The Kabira and western area, in the northwest of Ishigaki Island, holds both the island’s signature views and its quietest beaches.
Kabira Bay, awarded three stars in the Michelin Green Guide Japon; Yonehara Beach, the island’s favorite snorkeling spot; and Oganzaki, the cape at the western end where the sun goes down. If you have come for the Ishigaki of the photographs, start here.
This article covers eight beaches in Kabira and the west, along with Oganzaki and the Blue Cave, both well worth adding to the trip.
Here are the eight beaches covered below.
- Kabira Bay
- Yonehara Beach
- Sukuji Beach
- Kabira Tabaga
- Yamabare Coast (Crystal Beach)
- Sakieda Beach
- Ohsaki Beach
- Sakieda Minami-hama
Let’s take a look.
8 beaches in Kabira and the west
Kabira Bay
Kabira Bay is the most celebrated view on Ishigaki Island.
The color of the water shifts by the minute with the tide and the angle of the sun, and the white sand with its scattering of small islands is the picture people carry home from Ishigaki.
Swimming is prohibited at Kabira Bay, however. To see what is under the surface, take one of the glass-bottom boats that tour the bay and you will get the coral and the tropical fish.
| Access | About 35 minutes by car from Ishigaki Airport |
| Address | Kabira, Ishigaki City, Okinawa |
| Activities | Yes (glass-bottom boats and more) |
| Parking | Yes (both free and paid) Paid parking is 200 yen for the first hour, then 100 yen per 60 minutes |
| Toilets | Yes |
Yonehara Beach
Say snorkeling on Ishigaki Island and Yonehara Beach is the first name that comes up.
Coral begins a short swim from shore, and the tropical fish come in every color. It is also only about 20 minutes by car from Ishigaki Airport, which helps.
There are no lifeguards, though, and the gaps in the reef cause rip current accidents almost every year. Maps marking the danger zones are posted at the beach entrance and near the toilets, so check them before you go in. A life jacket is strongly recommended.
| Access | About 20 minutes by car from Ishigaki Airport |
| Address | 644 Fukai, Ishigaki City, Okinawa |
| Activities | Yes |
| Parking | Yes (both free and paid) Free: about 5 to 8 spaces / Paid: 500 yen, about 60 spaces |
| Toilets | Yes |
Sukuji Beach
A short drive from Kabira Bay brings you to Sukuji Beach.
The water stays shallow a long way out, the waves are gentle, and a jellyfish net is in place, so everyone from adults to small children can swim safely. It is also used as the starting point for snorkeling tours.
There is plenty of space to sit and rest, and for a family spending a whole day in this area, this is the best choice.
| Access | About 40 minutes by car from Ishigaki Airport |
| Address | 185-1 Kabira, Ishigaki City, Okinawa |
| Activities | Yes |
| Parking | Yes (free) |
| Toilets | Yes |
Kabira Tabaga
Kabira Tabaga is a small cove ringed by rock, with a stretch of white sand inside it.
The handmade swing on the sand spread through social media, and the spot is now used for wedding photography as well.
There is no sign at the entrance, though, and you have to drive in along an unpaved farm track. There are no facilities of any kind, so come prepared.
| Access | About 35 minutes by car from Ishigaki Airport |
| Address | Kabira, Ishigaki City, Okinawa |
| Activities | None |
| Parking | Yes (free, about 4 spaces) *An unpaved area |
| Toilets | None |
Yamabare Coast (Crystal Beach)
Yamabare Coast is nicknamed Crystal Beach because you can hunt for natural crystals in the sand, washed down from Mount Omoto, the highest peak in Okinawa Prefecture.
Look closely at the sand along the waterline and you will see tiny clear grains catching the light.
Rip currents form easily here, however, and it is not a coast for swimming. Come for the view and the crystal hunting rather than to get in the water.
| Access | About 30 minutes by car from Ishigaki Airport |
| Address | Kabira (Yamabare), Ishigaki City, Okinawa |
| Activities | None |
| Parking | No dedicated parking *Use the nearby public parking |
| Toilets | None |
Sakieda Beach
The next few beaches are on the western peninsula that leads out to Oganzaki.
Sakieda Beach, also known as Sakieda-hama, is known as a snorkeling spot and opens onto a wide, uncluttered view.
