed | About 20 to 30 minutes |
| Parking | Yes (free) |
| Toilets | Yes |
Around the north and Hirakubo
Things to do on Ishigaki Island
Ishigaki Island has a great deal to do.
Water sports in particular are everywhere, from snorkeling and diving to SUP and canoeing.
If any of that appeals, take a look on Viator or GetYourGuide.
Rental cars on Ishigaki Island
A rental car is by far the best way to get around Ishigaki Island.
The island’s finest views are scattered across it, and with a car you can take them at your own pace. Buses are infrequent on Ishigaki, and having a car or not makes a real difference to the trip.
Cars fill up quickly in the peak season, so we recommend booking early once your travel dates are set. One important note for overseas visitors: to drive in Japan you must obtain an International Driving Permit (Geneva Convention) in your home country before you depart, and remember that traffic in Japan drives on the left.
ANA InterContinental Ishigaki Resort
The ANA InterContinental Ishigaki Resort is a handsome resort hotel.
Some rooms have ocean views, and with a pool and tennis courts on site it suits anyone who wants a resort stay on Ishigaki.
Summary
This article covered six beaches in the northern and Hirakubo part of Ishigaki Island, along with Hirakubozaki and Tamatorizaki Observatory.
This area is more than an hour each way from the city center, but that is exactly why so few people are here and why it holds the most intact nature on Ishigaki. Give it a full day and take it slowly.
The following is my own take, but here is what sets each beach apart.
- Ishigaki Sunset Beach… the only swimming beach in the area with lifeguards and a net
- Hirakubo Beach… a Namie Amuro music video location, with water and sand among the island’s best
- Kuura-no-hama… no facilities, but the sea is as clean as it gets
- Hirakubo Sunset Beach… free entry and parking, a food truck, and shallow water
- Akaishi Beach… about a kilometer of open sand with hardly anyone on it
- Hirano Beach… the island’s northern tip, a natural beach with coral in the shallows
If you are heading to Ishigaki Island, make time for the beaches in the north and Hirakubo.
Thank you for reading to the end.
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