The city center of Ishigaki Island and the area just south of it hold a run of beaches you can reach straight from the airport or your hotel.
Ishigaki’s best-known beaches, such as Kabira Bay and the ones out at Hirakubo, take more than half an hour to drive to. The city center and the south, by contrast, are only 10 to 30 minutes from Ishigaki Airport, so you can drop by before checking in, after checking out, or in the last hour before you return the rental car.
This article covers seven beaches in the city center and the south, along with Ryukyu Kannonzaki Lighthouse, which is well worth adding to the trip.
Here are the seven beaches covered below.
- Fusaki Beach
- Maesato Beach
- Shiraho Coast
- Painuhama Artificial Beach
- Ohama Coast
- Tadahama Coast
- Kannon Beach
Let’s take a look.
7 beaches in the city center and the south
Fusaki Beach
Fusaki Beach is the best-equipped beach in the city center and the south.
It is a natural beach next to the Fusaki Beach Resort Hotel & Villas, with a jellyfish net, lifeguards, showers, lockers, and a shop. Entry is free even if you are not staying at the hotel.
The coast faces west, so the sunsets are lovely, and the sun setting beyond the pier is one of the finest sights on Ishigaki. There is plenty of choice when it comes to water sports.
| Access | About 30 minutes by car from Ishigaki Airport |
| Address | 1625 Arakawa, Ishigaki City, Okinawa |
| Activities | Yes |
| Parking | Hotel guests: free Visitors: paid (500 yen per hour) |
| Toilets | Yes |
Maesato Beach
Maesato Beach is the stretch of sand directly in front of the ANA InterContinental Ishigaki Resort.
It is only about 15 minutes by car from Ishigaki Airport, and parking is free for hotel guests and beach visitors alike.
This is the beach with the widest range of activities in the area, and the swimming facilities are well set up. A jellyfish net is in place from May to October and lifeguards are on duty from March to October, so it is a safe choice with small children.
| Access | About 15 minutes by car from Ishigaki Airport |
| Address | Maezato, Ishigaki City, Okinawa |
| Activities | Yes |
| Parking | Yes (free) |
| Toilets | Yes |
Shiraho Coast
Shiraho Coast is the closest beach to Ishigaki Airport, about 10 minutes by car.
The Shiraho reef offshore was identified in a 1987 IUCN survey as the largest blue coral colony in the Northern Hemisphere. The reef is said to hold more than 120 species of coral, and it is known worldwide as a snorkeling site.
The reef is some distance out, however, and there are currents, so snorkeling here normally means joining a local tour. There are no lifeguards and no jellyfish net, so take real care if you enter the water.
| Access | About 10 minutes by car from Ishigaki Airport |
| Address | 2107-2 Shiraho, Ishigaki City, Okinawa |
| Activities | None *Snorkeling tours are available |
| Parking | Yes (free) |
| Toilets | Yes |
Painuhama Artificial Beach
Just south of the Ishigaki Port Ferry Terminal, within walking distance of the city center, is Painuhama Artificial Beach.
As the name says, it is a man-made beach, and it comes with a jellyfish net, lifeguards, showers, lockers, and a shop.
The swimming season is limited to the summer months, so check the official site for the current dates before you go.
| Access | About 20 minutes by car from Ishigaki Airport |
| Address | Painuhama, Ishigaki City, Okinawa |
| Activities | None |
| Parking | Yes (free) |
| Toilets | Yes |
Ohama Coast
From here on, the beaches are natural stretches of shore with no facilities at all.
Ohama Coast is about 15 minutes by car from Ishigaki Airport, a shoreline left exactly as nature made it.
There is free parking but no toilets or showers. With no lifeguards and no jellyfish net, going into the water is at your own risk.
| Access | About 15 minutes by car from Ishigaki Airport |
| Address | 1349-210 Ohama, Ishigaki City, Okinawa |
| Activities | None |
| Parking | Yes (free) |
| Toilets | None |
Tadahama Coast
Tadahama Coast sits in the same Maezato district as Maesato Beach, yet it is a natural shoreline with no facilities whatsoever.
The water is clear and the sand is beautiful, but few people come here.
There is free parking, though no toilets or showers, so pick up anything you need in town first.
| Access | About 20 minutes by car from Ishigaki Airport |
| Address | Maezato, Ishigaki City, Okinawa |
| Activities | None |
| Parking | Yes (free) |
| Toilets | None |
Kannon Beach
Kannon Beach lies at the foot of Cape Kannonzaki, further north along the west coast from Fusaki Beach.
It is about 30 minutes by car from the city center, and almost nobody comes here, which makes it a genuine hideaway.
It pairs well with Ryukyu Kannonzaki Lighthouse, which is right above it.
| Access | About 30 minutes by car from Ishigaki Airport |
| Address | 1585-105 Arakawa, Ishigaki City, Okinawa |
| Activities | None |
| Parking | Yes (free) |
| Toilets | Yes |
Worth adding in the city center and the south
Ryukyu Kannonzaki Lighthouse
Ryukyu Kannonzaki Lighthouse stands at the tip of Cape Kannonzaki, just above Kannon Beach.
The white tower against the blue sea makes a fine contrast, and because it faces west, sunset is the time to come.
Admission is free and 20 minutes is enough to see it. There is free parking and a vending machine.
| Access | About 30 minutes by car from Ishigaki Airport |
| Address | Arakawa, Ishigaki City, Okinawa |
| Time needed | About 20 minutes |
| Parking | Yes (free) |
| Toilets | None |
Around the city center and the south
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 beaches in the city center and the south sit fairly close together, but the island’s finest views, such as Kabira Bay and Yonehara Beach, are scattered across it. 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.
Fusaki Beach Resort Hotel & Villas
This is Ishigaki’s signature resort hotel, right next to Fusaki Beach.
Staying here makes parking at the beach free, and you can linger through the sunset hour.
The city center is only about 15 minutes away by car, so meals and shopping are easy to reach.
Summary
This article covered seven beaches in the city center and southern part of Ishigaki Island, along with Ryukyu Kannonzaki Lighthouse.
What makes this area work is simply how close it is to the airport and the city. You can fit a beach in on the day you land, or on the morning you fly home.
The following is my own take, but here is what sets each beach apart.
- Fusaki Beach… a popular beach with full facilities and a beautiful sunset
- Maesato Beach… a wide range of activities, good for families
- Shiraho Coast… a snorkeling landmark with the largest blue coral colony in the Northern Hemisphere
- Painuhama Artificial Beach… an easy beach you can walk to from the city center
- Ohama Coast… no facilities, but a quiet shore left to nature
- Tadahama Coast… a clear, natural beach with few visitors
- Kannon Beach… a west coast hideaway to pair with the lighthouse
If you are heading to Ishigaki Island, make time for the beaches in the city center and the south.
Thank you for reading to the end.
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