There is free parking but no toilets or other facilities.
| Access | About 35 minutes by car from Ishigaki Airport |
| Address | Sakieda, Ishigaki City, Okinawa |
| Activities | None |
| Parking | Yes (free) |
| Toilets | None |
Ohsaki Beach (Tachii-hama)
Ohsaki Beach is known locally as Tachii-hama.
It is not a place tourists gather, so you can have a genuinely quiet time here.
Again there is free parking, but no toilets.
| Access | About 35 minutes by car from Ishigaki Airport |
| Address | Sakieda, Ishigaki City, Okinawa |
| Activities | None |
| Parking | Yes (free) |
| Toilets | None |
Sakieda Minami-hama
Sakieda Minami-hama lies on the southern side of the Sakieda peninsula.
It is the quietest beach in the area, and a good pick if you want an empty shore and nothing to do.
There is no proper parking lot, only open ground to pull onto, so take care not to block the road.
| Access | About 35 minutes by car from Ishigaki Airport |
| Address | Sakieda, Ishigaki City, Okinawa |
| Activities | None |
| Parking | Open ground available |
| Toilets | None |
Worth adding in Kabira and the west
Oganzaki
Oganzaki is the cape that juts out at the western end of Ishigaki Island.
A white lighthouse stands on the cliff top, and the sun setting into the East China Sea makes this one of the island’s best sunset spots.
A memorial to the Yaeyama Maru disaster stands on the cape as well. Parts of the cliff edge have no railing, so watch your footing.
| Access | About 35 minutes by car from Ishigaki Airport |
| Address | Sakieda, Ishigaki City, Okinawa |
| Time needed | About 20 to 30 minutes |
| Parking | Yes (free) |
| Toilets | Yes |
The Blue Cave
The Blue Cave sits on the coastline north of Yonehara Beach.
It is a sea cave with about half of it submerged. Inside, white sand meets pale limestone and stalactites hang from the ceiling. At high tide you swim in; at low tide you walk in across the sand the water leaves behind.
Vehicles are banned near the cave entrance, there is no parking, and the route crosses private land. Joining a tour is now the standard way in, so please do not try to reach it on your own.
| Access | About 40 minutes by car from Ishigaki Airport |
| Address | 527 Fukai, Ishigaki City, Okinawa |
| Landmark | North of Yonehara Beach / the sign at the entrance to the Yaeyama palm grove |
| Parking | None near the cave *Use the parking areas around Yonehara Beach |
| Toilets | None |
Around Kabira and the west
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.
Club Med Ishigaki
If you are staying in Kabira or the west, Club Med Kabira Ishigaki is the one to look at.
It is in Kabira Ishizaki, about 10 minutes by car from Kabira Bay and around 30 minutes from Ishigaki Airport, which makes it an easy base for the beaches in this area.
It is an all-inclusive resort: meals, drinks including alcohol, and activities are all covered by the room rate, so nothing else comes up during your stay. Snorkeling, SUP, tennis, and even flying trapeze are on offer, and with a kids’ club and evening shows, families can fill the whole day.
A beach opens directly in front of the resort, and there is a pool as well. Having what feels like a private beach is the kind of thing only one of Ishigaki’s top resorts can offer.
Rooms fill up early in peak season, so book as soon as your dates are set.
Summary
This article covered eight beaches in the Kabira and western part of Ishigaki Island, along with Oganzaki.
This area holds the island’s signature views and its emptiest shores side by side. Seeing only Kabira Bay and Yonehara Beach and heading home would be a waste.
The following is my own take, but here is what sets each beach apart.
- Kabira Bay… Ishigaki’s signature view. No swimming, so take a glass-bottom boat
- Yonehara Beach… a popular snorkeling spot with coral a short swim from shore
- Sukuji Beach… a jellyfish net in place, so families can swim safely
- Kabira Tabaga… a photo spot with a handmade swing
- Yamabare Coast… an unusual shore where you can hunt for natural crystals. Not for swimming
- Sakieda Beach… a snorkeling spot with a wide open view
- Ohsaki Beach… a quiet beach that tourists rarely reach
- Sakieda Minami-hama… the quietest spot in the area
If you are heading to Ishigaki Island, make time for the beaches in Kabira and the west.
Thank you for reading to the end.
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